Hippo In Chicago River: Footage Of Alleged Hippo Swimming In Chicago River Gets 40K Views, A Hoax? [VIDEO]

Hippo in Chicago River video has quickly gained traction of Chicago residents, as well as people who frequent the internet. The 27-second video of the hippo in Chicago River was uploaded by YouTube user "Chris O" on Sept. 15. "Chris O" claims the head which popped up Chicago waterway is nothing other than a hippo.

The video is titled "Unknown creature seen in Chicago River believed to be a hippo," and as of the current moment, it has already garnered exactly 43,586 views.

While it is possible that the still unidentified creature may have escaped detection until recently, the video of the hippo in Chicago River isn't free of skeptics.

Theblaze.com says they are positive that the footage is only a prank or a viral marketing attempt. Still, one cannot deny the fact that the video of the hippo in Chicago River has gained the attention of many.

As described by the Inquisitr, the clip shows an unknown creature rising under a bridge in the Chicago River. Two men are also heard talking to each other, with one pointing out that the unidentified creature had submerged under the surface of the river. The second man meanwhile tried to verify where the animal was first spotted.

While some users suggest the bobbed "animal" to be a manatee, other users who commented said the footage was clearly manipulated.

User "MrAngry101" said, "That was a terrible editing job."

Another user named "Pale BlueDot" said, "So Fake, Clearly there is something there the people in the boat respond to something, but if you carefully watch the thing you will notice once it head comes above water and turns it doesn't bob with the water..."

As pointed out by the Daily Mail, one of the men in the video of the hippo in Chicago River can be overheard saying, "It went under again". The other man in the video responded with a verification of where the alleged hippo was last seen.

The man then said, "That boat is pretty much heading right towards it."

When the unknown creature surfaced once more, the man said, "There it is, there it is do you see it?" The second man then said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh my god what is that?"

While the video of hippo in Chicago River has already garnered over 40,000 views, some have questioned its veracity.

Theblaze.com points out that the Chicago River is has had constant traffic by a wide variety of watercraft. This includes numerous sightseeing boats bombarded with tourists, and as the summer season wraps up, no other tourist has reported of seeing a hippo in Chicago River.

According to the Inquisitr, even if a hippo was indeed present in the waters of Chicago, it reportedly would not have been able to escape the prying eyes of the general public.

Jose Estrada of the Chicago Police Department told Theblaze.com that there had been "no reports of wild animals roaming the streets or the rivers of Chicago."

Estrada said, "There have been no reports of wild animals roaming the streets or the rivers of Chicago."

TheBlaze reportedly also called Chicago's Brookfield Zoo to ask if the hippo in Chicago River was truly possible. A zoo representative told the Web site that the incident of a hippo surviving in the Chicago River was highly, "especially considering the harsh winters we experience."

According to the Daily Mail, the video of the hippo in Chicago River is the only vide uploaded by the YouTube user, thus adding to the suspicions of skeptics.

Meanwhile, the video of the hippo in Chicago River comes has become famous in the wake of recent photographs of other unidentified aquatic animals, according to a previous report by The Inquisitr.

Several weeks ago, an image purporting to show a Loch Ness Monster-like creature in England circulated online. Many claimed it had been manipulated, just like the hippo in Chicago River. Also, last week, a video of a lake monster in Iceland was confirmed as genuine by a local commission, despite many saying it only appeared to be fishing net or rope caught on a branch.

Hippo in Chicago River, or whatever else it may be, will still not escape the curiosity of Chicago residents. No doubt many will now be scanning the river's length for further evidence of the mysterious creature. Meanwhile, TheBlaze has attempted to contact YouTube user "Chris O" but has not gotten a response.

Watch the video below and see for yourself if it's real or a hoax.