A mountain in Hubei province resembling a puppy lying on its stomach on Feb 18. [Photo by Hao Mingxi/For China Daily]

A mountain in Hubei province has become an internet sensation, with its unique karst landscape resembling a puppy lying on its stomach, drawing millions of views on social media platforms.

"Puppy Mountain", located in Zigui county in Yichang, along the Yangtze River, was first captured in a photo by a Shanghai designer surnamed Guo. While hiking on the Jiuwanxi Bridge during the Spring Festival holiday, Guo noticed the mountain's outline while reviewing his photos and shared his discovery on Chinese lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu.

The image quickly went viral, gaining 123,000 likes within 10 days. Netizens were struck by the resemblance, comparing the photo to real dogs and noting the "curvature of the forehead and the mouth "as well as it "baring its teeth".

The mountain has also garnered international attention. Japan's Abema News reported that many tourists have flocked to the area, surprised to have missed the adorable feature during previous visits. The Associated Press reported that many people traveled to Yichang to see the mountain for themselves, with some even bringing their dogs for photo opportunities. Sky News and the BBC in the United Kingdom and CBS News from the United States also covered the story.

On Chinese microblogging platform Sina Weibo, topics about "Puppy Mountain" have drawn millions of views.

While the internet marvels at the mountain, local authorities have issued a warning. The area is remote and steep and not yet developed as an official scenic site. Visitors are advised to view and take photos from a distance at the observation platform on the opposite bank, known as the "Ox Liver and Horse Lung" Gorge, named after two naturally hanging yellow-brown stalactites on the steep cliffs of the northern bank of the river.

Li Zhongdong, a geological tourism expert, said "Puppy Mountain "was formed by karst processes, creating a karst landform. He explained that figurative rock formations are common natural landscapes, pointing to examples such as Elephant Trunk Hill in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and the "Monkey Gazing at the Sea" scene at Huangshan Mountain in Anhui province.

"The puppy's eyes, the area between the eyebrows and the corners of its mouth may be the entrance of a karst cave," Li said. "The white section between its forehead and nose might be a cliff formed by a collapse, while the appearance of its ears is primarily a visual effect created by vegetation coverage."

Li encouraged people to appreciate the beauty of nature and use their eyes to discover distinctive scenery.

"Beauty can be found everywhere," he said.

"Puppy Mountain" has sparked a wave of similar discoveries online, with users sharing photos of mountains resembling a cat or bear, an island looking like a whale, and porridge, cloud and hook shapes resembling a dog's head.