Locals baffled after giant wooden penis appears on Austrian mountain

"I think the mountain has a new mascot."

Tourists and locals are mystified by the appearance of a giant wooden penis on an Austrian mountain.

The discovery was made by mountaineer Marika Roth on Thursday (November 2) who uploaded the images to Facebook. She said in her post: "I think the mountain has a new 'mascot'."

So far no one has claimed responsibility for the 1-metre tall sculpture and bemused residents are unsure how it was transported there.

The pictures were taken on the western Austrian mountain of Ötscher, a peak adjacent to a popular Alpine skiing resort. The 1,900m mountain includes hiking and skiing trails and is a popular tourist location.

Speaking with Kurier.at, resident Andreas Bruder said he was unsure if the carving was artwork or a marketing stunt but welcomed the mountain's newest addition:

"We have nothing against it. The sculpture should be well secured, when it was set up we do not know. We are currently researching the background."

Whatever the motivations by the artist, his of her creation has certainly gained plenty of attention. Some commenters expressed their amazement at the sculpture:

One wrote: "An impressive symbol of male strength and endurance. Certainly a gesture opposite the ancient summit gods. Must stay. Nuff Said."

"I think a lot of people will be at the ötscher this weekend," said another.