The Abbagoochie (pronounced abba-GOO-cheez) is a hoax creature resembling a cross between an owl, a fox, and a deer. It is indigenous to Costa Rica, where people refer to it as a "dry land piranha" because it will eat anything, including creatures far larger than itself such as horses and cows. If cornered, an abbagoochie will consume itself "in a devilish whirlwind" rather than allow itself to be captured. They mate only once every 6 ½ years. In 1999, in an ill-considered move, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) introduced thirteen baby Abbagoochies from Costa Rica into West Virginia in order to keep down the population of overpopulated predators such as coyotes and rattlesnakes. But soon, as reported by Jim Wilson of the Webster Echo in February 2001, the abbagoochie itself multiplied out of control and began attacking livestock. Soon after Wilson's article appeared, sightings of Abbagoochies began occurring throughout the region. Some farmers began carrying shotguns in order to protect their livestock. Concerned parents walked their kids to the school bus to make sure they were safe. And one man reported that he had accidentally run over an abbagoochie.
The Adjule or Bush Dog (also known as the Kelb-el-khela for males and tarhsît for female), is a canine-like animal cryptid, claimed to live in the North African region, close to the Sahara Desert. First reported by Théodore Monod in 1928, and today is described as an undiscovered variety of the African Wild dog. The most recent sighting was in 1992 from the resident hunters of the village in Western Mauritania. and has not been seen since. There are no known photos of the Adjule, its sightings have been debunked by most of the scientific world as just sightings of African Wild Dogs living close to the Sahara, which today they do not, or other known species which has mange, or a creature that has been misidentified by the local population of humans. Described as being approximately two and a half feet tall, with feet that are webbed, and having rough thick crimson colored skin which has a bluish tint. Descriptions have the wolf-like creature weighing in at about thirty to forty-five pounds. The Adjule are not lone creatures. The hunting packs number from three to thirteen. Also reported to have some supernatural powers. The local tribesmen of the Sahara say it uses pheromones to cause great contention or discord among the area's residents allowing them to hunt their prey. There are no records or mention of the Adjule attacking humans. An Adjule's normal form in Resident Evil 5Adjules appear as enemies described as being parasite-infected dog in the video game Resident Evil 5.
The Ahuitzotl is from Aztec and Mayan Mythology. Said to look like a small dog, the Ahuitzotl had streaks on its head, small ears, and a hand on it tail. Scientists believe that the Ahuitzotl may have actually existed and was a type of otter or ferret, which is also a relative of the otter. The Ahuizotl appeared in The Ocean Hunter as a surviving elasmosaurus that lives in Texocco Great Lake. According to legend it would submerge itself in a lake or stream and begin to wail like a small child or a frightened woman. A passerby would hear the sound and would rush to the rescue of the "helpless victim". Upon approaching the water the victim would be strangled by the creature's infamous tail-hand and then the creature would tear out the victim's eyes, nails and teeth and eat them. It would then toss the lifeless body onto the riverbank and restart its wailing.
In Inuit mythology, Akhlut is a spirit that takes the form of both a wolf and an orca. It is a vicious, dangerous beast. Its tracks can be recognized because they are wolf tracks that lead to and from the ocean. Often, dogs seen walking to the ocean and/or into it are considered evil. Little is known of this spirit, other than that it shapeshifts from an orca to a wolf when hungry. Not many myths relate to this creature but a great number of myths tell of creatures that shift their shape. It's normally portrayed as a mix of an orca and a wolf. Interestingly, another name for an orca is seawolf, stemming from a time when it was believed that the ocean and the land shared variants of the same animals (hence the well-known seahorse and sea cow, as well as lesser known creatures such as the Monkfish and seabees.) The Akhlut appears in the mobile smartphone app game, Disco Zoo, where it fulfills the Ice Age exhibits' mythical creature spot. Randomly people walking the field will call them "Walking Orcas", "Orcadogs", or "Puppy Whales".
According to Inuit mythology Amaguq is a trickster/wolf god. The wolf is a common motif in the foundational mythologies and cosmologies of peoples throughout Eurasia and North America (corresponding to the historical extent of the habitat of the gray wolf). The obvious attribute of the wolf is its nature of a predator, and correspondingly it is strongly associated with danger, destruction, making it the symbol of the warrior on one hand, and that of the devil on the other. The modern trope of the Big Bad Wolf is a development of this. The wolf holds great importance in the cultures and religions of the nomadic peoples, both of the Eurasian steppe and of the North American Plains. In many cultures, the identification of the warrior with the wolf (totemism) gave rise to the notion of Lycanthropy, the mythical or ritual identification of man and wolf.
Amarok (or Amaroq) is the name of a gigantic wolf in Inuit mythology. It is said to hunt down and devour anyone foolish enough to hunt alone at night. Unlike real wolves who hunt in packs, Amarok hunts alone. It is sometimes considered equivalent to the waheela of cryptozoology. In the 1972 novel Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George, the first alpha male of the Avalik River Pack is named 'Amaroq' by Miyax/Julie. A pack of 10 Amaroks appeared in the The Secret Saturdays episode "The Ice Caverns of Ellef Ringnes" with their vocal effects done by Fred Tatasciore. The Amarok also appears in a mod pack for Zoo Tycoon 2.
The Andean Wolf was first discovered with only a skin bought by a German animal-dealer, Lorenz Hagenbeck, in Buenos Aires in 1926. Hagenbeck sent the skin to Germany, where is was moved around to several museums, until it reached Munich. In 1940, Dr. Ingo Krumbiegel inspected the skin and claimed that it was a mountain species of the maned wolf. However, he refrained from producing a description of the species until more evidence was found of its existence. In 1947, Krumbiegel learned from Hagenbeck that when he bought the skin there were three others just like it. Krumbiegel, convinced that this creature was not simply a mongrel, related the skin to an unusual skull he had examined several years previous which had been collected in the Andes. The skull was 30 cm long, while the average of the others in the group was 25 cm. Krumbiegel publish a description of the Andean Wolf, and gave it the Latin name Dasycyon hagenbecki.
Barguest is usually seen in the form of a mastiff dog or bear with red eyes. This northern English creature haunts local people. It has glowing eyes like hot coals, horns and devilish fangs and it has been seen wrapped in chains or dragging chains. It is said to haunt the lands of Durham, Northumberland and Yorkshire. Others have disputed that it that the Barguest was not a dog but was another creature. Other accounts have said it was a headless woman, a rabbit or a dog. The mere sight of this dog would bring death or disaster. The Barguest attacks anything that comes in close proximity to it and will inflict a wound on you that will never heal. If someone of great significance was about to die, the Barguest would set all the dogs in the area howling. The name Barguest means ‘Spirit of the Bier’ a word from the old Germanic language.
The Beast of Bray Road is a hairy humanoid with canine features that was sighted near the towns of Delavan and Elkhorn in Wisconsin, mainly during the 1990s. It was labeled a Werewolf in local folklore. Most cryptozoologists have decide to label it a Bigfoot in order to avoid dealing with the scientific absurdities involved with werewolves. However, some people think that it is a cryptid canine instead. Some researchers consider the Beast of Bray Road to be identical to a kind of Wisconsin Bigfoot named the "Bluff Monster" or the "Eddy." Other names that have been applied to the Beast of Bray Road include the "Bear-Wolf" and the "Indigenous Dogman". But the Native Americans call it the "Wendigo ." The Beast of Bray Road counts as the most famous of modern American werewolves. It has been in the media regularly since the first sightings were publicized, and even had a low-budget movie based on its legend. Because of the numerous witnesses who have claimed to see this creature, the evidence supporting the Beast of Bray Road is far greater than the evidence supporting almost any other werewolf legend. Cryptozoologists, of course, do not generally take shapeshifters seriously unless they are fringe cryptozoologists who hold more of a paranormal view of things. Therefore, as with other werewolf reports, there is a tendency to force the evidence into a more acceptable interpretation, discarding whatever circumstances and details of witness testimony that do not fit with the chosen hypothesis. First of all, there are those try to hold up something far more normal than the creature as it is described by most witnesses. Some say that all this fuss must be based around an escaped pet wolf, a large feral dog, a bear, or some other creature that is known to exist. According to this interpretation, the werewolf-like characteristics are due to mistaken observations or sheer panic that causes exaggeration of the animal's true features. Others think that it is all hallucination, or that a costumed prankster is behind it all. For those who believe that the Beast of Bray Road is something out of the ordinary, but not something as radical as an actual werewolf, cryptozoology is a natural place to turn for possible candidates. Several distinct cryptids, namely the skunk-ape (an odd relative of Bigfoot), the waheela (or bear-dog) and the canine-like shunka warakin, have all been mentioned as possibilities for the real identity of the Beast of Bray Road. All of these creatures would fit with some of the sightings, but none of these cryptids could account for all the sightings. We would still have to throw out some sightings, or we would have to assume that some witnesses were mistaken in their descriptions or that not all witnesses were seeing the same creature. The last main explanation used for the Beast of Bray Road is that at least two different creatures were being seen in the same area at the same time, and they ended up getting placed under the same label even though they should have been studied separately. It is possible that all of these were ordinary beings, such as wild dogs and costumed pranksters. It is also possible that one or more of these creatures was a genuine cryptid or mystery animal of some type, perhaps a new species, or perhaps only a subspecies or some non-native animal secretly released in Wisconsin. The Beast of bray road was featured on an episode of Lost Tapes where it is attacking a group of Malitia soldiers and a reporter.
Dartmoor, a place in England, is said to be inhabited by pixies, headless horsemen and more monsters. But there's a creature over the others, the most mysterious of all. A giant, black canine, feline or horse-like that has been photographed and caught on video. It has been compared to lions, ponies, dogs, sheep, but nothing has been found. Many people claim to have seen the woolly beast, but, what could it be? A puma- Felis concolor. The puma, cougar or mountain lion is the most adaptable feline in the Americas. It could be a puma that escaped from a zoo or another place, or illegally kept as pet, and adapted to his European home. Pumas normally prey on deer, but also eat smaller animals such as porcupines or coyotes. With sheep, rabbits and hares, it would have a year round menu for him and his family.
The Beast of Gevaudan is a mythical creature that was held responsible for at least 60 animal-attack deaths in 1760s France (some reports put the death toll over 100, but there has been difficulty in proving more than about 60 of the cases). Several traditional depictions of the Beast of Gevaudan show the wide variety of physical characteristics that were attributed to this monster. If there was a real animal behind these sightings and reports, it is obscured by a great deal of folklore. Locals believed it was a werewolf, or, more specifically, a sorcerer who shape-shifted into a monstrous predator in order to feed on human flesh. It was supposed to be bulletproof as well, until the day that a hunter named Jean Chastel tried a silver bullet. It has been speculated that it was a hyena trained by Chastel, but this does not fit logic or description. Descriptions of the Beast varied so much that most researchers believe there had to be at least two of the creatures, if indeed the panic wasn't causing the populace to incorporate almost any large animal into these sightings. The color of the Beast's fur was especially variable. Sometimes it was red, red with a large gray patch, or red with faint stripes along the back. Other times, it had black and white patches spotted over its body, with no trace of red. Rarely, it had colors or patterns that didn't incorporate red, black, or white. If you add up all the differing descriptions and then create a composite description out of those characteristics that are mentioned with consistency and by the most witnesses, then the Beast would look something like this down below: The Beast is a quadruped about the size of a horse. It reminds witnesses of a bear, hyena, wolf and panther all at once. It has a long wolf-like or pig-like snout, lined with large teeth. The ears are small and round, lying close to the head. The neck is long and strong. The tail somewhat resembles the long tail of a panther, but it is so thick and strong that the Beast uses it as a weapon, knocking men and animals down with it. Anyone struck by the tail reports that it hits with considerable force. The feet of the Beast are the hardest to describe. Some say that it has cloven hooves, or that each digit is tipped with a hoof. Others say that the claws are so heavy, thick and formidable that they merely resemble hooves. Since there do not seem to be any more sightings of animals like the Beast in France, or any historical precedent for animals like it in that area before the first sighting, it is a hard creature for cryptozoologists to tackle. Most mythical animals that are taken seriously by cryptozoologists have some sort of history that indicates that there could have been a breeding population from ancient times. Single animals are hard to handle from a cryptozoological standpoint. On the other hand, all available evidence seems to indicate that, if the Beast was real, there were at least two of its kind. If we wanted to, we might be able to presume that a mated pair or small pack migrated hundreds of miles to reach France from some area where such creatures did have a history, or that they were secretly or inadvertently transported by humans. Such speculations are far-fetched, but they would be necessary for most cryptozoological analyzations to succeed. The other alternative would be to presume that these creatures had been living secretly in France since ancient times without making a splash on local folklore, which doesn't make much sense for a supposed undiscovered species. It would be nice to be able to declare the Beast of Gevaudan a hyena, a bear, an escaped lion, or something like that, but in order to do so we must disregard witness testimony. Of course, in this case witness testimony is so riddled with the supernatural that we would have to disregard some of it anyway, but if we accept the core description of the Beast as having any validity, we must also acknowledge that the creature described doesn't match any known animal. Parts of it match wolves, hyenas and panthers, with hyenas probably being the best fit, but we run into serious problems when we try to bend witness testimony to fit a known animal. Unless we toss it all out as superstition, we end up with a Beast that certainly seems cryptozoological in the best sense of the word: it's a genuine puzzle. The Beast of Gevaudan as depicted in the film 'Brotherhood of the Wolf'. This image is copyrighted by those who own the copyright to the movie. If the Beast existed and wasn't any normal species, what could it be? Most explanations put forth hybrid or deformed versions of the several known species that most resembled the Beast of Gevaudan. The idea of wolf-dog hybrids was popular for so long that it was almost accepted that the solution had been found. However, they would have to be pretty odd wolf-dog hybrids in order to adhere to the core description of the Beast. A weird bear mutant might work, if it were mutated in just the right way, but it would need a tail. Hyenas just are not big enough to be the Beast, so once again we would need to propose a mutant or hybrid, as well as the problem that hyenas have been extinct in Europe for a long time. Since cryptozoologists are only ultimately interested in discovering new species or subspecies, if the Beast was proven to be a mutant or hybrid of some kind, then it would cease to be of interest to cryptozoology. If the Beast of Gevaudan were a new species or subspecies, there are several possibilities. It could be a new bear, a new big cat, some sort of survival of a prehistoric European hyena, or something even more exotic. There is, in fact, a type of animal that fits the core description of the Beast exactly, but it is extinct, and would hardly be expected to have survived in Europe of all places. This group of animals would be the mesonychids, a presumably extinct group of hoofed predators. The biggest mesonychid looked much like a hyena, and was the size of a horse. Some other reports that may describe mesonychids come from Armenia and Assyria about the year 800, and describe pig-like beasts that are vicious predators, but these have huge, floppy ears instead of the Beast's tiny round ears. Another possible mesonychid is reported from a more plausible place, the Amazon rainforest of South America. This creature is called the tapire-iauara. As you can see, there are many explanations for the Beast of Gevaudan. Scientists run from one explanation to another as fads come and go. Almost everything that is remotely conceivable has been proposed as an explanation. This page has been limited to a discussion of the more likely prospects as viewed by the science of cryptozoology, because otherwise this web page would be the size of a small book. There are other explanations rooted more in fields other than cryptozoology, such as the study of folklore and hoaxes. For example, the fictional movie Brotherhood of the Wolf presents an elaborate explanation for the Beast that manages to neatly tie up most of the loose ends that frustrate scientists, by proposing that it was all an elaborate hoax. One recent claim is that the stuffed body of the creature has actually been found in a museum in central France and studies suggest that it was actually a brown hyena which is now believed to have belonged to the hunter who killed it.
Black Shuck, Old Shuck, Old Shock or simply Shuck is the name given to an unknown creature said to roam in East Anglia. Black Shuck is one of many ghostly black dogs recorded across the British Isles. Sometimes recorded as an omen of death, sometimes a more companionable animal, it is classified as a cryptid, and there are varying accounts of the animal's appearance. The famous sighting in Bungay and Blythburg is a particularly famous account of the beast, and images of black sinister dogs have become part of the iconography of the area. For centuries, inhabitants of England have told tales of a large black dog with malevolent flaming eyes (or in some variants of the legend a single eye) that are red or alternatively green. They are described as being 'like saucers'. According to reports, the beast varies in size and stature from that of simply a large dog to being the size of a calf or even a horse. Sometimes Black Shuck is recorded as having appeared headless, and at other times as floating on a carpet of mist. According to folklore, the spectre haunts the landscapes of East Anglia, primarily coastline, graveyards, sideroads, crossroads, bodies of water and dark forests. W. A. Dutt, in his 1901 Highways & Byways in East Anglia describes the creature thus: He takes the form of a huge black dog, and prowls along dark lanes and lonesome field footpaths, where, although his howling makes the hearer's blood run cold, his footfalls make no sound. You may know him at once, should you see him, by his fiery eye; he has but one, and that, like the Cyclops, is in the middle of his head. But such an encounter might bring you the worst of luck: it is even said that to meet him is to be warned that your death will occur before the end of the year. So you will do well to shut your eyes if you hear him howling; shut them even if you are uncertain whether it is the dog fiend or the voice of the wind you hear. Should you never set eyes on our Norfolk Snarleyow you may perhaps doubt his existence, and, like other learned folks, tell us that his story is nothing but the old Scandinavian myth of the black hound of Odin, brought to us by the Vikings who long ago settled down on the Norfolk coast. It is Dutt's description which gave rise to one misnomer for Black Shuck as "Old Snarleyow"; in the context of his description it is a comparative to Frederick Marryat's 1837 novel Snarleyyow, or the Dog Fiend, which tells the tale of a troublesome ship's dog. Dr Simon Sherwood suggests that the earliest surviving description of devilish black hounds is an account of an incident in the Peterborough Abbey recorded in the Peterborough Chronicle (one of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles] around 1127. This account also appears to describe the Europe-wide phenomenon of a Wild Hunt: Let no-one be surprised at the truth of what we are about to relate, for it was common knowledge throughout the whole country that immediately after [Abbot Henry of Poitou's arrival at Peterborough Abbey] - it was the Sunday when they sing Exurge Quare - many men both saw and heard a great number of huntsmen hunting. The huntsmen were black, huge and hideous, and rode on black horses and on black he-goats and their hounds were jet black with eyes like saucers and horrible. This was seen in the very deer park of the town of Peterborough and in all the woods that stretch from that same town to Lincolnshire Stamford, and in the night the monks heard them sounding and winding their horns. Reliable witnesses who kept watch in the night declared that there might well have been as many as twenty or thirty of them winding their horns as near they could tell. This was seen and heard from the time of his arrival all through Lent and right up to Easter. According to some legends, the dog's appearance bodes ill to the beholder - for example in the Essex Maldon and Dengie area of Essex, the most southerly point of sightings, where seeing Black Shuck means the observer's almost immediate death. However, more often than not, stories tell of Black Shuck terrifying his victims, but leaving them alone to continue living normal lives; in some cases it has supposedly happened before close relatives to the observer die or become ill. By contrast, in other tales the animal is regarded as relatively benign and said to accompany women on their way home in the role of protector rather than a portent of ill omen. Some black dogs have been said to help lost travelers find their way home and are more often helpful than threatening; Sherwood notes that benign accounts of the dog become more regular towards the end of the 19th and throughout the 20th centuries. One of the most notable reports of Black Shuck is of his appearance at the churches of Bungay and Blythburgh in Suffolk. On 4 August 1577, at Blythburgh, Black Shuck is said to have burst in through the church doors to a clap of thunder. He ran up the nave, past a large congregation, killing a man and boy and causing the church steeple to collapse through the roof. As the dog left, he left scorch marks on the north door which can be seen at the church to this day. The encounter on the same day at Bungay was described in A Straunge and Terrible Wunder by the Reverend Abraham Fleming in 1577: This black dog, or the devil in such a linenesse (God thee knoweth al who worketh all,) running all along down the body of the church with great swiftness, and incredible haste, among the people, in a visible form and shape, passed between two persons, as they were kneeling upon their knees, and occupied in prayer as it seemed, wrung the necks of them both at one instant clene backward, in so much that even at a moment where they kneeled, they strangely dyed. Adams was a clergyman from London, and therefore probably only published his account based on exaggerated aural accounts. Other local accounts attribute the event to the Devil (Abrahams calls the animal "the Devil in such a likeness". The scorch marks on the door are referred to by the locals as "the devil’s fingerprints", and the event is remembered in this verse: All down the church in midst of fire, the hellish monster flew, and, passing onward to the quire, he many people slew. Dr David Waldron and Christopher Reeve suggest that a fierce electrical storm recorded by contemporary accounts on that date, coupled with the trauma of the ongoing Reformation, may have led to the accounts entering folklore. The Kettle Chronicles: The Black Dog of Bungay, I.S. Morgan (2006) is a historical novel recounting the events and aftermath of August 1577.
Devil Dogs or White Things "In Cherokee lore, the sudden appearance of a white wolf heralds a magic, premature death. Over time, the white wolf became a white dog in Appalachian lore. The dog is large and powerful in build, a handsome creature despite hair that is somewhat matted and unkempt. The dog shows up in roads, follows people home, and sits at a distance from dwellings as though waiting for someone...The white dog does indeed wait-not for a friend or a lost owner, but for a death. It is always seen by the person who is about to die, and sometimes by others who are close to the person. The dog is invisible to others. Once the white dog appears, the person is marked for death and dies tragically within a few days or two weeks."
Dobhar-chú is a giant carnivorous river monster that lives in Ireland. It is said Doyarchu is a mix between a beaver and a dog, but many people have said that maybe this creature is a primitive beaver. However, the most consistent ancient description is of a great otter. Doyarchu's other names are, Doyarchu the traditional alias, Dobarcu, Dhuragoo, Sea Dog, or Irish-Gator. Doyarchu is reported to have lived for a long time, since ancient Ireland, and they are very aggressive to humans and dogs, they usually attack in groups or maybe two Doyarchus, so one will attack first then, if it becomes tired, the friends may come to help, then they will drag their victim into water, but if the enemy runs away, they will follow it until it is caught. But, modern day, Doyarchu are very rare or maybe extinct, but it is reported Doyarchu can be found in Achill Island, west of County Mayo. In this island there is a lake named Sraheens Lough. Doyarchu are said to live there for now, the first modern sighting noted in 'A Description of West Connaught'(1684) by Roderick O'Flaherty. Another story in 2003 by Ireland artist Sean Corcoran and his wife on a Doyarchu in Omey Island, Connemara. They reportedly saw a giant creature with dark colouring, and membranes on the feet to swim. There is, interestingly, an archeological remain called Kinlough Stone that is the gravestone of a woman who was killed by a Doyarchu in the 17th century. Her name was Gráinne. Another piece of proof is the Glenade Stone, found in a Cornwall graveyard, where there is a Doyarchu figure painted above the grave.
The Elmendorf Beast is a chupacabra-like canine that was shot and killed three times in Elmendorf, Texas. In August 2004, a strange canine was shot and killed by a local rancher. The animal weighed twenty pounds, severe overbite and unusual blue, hairless skin. Experts at San Antonio Zoo speculated due to the skull that it was a Mexican Hairless Dog. It was later determined to be a coyote with demodectic or sarcoptic mange and not originally hairless. However, DNA gathered was inconclusive due to environmental degradation, but it was proven it was from the canine family. Two similar carcasses were found in Texas and found to be coyotes with severe cases of mange.
The Cadejo (Spanish pronunciation: [kaˈðexo]) is a character from Salvadoran, Belizean, Nicaraguan, Costa Rican, Honduran, Guatemalan and southern Mexican folklore. There is a good white cadejo and an evil black cadejo. Both are spirits that appear at night to travelers: the white to protect them from harm during their journey, the black (sometimes an incarnation of the devil), to kill them. The colors of the cadejo are sometimes exchanged according to local tradition. In some places the black cadejo is seen as the good one and the white cadejo the evil one. They usually appear in the form of a large (up to the size of a cow), shaggy dog with burning red eyes and a goat's hooves, although in some areas they have more bull-like characteristics. According to the stories, many have tried to kill the black cadejo but have failed and perished. Also it is said that if a cadejo is killed, it will smell terrible for several days, and then its body will disappear without a trace. Some Guatemalan folklore also tells of a cadejo that guards drunks against anyone who tries to rob or hurt them. When the cadejo is near, it is said to bring about a strong goat-like smell. Most people say never to turn your back to the creature because otherwise you will go crazy. Speaking to the cadejo will also induce insanity. In popular etymology, the name cadejo is thought to have derived from the Spanish word "cadena", meaning "chain"; the cadejo is at times represented as dragging a chain behind him. There is a fairly large member of the weasel family, the tayra, which in common speech is called a cadejo and is cited as a possible source of the legend. The cadejo ranges in size according to different tales in various regions. It lurks in graveyards and dark alleys, waiting to attack a passing victim. It has a distinctive smell of concentrated urine and burning sulfur. It rattles with a jerking motion, contracting its pharynx. Its gaze freezes anyone who makes eye contact. It glitters in the pitch dark with skin and short hair, similar to that of a pig. There are three types of black cadejos: The first is the devil himself in the form of a large, wounded dog with hoofed feet that are bound with red-hot chains. It is said that not even the white cadejo is able to completely stop him. Unlike the regular black cadejo it is not likely to pursue and attack a passing human, as it is a scout - the eyes of evil. Instead, anyone who spots him will have a sad event. In the short story "Leyenda del Cadejo" ("Legend of the Cadejo") by Nobel Prize laureate Miguel Ángel Asturias, this variety of cadejo terrorizes a young abbess and robs her of her braid. The second type of cadejo is the regular cadejo, the mysterious evil dog. It kills and savagely tears through its victim. First it demoralizes him with a series of sounds and other signs that it is nearby. Then, after the victim is scared, it leaps forward, and will kill him if the white cadejo is not near. The final, and least powerful type of black cadejo is the offspring of a normal dog and the "regular" cadejo. It is a mortal hybrid and can (with difficulty) be killed by a strong man (bearing in mind that most men in those regions only carry a machete for protection). Once dead, it will completely rot in a matter of seconds, leaving behind a stain of evil, on which grass and moss will never grow again. This cadejo will never bite its victim. Instead, he kicks and pecks them with his snout. After this happens, people say "Lo jugó el cadejo" which means "he\she was handled by the cadejo". The victim goes mad. This term is sometimes applied to people that are born with a mental illness. A fairly popular version of the legend in El Salvador talks about two brothers who walk into the house of a black magician. During a storm, he asks the boys to help him with some logs for a fire. Both boys slack on the job but eat the man's food. Once he finds out the little bit of food he had is missing and that there is not enough wood for his fire, he puts a curse on the road that leads to the boys' village. Voices bother the boys and when they turn their backs on the voices they get turned into creatures: a white cadejo and a black one. After going back to their village in their cursed form they get kicked out and have no choice but to wander. In the early 1900s, Juan Carlos was a guardian who lived in a thatched house near Los Arcos, in the country fields near La Aurora in Guatemala. He worked near Parroquia Vieja and arrived at his house at midnight. Almost all the time, his wife and small children spend the whole day alone, in the middle of the fields. Juan found a white dog when he arrived at his house one day. When the dog saw him coming, it would shake, turn around and disappear. Juan always tried to follow the dog, but he could never reach him. One day, when he arrived, the white dog never moved, and when he approached the dog, it did not make a single sound. But then Juan touched his paw, and all of a sudden it opened his eyes. Juan was scared; the dog said, 'you do not need my help anymore'. Frightened, Juan exclaimed,'what help'? And the dog said, in pain, 'I am a dog sent from above. My mission was to protect you from any danger. But you had showed me you do not need my help anymore.' Right after that, the white dog closed his eyes. Juan buried him, and every time he came home, he remembered the white dog. The Guatemalan born artist, Carlos Loarca, born in 1937, was a painter known for utilizing the cadejo as a main motif in his paintings. As a child, Loarca was told the legend, and he believed that the cadejo protected his father, as he always came home from safely from the cantina. As an adult, Loarca felt the protecting spirit, and helped him break his own alcohol habit. The cadejo first appeared in his paintings in the 1970s, and still is brought into reality through his paintings. Loarca states the "dog" has been a companion, guide, and has grown old with him.
Fu Lions or Fu Dogs, traditionally known in Chinese simply as Shi (Chinese: 獅; pinyin: shī; literally "lion"), and often called "Foo Dogs" in the West, are a common representation of the lion in pre-modern China. Statues of guardian lions have traditionally stood in front of Chinese Imperial palaces, Imperial tombs, government offices, temples, and the homes of government officials and the wealthy, from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), and were believed to have powerful mythic protective benefits. They are also used in other artistic contexts, for example on door-knockers, and in pottery. Pairs of guardian lion statues are still common decorative and symbolic elements at the entrances to restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and other structures, with one sitting on each side of the entrance, in China and in other places around the world where the Chinese people have immigrated and settled, especially in local Chinatowns. The lions are usually depicted in pairs. When used as statues, the pair would consist of a male resting his paw upon an embroidered ball (in imperial contexts, representing supremacy over the world) and a female reassuring a playful cub that is on its back (representing nurture). The lions are traditionally carved from decorative stone, such as marble and granite or cast in bronze or iron. Because of the high cost of these materials and the labor required to produce them, private use of guardian lions was traditionally reserved for wealthy or elite families. Indeed, a traditional symbol of a family's wealth or social status was the placement of guardian lions in front of the family home. However, in modern times less expensive lions, mass-produced in concrete and resin, have become available and their use is therefore no longer restricted to the elite. The lions are always presented in pairs, a manifestation of yin and yang, the female representing yin and the male yang. The male lion has its right front paw on an embroidered ball called a "xiù qiú" (绣球), which is sometimes carved with a geometric pattern known in the West as the "Flower of life" The female is essentially identical, but has a cub under the closer (left) paw to the male, representing the cycle of life. Symbolically, the female Fu lion protects those dwelling inside, while the male guards the structure. Sometimes the female has her mouth closed, and the male open. This symbolizes the enunciation of the sacred word "om". However, Japanese adaptions state that the male is inhaling, representing life, while the female exhales, representing death. Other styles have both lions with a single large pearl in each of their partially opened mouths. The pearl is carved so that it can roll about in the lion's mouth but sized just large enough so that it can never be removed. According to feng shui, correct placement of the lions is important to ensure their beneficial effect. When looking out of a building through the entrance to be guarded, looking in the same direction as the lions, the male is placed on the left and the female on the right. So when looking at the entrance from outside the building, facing the lions, the male lion with the ball is on the right, and the female with the cub is on the left. Chinese lions are intended to reflect the emotion of the animal as opposed to the reality of the lion. This is in distinct opposition to the traditional English lion which is a lifelike depiction of the animal. The claws, teeth and eyes of the Chinese lion represent power. Few if any mescles are visible in the Chinese lion whereas the English lion shows its power through its life like characteristics rather than through stylized representation. The Buddhist version of the Fu Lion was originally introduced to Han China as the protector of dharma and these lions Statue of Narasimha Fu dogs have been found in religious art as early as 208 BC. Gradually they were incorporated as guardians of the Chinese Imperial dharm. Lions seemed appropriately regal beasts to guard the emperor's gates and have been used as such since. There are various styles of guardian lions reflecting influences from different time periods, imperial dynasties, and regions of China. These styles vary in their artistic detail and adornment as well as in the depiction of the lions from fierce to serene. Narasimha (Sanskrit: नरसिंह; Narasiṃha), also spelt Nrusimha (नृसिंह; Nṛsiṃha), Narasingh, Narsingh and Narasingha, is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu and one of Hinduism's most popular deities, as evidenced in early epics, iconography, and temple and festival worship for over a millennium. The adoption of Buddha as one of the avatars of Vishnu under Bhagavatism was a catalyzing factor in assimilation during the Gupta period between 330 and 550 CE. Mahayana Buddhism is sometimes called Buddha-Bhagavatism. In India, a panel dating to third-fourth century AD shows a full theriomorphic squatting lion with two extra human arms behind his shoulders holding Vaishnav emblems. This lion, flanked by five heroes (virs), often has been identified as an early depiction of Narasimha. Standing cult images of Narasimha from the early Gupta period, survive from temples at Tigowa and Eran. These sculptures are two-armed, long maned, frontal, wearing only a lower garment, and with no demon-figure of Hiranyakashipu. Images representing the narrative of Narasimha slaying the demon Hiranyakasipu survive from slightly later Gupta-period temples: one at Madhia and one from a temple-doorway now set into the Kumra-math at Nachna, both dated to the late fifth or early sixth century A.D. Although the form of the Chinese guardian lion was quite varied during its early history in China, the appearance, pose, and accessories of the lions eventually became standardized and formalized during the Ming and Qing dynasties into more or less its present form. Komainu symbolic of the Buddhist/Hindu Syllable Om (ॐ). Meant to ward off evil spirits, modern komainu statues are almost identical, but one has the mouth open, the other closed. This is a very common characteristic in religious statue pairs at both temples and shrines. This pattern is however Buddhist in origin (see the article about the Niō, human-form guardians of Buddhist temples) and has a symbolic meaning. The open mouth is pronouncing the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, which is pronounced "a", while the closed one is uttering the last letter, which is pronounced "um", to represent the beginning and the end of all things. Together they form the sound Om, or ॐ;, a syllable sacred in several religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Komainu strongly resemble Chinese guardian lions and in fact originate from Tang dynasty China. The Chinese guardian lions are believed to have been influenced by lion pelts and lion depictions introduced through trade from either the Middle East or India, countries where the lion existed and was a symbol of strength. During its transportation along the Silkroad, however, the symbol changed, acquiring a distinctive look. The first lion statue in India appears around the 3rd century BC on top of a column erected by King Ashoka. Shisa (シーサー Shīsā?, Okinawan: siisaa,) is a traditional Ryukyuan decoration, often in pairs, resembling a cross between a lion and a dog, from Okinawan mythology. People place pairs of shisa on their rooftops or flanking the gates to their houses. Shisa are wards, believed to protect from some evils. When in pairs, the left shisa traditionally has a closed mouth, the right one an open mouth. When a Chinese emissary returned from a voyage to the court at Shuri Castle, he brought a gift for the king, a necklace decorated with a figurine of a shisa-dog. The king found it charming and wore it underneath his clothes. At the Naha Port bay, the village of Madanbashi was often terrorized by a sea dragon who ate the villagers and destroyed their property. One day, the king was visiting the village, and one of these attacks happened; all the people ran and hid. The local noro had been told in a dream to instruct the king when he visited to stand on the beach and lift up his figurine towards the dragon; she sent the boy, Chiga, to tell him the message. He faced the monster with the figurine held high, and immediately a giant roar sounded all through the village, a roar so deep and powerful that it even shook the dragon. A massive boulder then fell from heaven and crushed the dragon's tail. He couldn't move, and eventually died. This boulder and the dragon's body became covered with plants and surrounded by trees, and can still be seen today. It is the "Gana-mui Woods" near Naha Ohashi bridge. The townspeople built a large stone shisa to protect it from the dragon's spirit and other threats. Foo Dogs are the ancient sacred dogs of Asia who guard Buddhist temples. The association between these dogs and Buddha is one of great significance. Foo Dogs have the appearance of a lion. The lion in Buddhist religion is seen as sacred, and has sometimes been offered to Buddha as a sacrifice. The name given to these guardians originates from China. The Chinese word for Buddha is Fo, which led to the original title– “Dog of Fo”. There have been other theories that the name developed from the city of Foochow; however, there is no actual proof of this. Another name given to the beast is “Lion of Korea”. This, of course, is due to the creatures close appearance to a Lion. Foo Dogs can be traced as early as the Han Dynasty. Their first appearance was in Chinese art, which dates back to approximately 208 BC to about 221 AD. Foo Dogs vanished for nearly 400 years after their first appearance. They later returned in the T’ang Dynasty that was in power from 618 to 917 AD. Foo Dogs were popular because of their meaning. The Lion is a creature of the feline race that is known as the proud master of all cats. Its introduction into Chinese art coincided with Buddhism. The Foo Dog was the protector of sacred buildings and a defender of law. The dogs were commonly placed at business institutions, temple gates, home entrances, and estates. It was also not uncommon to see these sacred dogs guarding tombs or placed in front of government buildings to scare evil spirits. Throughout the ages, Foo Dogs were frequently given as gifts to the Emperor. They would be presented in sculptures or in the form of artwork. Foo Dog artwork varies. Buddha was sometimes depicted on the back of the great beast, but Foo Dogs are more often displayed in a powerful guarding position. The creature is usually presented holding a spear in its paw. This was the representation of the peace and serenity the animal would maintain for the sanctuary it was guarding; thus discouraging any wrong doers and demon spirits from entering the place of tranquility. The Foo Dog comes in many shapes, sizes, different materials, and colors. Their faces have a mischievous and almost devilish look about them; and their eyes are normally wide open with a tiny speck in the middle. This threatening appearance is what gives the idea that they guard against evil spirits. It is important to point out that the Foo Dog is also known as the Celestial Dog, and the Happiness Dog. The animal is a symbol of energy and value, and is often displayed in a male/female pair. The male plays with a ball that symbolizes the Earth, while the female holds a cub. The Foo Dog is embodied in rich Chinese history and tradition. They are still very popular today, not only in China, but also in other parts of the world. They are fantastic dogs not only infused with artwork – but with meaning. On August 15, 2013, the zoo in the People's Park of Luohe, in the central province of Henan, replaced exotic exhibits with common species, according to the state-run Beijing Youth Daily. It quoted a mother who was visiting the zoo to show her son the different sounds animals made - but he pointed out that the animal in the cage labeled African lion was barking. Apparently, officials in Louhe city zoo in central Henan province hoped no one would notice when they decided to make the switch and send the enclosure's regular resident, an African lion, away to a breeding center. Turns out it was no Fu Lion, but just a Tibetan mastiff, a large, hairy breed of dog — which, for what it's worth, more closely resembles the king of the jungle than does perhaps any other domestic canine. "One family surnamed Liu took their six-year-old son to the zoo in People's Park," reported the local Dahe Daily newspaper. "On the way, Mrs. Liu was teaching her son all the sounds that the different animals make. But when they arrived, her son said the lion was barking like a dog." Mrs. Liu told the Beijing Youth Daily: "The zoo is absolutely trying to cheat us. They are trying to disguise dogs as lions." And, the dog-for-cat swap wasn't the only attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of zoo patrons: There was also a domestic dog housed in the wolf pen, and a white fox was found pacing the leopard exhibit. The most notable account of Fu Lions was by the medieval explorer Marco Polo (1254 AD – 1324 AD). Marco Polo made vivid accounts of "wolf lions", dragons and even unicorns. However, the credibility of Polo's depictions of Asia are vastly questionable. Skeptics have wondered if Marco Polo actually went to China or if he perhaps wrote his book based on hearsay. While Polo describes paper money and the burning of coal, he fails to mention the Great Wall of China, Chinese characters, chopsticks, or footbinding.
The hellhound is a supernatural dog, found in folklore. Sometimes known as black dogs a wide variety of ominous or hellish supernatural dogs occur in mythologies around the world, similar to the ubiquitous dragon. Features that have been attributed to hellhounds include black fur, glowing red or sometimes glowing yellow eyes, super strength or speed, ghostly or phantom characteristics, foul odor, and sometimes even the ability to talk. There is a famous greek Hellhound named 'Cerberus.' Legend says that if someone is to stare into its eyes three times or more, the person will definitely die. In cultures that associate the afterlife with fire, hellhounds may have fire-based abilities and appearance. They are often assigned to guard the entrances to the world of the dead, such as graveyards and burial grounds, or undertake other duties related to the afterlife or the supernatural, such as hunting lost souls or guarding a supernatural treasure. In European legends, seeing a hellhound or hearing it howl may be either an omen of death or even a cause of death. Some supernatural dogs, such as the Welsh Cŵn Annwn, were actually believed to be benign. However, encountering them was still considered to be a sign of imminent death. Hellhounds do what Hades tells them to.
The Michigan Dogman is a werewolf type creature first reported in 1887 in Wexford County, Michigan. Sightings have been reported in several locations throughout Michigan, primarily in the northwestern quadrant of the Lower Peninsula. In 1987, the legend of the Michigan Dogman gained popularity when a disc jockey at WTCM-FM recorded a song about the creature and its reported sightings. In 1987, disc jockey Steve Cook at WTCM-FM in Transverse City, Michigan recorded a song titled "The Legend", which he initially played as an April Fools Day joke. He based the songs on actual reports of the creature. Cook recorded the song with a keyboard backing and credited it to Bob Farley. After he played the song, Cook received calls from listeners who said that they had encountered a similar creature. In the next weeks after Cook first played the song, it was the most-requested song on the station. He also sold cassettes of the songs for four dollars, and donated proceeds from the single to an animal shelter. Over the years, Cook has received more than 100 reports of the creature's existence. Cook later added verses to the song in 1997 after hearing a report of an animal break-in by an unknown canine at a cabin in Luther, Michigan. He re-recorded it again in 2007, with a Mandolin backing. The first known sighting of the Michigan Dogman occurred in 1887 in Wexford County, when two lumberjacks saw a creature whom they described as having a man's body and a dog's head. In 1938 in Paris, Michigan, Robert Fortney was attacked by five wild dogs and said that one of the five walked on two legs. Reports of similar creatures also came from Allegan County in the 1950s, and in Manistee and Cross Village in 1967. Linda S. Godfrey, in her book The Beast of Bray Road, compares the Manistee sightings to a similar creature sighted in Wisconsin known as the Beast of Bray Road. In 1961 a night watchman was patrolling a manufacturing plant in Big Rapids Michigan. When he saw a peculiar figure. At first he thought it was a person until he saw the doglike features. He pulled his gun and was about to shoot when he remembered his camera and took it out and took a picture of the horrific beast. The photos have not been analyzed yet and the photo still remains a unsolved mystery.
The Mitla is a medium-sized cryptid that is said to be a cat-like dog or a dog-like cat. The report comes from Percy Fawcett, who spent time in Bolivia between 1906-1914. Jeremy Mallinson, the director the Jersey Zoo (now Durrel Wildlife Park) searched for the Mitla. The Mitla has been speculate to be a canid, or a feline similar to the Jaguarundi. Dr. Karl Shuker described it as a strange dog with feline behavior. It's more likely to be a dog than a cat. The place where it was sighted could be situated in forests east of the Cuzco region near to the Maddid jungle; that is also where the short-eared dog lives, but this cryptid is twice as big and darker in coloration. However, this could be a simple difference in level of maturity in the species.
Moddey Dhoo or Mauthe Doog (meaning "black dog") is a black hound in Manx folklore that reputedly haunted Peel Castle on the west coast of the Isle of Man. As to the version where the black dog is described "as big as a calf and with eyes like pewter plates" (Killip 1976), this seems to derive from a report of a modern sighting of the calf-sized dog (Gill 1932), combined with the description of the eyes of a troll in Asbjornsen and Moe's Norwegian folktale collection. A resident Manx historian George Waldron seems to be the sole definitive written authority of this folklore localized in the castle. He describes the dog thus: "They say, that an apparition called, in their language, the Mauthe Doog, in the shape of a large black spaniel with curled shaggy hair, was used to haunt Peel Castle; and has been frequently seen in every room, but particularly in the guard-chamber, where, as soon as candles were lighted, it came and lay down before the fire in presence of all the soldiers, who at length, by being so much accustomed to the sight of it, lost great part of the terror they were seized with at its first appearance." — George Waldron, History and Description of the Isle of Man (1st ed. 1731) 1744 edition, p.23 There used to be a passage connected to the Peel Castle, traversing the church grounds, leading to the apartment of the Captain of the Guard, and "the Mauthe Doog was always seen to come from that passage at the close of day, and return to it again as soon as the morning dawned". Waldron reports that one drunken guard of the castle, who in defiance of the dog, went against the usual procedure of locking up the castle gate in pairs and did this all alone. Emboldened by liquor, he "snatched up the keys" when it wasn't even his turn to do so. The watchman after locking up was supposed to use the haunted passage to deliver the keys to the captain. Some noises were heard, the adventurer returned to the guard-room, ghastly frightened, unable to share the story of what he had seen, and died three days later. That was the last sighting of the dog. But the passage was sealed up and never used again after the haunting, and a different pathway constructed. The dog was made known to the world at large when Sir Walter Scott introduced the "Manthe Dog -- a fiend, or demon, in the shape of a large, shaggy, black mastiff in Peveril of the Peak (1823), an installment of his Waverley novels. Here he freely adapted the folklore to suit his plot, but Scott derived knowledge of this folklore through Waldron's work, as he candidly gave credit in his "author's notes". William Walter Gill (d. 1963), has preserved some of the local lore regarding the Black Dog appearing around the Manx landscape, as well as firsthand eyewitness accounts: A field near Ballamodda, near a field named Robin y Gate, " Robin of the Road," was haunted by an "ordinary moddey dhoo", as opposed to Ballagilbert Glen (aka Kinlye's Glen), where stood a farmhouse on the east side, and in the lane leading to it "lurked a moddey dhoo, headless like that at Hango.". Gill also reports sightings of Moddey Dhoo at a spot called "Milntown corner" close to Ramsey. In 1927, a friend saw it turning towards Glen Aldyn, and it was "black, with long shaggy hair, with eyes like coals of fire". And a doctor while driving the road beyond the corner 1931 encountered "a big black dog-like creature nearly the size of a calf, with bright staring eyes." Moddey Dhoo featured in Tom Siddell's Gunnerkrigg Court as one of the many spirit guides that assist the dead with their transition.
Nandi Bear also known as Ngoloko, Duba, Chimosit, Kikambangwe, Chimisit, Vere, Kerit, Sabrookoo or various other names, is a cryptid reported to live in Africa. The sightings of the Nandi Bear by Western backs up the reality of the beast. Officially there are no members of the bear family in Africa in modern times, but reports of bears or bear-like creatures are nothing new to Africa. The Nandi Bear is often described as being like a large hyena around 4ft - 6ft tall or the size of a black bear. Some have speculated that Nandi Bears are in fact a misidentified hyenas or a surviving chalicotheres. It is said to have a brownish red to a dark color coat. It is a nocturnal animal and is said to attack humans only on dark moonless nights. It has been said to prey upon the children and natives from the villages. Local legend holds that it only eats the brain of its victims. There are cases when natives have killed the beast, normally by burning a hut it had entered. Westerners have also shot at the beast, but without success. The Nandi Bear has eluded both hunters and researchers alike to remain unclassified by the scientific community. Other than the Atlas Bear extinct by the 1800s, no living bears are known to be native to modern Africa, though the Etruscan, and species of the prehistoric genera Agriotherium and Indarctos, lived in Northern Hemisphere during the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Louis Leakey suggested that Nandi Bear descriptions matched that of the extinct bear, though chalicotheres were pterodactyls.
Pal Rai Yuk is a sea monster that lurks the waters of Alaska terrorizing the locals. This creature has an assortment of strange features to it. For example, Pal Rai Yuk is reported to have 3 pairs of legs, have two fox-like heads, two tails, short horns, 3 dorsal fins, 3 stomachs, thick fur, a long tongue, paws at the end of each leg, a fish or whale-like tail, and a serrated ridge on its back. This animal's name derives from Inuktitut words. Not only does it have a strange look but it has strange habits. It is highly carnivorous and vicious often rearing 7-8 feet out of the water and crashing its heavy body on the kayaks the locals are riding in. Pal Rai Yuk is said to possibly eat fish and people with its chameleon-like tongue and its sharp fangs. Inuktituts can also summon Pal Rai Yuk by tapping the bottoms of the kayaks or canoes. This beast is only seen in bay areas not in the open ocean. Pal Rai Yuk sightings and legends have taken place in the Nunivak and King Islands in the Bering Strait of Alaska. A majority of them have also taken place near the Kuskokwim River in Alaska too. Alaska has a majority of strange cryptids such as The Iliamna Lake Monster and Sasquatch, but Pal Rai Yuk is by far the strangest.
Qiqirn, Qiqion, or Keelut is a hairless dog spirit from Inuit mythology. It is described as a large canine and completely naked, except with fur on it's feet. This creature is known to terrify the Inuit people but can also be easily scared away if people shout out its name. This creature silently follows travelers at night. When alone and far from home, the traveler is attacked by this ugly hound and their life is ended. It is possible it could be a chupacabra or a type of Hellhound.
Rougarou or Loup Garou, loup meaning wolf, and garou meaning a man who turns into an animal, is a shape-shifting monster that lives in the swamps of Lousiana. Rougarou is actually the Michif word for werewolf. It is like a werewolf, but it can turn into wolf form any time. This is what makes the Rougarou much more dangerous. Cajun folklore says that it stalks the swamps of Acadiana and Greater New Orleans. It is often used by parents to get their children to behave. Catholics have their own version as well. They say that the Rougarou is a monster that will stalk and murder Catholics that do not obey the rules of Lent. Some people say that the curse (or blessing, for evil people) only lasts for 101 days. The curse is then transferred to the last person bitten. This shape-shifter can turn into a werewolf whenever it wants. It is slightly more muscular and powerful though, because it has to cross the dense swamps. It looks a lot like a werewolf, but has some differences. Cajun lore claims that a rougarou possess the body of a man, but the head of a wolf or dog with glowing red eyes. If anyone managed to look into its red glowing eyes or gets bitten by one, they would become a rougarou themselves in a manner very akin to a typical lycanthrope. Cow mutilations have been reported with no blood left in the cow which is very similar to the chupacabra sightings. Some reports have even made it seem like a skunk ape. Many people have seen the Rougarou. These accounts make it seem like a ruthless cryptid that roams the Everglades.
The Turner Beast is a creature that has been described as a husky-looking wolf with bulky shoulders, big eyes, a flat snout, short mangled ears, and a bushy tail. Before it was proven to be a hybrid, some researchers claimed that it could possibly be a Dire Wolf. It was spotted in Turner, Maine and was estimated to weigh about 120 lbs. It has been known to kill pets and livestock, mostly dogs, most likely for territorial reasons. Later DNA testing of the animal in the pictures revealed it to be a wolf-dog hybrid.Similar to the Ontario white wolf, and often considered to be the same animal, the Waheela is a large, wolf-like creature said to inhabit Alaska and the Northwest Territories. It is larger and more heavily built than normal wolves, with a wide head and proportionally larger feet, and with long, pure-white fur. The animal’s hind legs are said to be shorter than the front legs, and the tracks show widely spaced toes. Witnesses describe it as being about 3’ 12” at the shoulder. Waheela are never seen in packs, so are presumably solitary. Native legends describe the Waheela as an evil spirit with supernatural powers, and describe it as killing people and removing their heads. It has been theorized that the Waheela is an Amphicyonid (a prehistoric carnivore of the Miocene and Oligocene), a dire wolf (A large wolf of the Pleistocene), a prehistoric hyena, or a completely new species of canine.
The Werewolf also known as Lycanthrope (from the Greek λυκάνθρωπος: λύκος, lukos, "wolf", and άνθρωπος, anthrōpos, man), is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse. This transformation is often associated with the appearance of the full moon, as popularly noted by the medieval chronicler Gervase of Tilbury, and perhaps in earlier times among the ancient Greeks through the writings of Petronius. Werewolves are often attributed superhuman strength and senses, far beyond those of both wolves and men. The werewolf is generally held as a European character, although its lore spread through the world in later times. Shape-shifters, similar to werewolves, are common in tales from all over the world, most notably amongst the Native Americans, though most of them involve animal forms other than wolves. Werewolves are a frequent subject of modern fiction, although fictional werewolves have been attributed traits distinct from those of original folklore. For example, the ideas that werewolves are only vulnerable to silver bullets or that they can cause others to become werewolves by biting or wounding them derive from works of modern fiction. Werewolves continue to endure in modern culture and fiction, with books, films and television shows cementing the werewolf's stance as a dominant figure in horror. 1936, Jefferson County, Wisconsin : Mark Schackelman was driving along Highway 18 just outside of Jefferson, Wisconsin when he noticed someone digging in a field off the side of the road. The site was a location where a Native American burial ground was believed to be (I swear I am not making this up). When Schackelman slowed down to get a better look, the "man" turned around and faced him. It turns out that it was a hairy creature that stood on two legs, which Schackelman described as looking like a mix between an ape and a dog. The creature had the general shape of a large man, with opposable thumbs and everything. Schackelman drove off in a hurry but remained curious about the creature. The next night he drove past the same area hoping to see the creature again. He did. This time the man-beast growled at him in a way that sounded eerily human, making a sound that he described as "ga-DA-ra". Schackelman freaked out and the creature ran off. 1964, Jefferson County, Wisconsin : Dennis Fewless was driving along Highway 89 around midnight when he saw a figure running across the road. When his headlights caught sight of the creature, it was eerily similar to werewolf seen in 1936, just a couple of miles away. Large and muscular, stood around seven feet tall, covered in dark brown hair, with a dog-like face. Fewless saw the creature run across the road, jump over a barbed-wire fence, and disappear into a corn field. Fewless waited until the sun was up the next day to return to the scene of the werewolf sighting. He had hoped to find tracks to prove the size of the beast, but the ground was too hard. He was able to find the place in the cornfield where the werewolf had entered. The stalks of corn were broken and askew in such a way that supported the theory that a man-beast of massive size had been there. 1972, Jefferson County, Wisconsin : A woman (name unreported) called 911 when she heard someone trying to break into her rural home in the middle of the night. Upon further investigation, it appeared that it was not a person, but a large animal that had tried to get in. A few weeks later the creature returned and again tried to forcefully enter the house. This time the woman saw the creature. She described it as around eight feet tall, covered in dark brown hair, and it stood on two legs. It had long arms with hands that had long, sharp claws on them. When the creature couldn't get inside the house, it went out to the woman's barn and attacked a horse. The horse was alive, but had a deep cut across its back. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources investigated, finding a foot print that was said to be over a foot long. 1989, Elkhorn, Wisconsin : Lorianne Endrizzi had seen a large figure on the side of the road. As she got close she realized that it was not a person but a tall beast, covered in gray/brown hair, with a dog-like face featuring fangs, pointed ears, and glowing yellow eyes. 1989, Elkhorn, Wisconsin : A dairy farmer named Scott Bray owned a cattle pasture near his family's namesake street, Bray Road. He reported seeing a dog, larger and taller than a German Shepherd, in his pasture one night. The creature was muscular and heavy, covered in gray/brown hair with pointed ears. Bray was able to find footprints, larger than any known dog or wolf, in the pasture the next day. 1989, Elkhorn, Wisconsin : Russell Gest saw a large, dog-like creature in Elkhorn close to the time of the previous two reported encounters. He described the creature in a very similar way to the other reports, stating that it stood on its hind legs and began to slowly approach him before he ran away. 1992, Elkhorn, Wisconsin : Tammy Bray, the wife of Scott Bray, was driving back to her home on Bray Road when she saw the creature. She also described a tall, broad shouldered, and muscular beast covered in dark brown hair. The dog-like face and glowing yellow eyes match the previous descriptions of the Wisconsin werewolf, though at this point, the other sightings had still not been widely reported. 1999, Elkhorn, Wisconsin : It was the night of Halloween 1999, and an 18-year old woman named Doristine Gipson was driving along, you guessed it, Bray Road, when her car suddenly jerked as if she had hit something. She got out of the car and walked back along the road, straining to see. Then she caught sight of what she had hit. A huge, dark, hairy figure began rushing toward her. Gipson ran back into her car and began to drive away. The beast reportedly jumped up onto the trunk of the car, but due to the wetness of the rain-covered car, it could not hold on and fell to the ground. Gipson said she drove back to the location that same night with a young trick-or-treater, and they both saw a large figure laying on the side of the road. They didn't stay long. Gipson reported the sighting the next day, which is what brought the other witnesses to share their tales. At this point, no one was sure what the creature was, so they dubbed it "The Bray Road Beast". In medieval Europe, especially France and Germany, innocent people were often taken to the court because they were thought to be Werewolves. After being forced to plead guilty, these innocent people were typically tortured by stretching and were executed by burning or beheading. Contrary to popular belief, Werewolves in folklore were not believed to shape shift when the moon is full, turned into a werewolf by being bitten by one, and silver bullets were not needed to kill them. These classical elements to the werewolf myth were invented from fiction. Traditionally, Werewolves were believed to shift at will and would appear as a wolf at anytime. The best method to become a werewolf was innate (pact with the devil, wearing magical wolf pelt/girdle, rubbing magical ointment, a curse, etc), and werewolves could be killed with any conventional weapon. There are many ways to become a werewolf yourself.
The Adjule or Bush Dog (also known as the Kelb-el-khela for males and tarhsît for female), is a canine-like animal cryptid, claimed to live in the North African region, close to the Sahara Desert. First reported by Théodore Monod in 1928, and today is described as an undiscovered variety of the African Wild dog. The most recent sighting was in 1992 from the resident hunters of the village in Western Mauritania. and has not been seen since. There are no known photos of the Adjule, its sightings have been debunked by most of the scientific world as just sightings of African Wild Dogs living close to the Sahara, which today they do not, or other known species which has mange, or a creature that has been misidentified by the local population of humans. Described as being approximately two and a half feet tall, with feet that are webbed, and having rough thick crimson colored skin which has a bluish tint. Descriptions have the wolf-like creature weighing in at about thirty to forty-five pounds. The Adjule are not lone creatures. The hunting packs number from three to thirteen. Also reported to have some supernatural powers. The local tribesmen of the Sahara say it uses pheromones to cause great contention or discord among the area's residents allowing them to hunt their prey. There are no records or mention of the Adjule attacking humans. An Adjule's normal form in Resident Evil 5Adjules appear as enemies described as being parasite-infected dog in the video game Resident Evil 5.
The Ahuitzotl is from Aztec and Mayan Mythology. Said to look like a small dog, the Ahuitzotl had streaks on its head, small ears, and a hand on it tail. Scientists believe that the Ahuitzotl may have actually existed and was a type of otter or ferret, which is also a relative of the otter. The Ahuizotl appeared in The Ocean Hunter as a surviving elasmosaurus that lives in Texocco Great Lake. According to legend it would submerge itself in a lake or stream and begin to wail like a small child or a frightened woman. A passerby would hear the sound and would rush to the rescue of the "helpless victim". Upon approaching the water the victim would be strangled by the creature's infamous tail-hand and then the creature would tear out the victim's eyes, nails and teeth and eat them. It would then toss the lifeless body onto the riverbank and restart its wailing.
In Inuit mythology, Akhlut is a spirit that takes the form of both a wolf and an orca. It is a vicious, dangerous beast. Its tracks can be recognized because they are wolf tracks that lead to and from the ocean. Often, dogs seen walking to the ocean and/or into it are considered evil. Little is known of this spirit, other than that it shapeshifts from an orca to a wolf when hungry. Not many myths relate to this creature but a great number of myths tell of creatures that shift their shape. It's normally portrayed as a mix of an orca and a wolf. Interestingly, another name for an orca is seawolf, stemming from a time when it was believed that the ocean and the land shared variants of the same animals (hence the well-known seahorse and sea cow, as well as lesser known creatures such as the Monkfish and seabees.) The Akhlut appears in the mobile smartphone app game, Disco Zoo, where it fulfills the Ice Age exhibits' mythical creature spot. Randomly people walking the field will call them "Walking Orcas", "Orcadogs", or "Puppy Whales".
According to Inuit mythology Amaguq is a trickster/wolf god. The wolf is a common motif in the foundational mythologies and cosmologies of peoples throughout Eurasia and North America (corresponding to the historical extent of the habitat of the gray wolf). The obvious attribute of the wolf is its nature of a predator, and correspondingly it is strongly associated with danger, destruction, making it the symbol of the warrior on one hand, and that of the devil on the other. The modern trope of the Big Bad Wolf is a development of this. The wolf holds great importance in the cultures and religions of the nomadic peoples, both of the Eurasian steppe and of the North American Plains. In many cultures, the identification of the warrior with the wolf (totemism) gave rise to the notion of Lycanthropy, the mythical or ritual identification of man and wolf.
Amarok (or Amaroq) is the name of a gigantic wolf in Inuit mythology. It is said to hunt down and devour anyone foolish enough to hunt alone at night. Unlike real wolves who hunt in packs, Amarok hunts alone. It is sometimes considered equivalent to the waheela of cryptozoology. In the 1972 novel Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George, the first alpha male of the Avalik River Pack is named 'Amaroq' by Miyax/Julie. A pack of 10 Amaroks appeared in the The Secret Saturdays episode "The Ice Caverns of Ellef Ringnes" with their vocal effects done by Fred Tatasciore. The Amarok also appears in a mod pack for Zoo Tycoon 2.
The Andean Wolf was first discovered with only a skin bought by a German animal-dealer, Lorenz Hagenbeck, in Buenos Aires in 1926. Hagenbeck sent the skin to Germany, where is was moved around to several museums, until it reached Munich. In 1940, Dr. Ingo Krumbiegel inspected the skin and claimed that it was a mountain species of the maned wolf. However, he refrained from producing a description of the species until more evidence was found of its existence. In 1947, Krumbiegel learned from Hagenbeck that when he bought the skin there were three others just like it. Krumbiegel, convinced that this creature was not simply a mongrel, related the skin to an unusual skull he had examined several years previous which had been collected in the Andes. The skull was 30 cm long, while the average of the others in the group was 25 cm. Krumbiegel publish a description of the Andean Wolf, and gave it the Latin name Dasycyon hagenbecki.
Barguest is usually seen in the form of a mastiff dog or bear with red eyes. This northern English creature haunts local people. It has glowing eyes like hot coals, horns and devilish fangs and it has been seen wrapped in chains or dragging chains. It is said to haunt the lands of Durham, Northumberland and Yorkshire. Others have disputed that it that the Barguest was not a dog but was another creature. Other accounts have said it was a headless woman, a rabbit or a dog. The mere sight of this dog would bring death or disaster. The Barguest attacks anything that comes in close proximity to it and will inflict a wound on you that will never heal. If someone of great significance was about to die, the Barguest would set all the dogs in the area howling. The name Barguest means ‘Spirit of the Bier’ a word from the old Germanic language.
The Beast of Bray Road is a hairy humanoid with canine features that was sighted near the towns of Delavan and Elkhorn in Wisconsin, mainly during the 1990s. It was labeled a Werewolf in local folklore. Most cryptozoologists have decide to label it a Bigfoot in order to avoid dealing with the scientific absurdities involved with werewolves. However, some people think that it is a cryptid canine instead. Some researchers consider the Beast of Bray Road to be identical to a kind of Wisconsin Bigfoot named the "Bluff Monster" or the "Eddy." Other names that have been applied to the Beast of Bray Road include the "Bear-Wolf" and the "Indigenous Dogman". But the Native Americans call it the "Wendigo ." The Beast of Bray Road counts as the most famous of modern American werewolves. It has been in the media regularly since the first sightings were publicized, and even had a low-budget movie based on its legend. Because of the numerous witnesses who have claimed to see this creature, the evidence supporting the Beast of Bray Road is far greater than the evidence supporting almost any other werewolf legend. Cryptozoologists, of course, do not generally take shapeshifters seriously unless they are fringe cryptozoologists who hold more of a paranormal view of things. Therefore, as with other werewolf reports, there is a tendency to force the evidence into a more acceptable interpretation, discarding whatever circumstances and details of witness testimony that do not fit with the chosen hypothesis. First of all, there are those try to hold up something far more normal than the creature as it is described by most witnesses. Some say that all this fuss must be based around an escaped pet wolf, a large feral dog, a bear, or some other creature that is known to exist. According to this interpretation, the werewolf-like characteristics are due to mistaken observations or sheer panic that causes exaggeration of the animal's true features. Others think that it is all hallucination, or that a costumed prankster is behind it all. For those who believe that the Beast of Bray Road is something out of the ordinary, but not something as radical as an actual werewolf, cryptozoology is a natural place to turn for possible candidates. Several distinct cryptids, namely the skunk-ape (an odd relative of Bigfoot), the waheela (or bear-dog) and the canine-like shunka warakin, have all been mentioned as possibilities for the real identity of the Beast of Bray Road. All of these creatures would fit with some of the sightings, but none of these cryptids could account for all the sightings. We would still have to throw out some sightings, or we would have to assume that some witnesses were mistaken in their descriptions or that not all witnesses were seeing the same creature. The last main explanation used for the Beast of Bray Road is that at least two different creatures were being seen in the same area at the same time, and they ended up getting placed under the same label even though they should have been studied separately. It is possible that all of these were ordinary beings, such as wild dogs and costumed pranksters. It is also possible that one or more of these creatures was a genuine cryptid or mystery animal of some type, perhaps a new species, or perhaps only a subspecies or some non-native animal secretly released in Wisconsin. The Beast of bray road was featured on an episode of Lost Tapes where it is attacking a group of Malitia soldiers and a reporter.
Dartmoor, a place in England, is said to be inhabited by pixies, headless horsemen and more monsters. But there's a creature over the others, the most mysterious of all. A giant, black canine, feline or horse-like that has been photographed and caught on video. It has been compared to lions, ponies, dogs, sheep, but nothing has been found. Many people claim to have seen the woolly beast, but, what could it be? A puma- Felis concolor. The puma, cougar or mountain lion is the most adaptable feline in the Americas. It could be a puma that escaped from a zoo or another place, or illegally kept as pet, and adapted to his European home. Pumas normally prey on deer, but also eat smaller animals such as porcupines or coyotes. With sheep, rabbits and hares, it would have a year round menu for him and his family.
The Beast of Gevaudan is a mythical creature that was held responsible for at least 60 animal-attack deaths in 1760s France (some reports put the death toll over 100, but there has been difficulty in proving more than about 60 of the cases). Several traditional depictions of the Beast of Gevaudan show the wide variety of physical characteristics that were attributed to this monster. If there was a real animal behind these sightings and reports, it is obscured by a great deal of folklore. Locals believed it was a werewolf, or, more specifically, a sorcerer who shape-shifted into a monstrous predator in order to feed on human flesh. It was supposed to be bulletproof as well, until the day that a hunter named Jean Chastel tried a silver bullet. It has been speculated that it was a hyena trained by Chastel, but this does not fit logic or description. Descriptions of the Beast varied so much that most researchers believe there had to be at least two of the creatures, if indeed the panic wasn't causing the populace to incorporate almost any large animal into these sightings. The color of the Beast's fur was especially variable. Sometimes it was red, red with a large gray patch, or red with faint stripes along the back. Other times, it had black and white patches spotted over its body, with no trace of red. Rarely, it had colors or patterns that didn't incorporate red, black, or white. If you add up all the differing descriptions and then create a composite description out of those characteristics that are mentioned with consistency and by the most witnesses, then the Beast would look something like this down below: The Beast is a quadruped about the size of a horse. It reminds witnesses of a bear, hyena, wolf and panther all at once. It has a long wolf-like or pig-like snout, lined with large teeth. The ears are small and round, lying close to the head. The neck is long and strong. The tail somewhat resembles the long tail of a panther, but it is so thick and strong that the Beast uses it as a weapon, knocking men and animals down with it. Anyone struck by the tail reports that it hits with considerable force. The feet of the Beast are the hardest to describe. Some say that it has cloven hooves, or that each digit is tipped with a hoof. Others say that the claws are so heavy, thick and formidable that they merely resemble hooves. Since there do not seem to be any more sightings of animals like the Beast in France, or any historical precedent for animals like it in that area before the first sighting, it is a hard creature for cryptozoologists to tackle. Most mythical animals that are taken seriously by cryptozoologists have some sort of history that indicates that there could have been a breeding population from ancient times. Single animals are hard to handle from a cryptozoological standpoint. On the other hand, all available evidence seems to indicate that, if the Beast was real, there were at least two of its kind. If we wanted to, we might be able to presume that a mated pair or small pack migrated hundreds of miles to reach France from some area where such creatures did have a history, or that they were secretly or inadvertently transported by humans. Such speculations are far-fetched, but they would be necessary for most cryptozoological analyzations to succeed. The other alternative would be to presume that these creatures had been living secretly in France since ancient times without making a splash on local folklore, which doesn't make much sense for a supposed undiscovered species. It would be nice to be able to declare the Beast of Gevaudan a hyena, a bear, an escaped lion, or something like that, but in order to do so we must disregard witness testimony. Of course, in this case witness testimony is so riddled with the supernatural that we would have to disregard some of it anyway, but if we accept the core description of the Beast as having any validity, we must also acknowledge that the creature described doesn't match any known animal. Parts of it match wolves, hyenas and panthers, with hyenas probably being the best fit, but we run into serious problems when we try to bend witness testimony to fit a known animal. Unless we toss it all out as superstition, we end up with a Beast that certainly seems cryptozoological in the best sense of the word: it's a genuine puzzle. The Beast of Gevaudan as depicted in the film 'Brotherhood of the Wolf'. This image is copyrighted by those who own the copyright to the movie. If the Beast existed and wasn't any normal species, what could it be? Most explanations put forth hybrid or deformed versions of the several known species that most resembled the Beast of Gevaudan. The idea of wolf-dog hybrids was popular for so long that it was almost accepted that the solution had been found. However, they would have to be pretty odd wolf-dog hybrids in order to adhere to the core description of the Beast. A weird bear mutant might work, if it were mutated in just the right way, but it would need a tail. Hyenas just are not big enough to be the Beast, so once again we would need to propose a mutant or hybrid, as well as the problem that hyenas have been extinct in Europe for a long time. Since cryptozoologists are only ultimately interested in discovering new species or subspecies, if the Beast was proven to be a mutant or hybrid of some kind, then it would cease to be of interest to cryptozoology. If the Beast of Gevaudan were a new species or subspecies, there are several possibilities. It could be a new bear, a new big cat, some sort of survival of a prehistoric European hyena, or something even more exotic. There is, in fact, a type of animal that fits the core description of the Beast exactly, but it is extinct, and would hardly be expected to have survived in Europe of all places. This group of animals would be the mesonychids, a presumably extinct group of hoofed predators. The biggest mesonychid looked much like a hyena, and was the size of a horse. Some other reports that may describe mesonychids come from Armenia and Assyria about the year 800, and describe pig-like beasts that are vicious predators, but these have huge, floppy ears instead of the Beast's tiny round ears. Another possible mesonychid is reported from a more plausible place, the Amazon rainforest of South America. This creature is called the tapire-iauara. As you can see, there are many explanations for the Beast of Gevaudan. Scientists run from one explanation to another as fads come and go. Almost everything that is remotely conceivable has been proposed as an explanation. This page has been limited to a discussion of the more likely prospects as viewed by the science of cryptozoology, because otherwise this web page would be the size of a small book. There are other explanations rooted more in fields other than cryptozoology, such as the study of folklore and hoaxes. For example, the fictional movie Brotherhood of the Wolf presents an elaborate explanation for the Beast that manages to neatly tie up most of the loose ends that frustrate scientists, by proposing that it was all an elaborate hoax. One recent claim is that the stuffed body of the creature has actually been found in a museum in central France and studies suggest that it was actually a brown hyena which is now believed to have belonged to the hunter who killed it.
Black Shuck, Old Shuck, Old Shock or simply Shuck is the name given to an unknown creature said to roam in East Anglia. Black Shuck is one of many ghostly black dogs recorded across the British Isles. Sometimes recorded as an omen of death, sometimes a more companionable animal, it is classified as a cryptid, and there are varying accounts of the animal's appearance. The famous sighting in Bungay and Blythburg is a particularly famous account of the beast, and images of black sinister dogs have become part of the iconography of the area. For centuries, inhabitants of England have told tales of a large black dog with malevolent flaming eyes (or in some variants of the legend a single eye) that are red or alternatively green. They are described as being 'like saucers'. According to reports, the beast varies in size and stature from that of simply a large dog to being the size of a calf or even a horse. Sometimes Black Shuck is recorded as having appeared headless, and at other times as floating on a carpet of mist. According to folklore, the spectre haunts the landscapes of East Anglia, primarily coastline, graveyards, sideroads, crossroads, bodies of water and dark forests. W. A. Dutt, in his 1901 Highways & Byways in East Anglia describes the creature thus: He takes the form of a huge black dog, and prowls along dark lanes and lonesome field footpaths, where, although his howling makes the hearer's blood run cold, his footfalls make no sound. You may know him at once, should you see him, by his fiery eye; he has but one, and that, like the Cyclops, is in the middle of his head. But such an encounter might bring you the worst of luck: it is even said that to meet him is to be warned that your death will occur before the end of the year. So you will do well to shut your eyes if you hear him howling; shut them even if you are uncertain whether it is the dog fiend or the voice of the wind you hear. Should you never set eyes on our Norfolk Snarleyow you may perhaps doubt his existence, and, like other learned folks, tell us that his story is nothing but the old Scandinavian myth of the black hound of Odin, brought to us by the Vikings who long ago settled down on the Norfolk coast. It is Dutt's description which gave rise to one misnomer for Black Shuck as "Old Snarleyow"; in the context of his description it is a comparative to Frederick Marryat's 1837 novel Snarleyyow, or the Dog Fiend, which tells the tale of a troublesome ship's dog. Dr Simon Sherwood suggests that the earliest surviving description of devilish black hounds is an account of an incident in the Peterborough Abbey recorded in the Peterborough Chronicle (one of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles] around 1127. This account also appears to describe the Europe-wide phenomenon of a Wild Hunt: Let no-one be surprised at the truth of what we are about to relate, for it was common knowledge throughout the whole country that immediately after [Abbot Henry of Poitou's arrival at Peterborough Abbey] - it was the Sunday when they sing Exurge Quare - many men both saw and heard a great number of huntsmen hunting. The huntsmen were black, huge and hideous, and rode on black horses and on black he-goats and their hounds were jet black with eyes like saucers and horrible. This was seen in the very deer park of the town of Peterborough and in all the woods that stretch from that same town to Lincolnshire Stamford, and in the night the monks heard them sounding and winding their horns. Reliable witnesses who kept watch in the night declared that there might well have been as many as twenty or thirty of them winding their horns as near they could tell. This was seen and heard from the time of his arrival all through Lent and right up to Easter. According to some legends, the dog's appearance bodes ill to the beholder - for example in the Essex Maldon and Dengie area of Essex, the most southerly point of sightings, where seeing Black Shuck means the observer's almost immediate death. However, more often than not, stories tell of Black Shuck terrifying his victims, but leaving them alone to continue living normal lives; in some cases it has supposedly happened before close relatives to the observer die or become ill. By contrast, in other tales the animal is regarded as relatively benign and said to accompany women on their way home in the role of protector rather than a portent of ill omen. Some black dogs have been said to help lost travelers find their way home and are more often helpful than threatening; Sherwood notes that benign accounts of the dog become more regular towards the end of the 19th and throughout the 20th centuries. One of the most notable reports of Black Shuck is of his appearance at the churches of Bungay and Blythburgh in Suffolk. On 4 August 1577, at Blythburgh, Black Shuck is said to have burst in through the church doors to a clap of thunder. He ran up the nave, past a large congregation, killing a man and boy and causing the church steeple to collapse through the roof. As the dog left, he left scorch marks on the north door which can be seen at the church to this day. The encounter on the same day at Bungay was described in A Straunge and Terrible Wunder by the Reverend Abraham Fleming in 1577: This black dog, or the devil in such a linenesse (God thee knoweth al who worketh all,) running all along down the body of the church with great swiftness, and incredible haste, among the people, in a visible form and shape, passed between two persons, as they were kneeling upon their knees, and occupied in prayer as it seemed, wrung the necks of them both at one instant clene backward, in so much that even at a moment where they kneeled, they strangely dyed. Adams was a clergyman from London, and therefore probably only published his account based on exaggerated aural accounts. Other local accounts attribute the event to the Devil (Abrahams calls the animal "the Devil in such a likeness". The scorch marks on the door are referred to by the locals as "the devil’s fingerprints", and the event is remembered in this verse: All down the church in midst of fire, the hellish monster flew, and, passing onward to the quire, he many people slew. Dr David Waldron and Christopher Reeve suggest that a fierce electrical storm recorded by contemporary accounts on that date, coupled with the trauma of the ongoing Reformation, may have led to the accounts entering folklore. The Kettle Chronicles: The Black Dog of Bungay, I.S. Morgan (2006) is a historical novel recounting the events and aftermath of August 1577.
Devil Dogs or White Things "In Cherokee lore, the sudden appearance of a white wolf heralds a magic, premature death. Over time, the white wolf became a white dog in Appalachian lore. The dog is large and powerful in build, a handsome creature despite hair that is somewhat matted and unkempt. The dog shows up in roads, follows people home, and sits at a distance from dwellings as though waiting for someone...The white dog does indeed wait-not for a friend or a lost owner, but for a death. It is always seen by the person who is about to die, and sometimes by others who are close to the person. The dog is invisible to others. Once the white dog appears, the person is marked for death and dies tragically within a few days or two weeks."
Dobhar-chú is a giant carnivorous river monster that lives in Ireland. It is said Doyarchu is a mix between a beaver and a dog, but many people have said that maybe this creature is a primitive beaver. However, the most consistent ancient description is of a great otter. Doyarchu's other names are, Doyarchu the traditional alias, Dobarcu, Dhuragoo, Sea Dog, or Irish-Gator. Doyarchu is reported to have lived for a long time, since ancient Ireland, and they are very aggressive to humans and dogs, they usually attack in groups or maybe two Doyarchus, so one will attack first then, if it becomes tired, the friends may come to help, then they will drag their victim into water, but if the enemy runs away, they will follow it until it is caught. But, modern day, Doyarchu are very rare or maybe extinct, but it is reported Doyarchu can be found in Achill Island, west of County Mayo. In this island there is a lake named Sraheens Lough. Doyarchu are said to live there for now, the first modern sighting noted in 'A Description of West Connaught'(1684) by Roderick O'Flaherty. Another story in 2003 by Ireland artist Sean Corcoran and his wife on a Doyarchu in Omey Island, Connemara. They reportedly saw a giant creature with dark colouring, and membranes on the feet to swim. There is, interestingly, an archeological remain called Kinlough Stone that is the gravestone of a woman who was killed by a Doyarchu in the 17th century. Her name was Gráinne. Another piece of proof is the Glenade Stone, found in a Cornwall graveyard, where there is a Doyarchu figure painted above the grave.
The Elmendorf Beast is a chupacabra-like canine that was shot and killed three times in Elmendorf, Texas. In August 2004, a strange canine was shot and killed by a local rancher. The animal weighed twenty pounds, severe overbite and unusual blue, hairless skin. Experts at San Antonio Zoo speculated due to the skull that it was a Mexican Hairless Dog. It was later determined to be a coyote with demodectic or sarcoptic mange and not originally hairless. However, DNA gathered was inconclusive due to environmental degradation, but it was proven it was from the canine family. Two similar carcasses were found in Texas and found to be coyotes with severe cases of mange.
The Cadejo (Spanish pronunciation: [kaˈðexo]) is a character from Salvadoran, Belizean, Nicaraguan, Costa Rican, Honduran, Guatemalan and southern Mexican folklore. There is a good white cadejo and an evil black cadejo. Both are spirits that appear at night to travelers: the white to protect them from harm during their journey, the black (sometimes an incarnation of the devil), to kill them. The colors of the cadejo are sometimes exchanged according to local tradition. In some places the black cadejo is seen as the good one and the white cadejo the evil one. They usually appear in the form of a large (up to the size of a cow), shaggy dog with burning red eyes and a goat's hooves, although in some areas they have more bull-like characteristics. According to the stories, many have tried to kill the black cadejo but have failed and perished. Also it is said that if a cadejo is killed, it will smell terrible for several days, and then its body will disappear without a trace. Some Guatemalan folklore also tells of a cadejo that guards drunks against anyone who tries to rob or hurt them. When the cadejo is near, it is said to bring about a strong goat-like smell. Most people say never to turn your back to the creature because otherwise you will go crazy. Speaking to the cadejo will also induce insanity. In popular etymology, the name cadejo is thought to have derived from the Spanish word "cadena", meaning "chain"; the cadejo is at times represented as dragging a chain behind him. There is a fairly large member of the weasel family, the tayra, which in common speech is called a cadejo and is cited as a possible source of the legend. The cadejo ranges in size according to different tales in various regions. It lurks in graveyards and dark alleys, waiting to attack a passing victim. It has a distinctive smell of concentrated urine and burning sulfur. It rattles with a jerking motion, contracting its pharynx. Its gaze freezes anyone who makes eye contact. It glitters in the pitch dark with skin and short hair, similar to that of a pig. There are three types of black cadejos: The first is the devil himself in the form of a large, wounded dog with hoofed feet that are bound with red-hot chains. It is said that not even the white cadejo is able to completely stop him. Unlike the regular black cadejo it is not likely to pursue and attack a passing human, as it is a scout - the eyes of evil. Instead, anyone who spots him will have a sad event. In the short story "Leyenda del Cadejo" ("Legend of the Cadejo") by Nobel Prize laureate Miguel Ángel Asturias, this variety of cadejo terrorizes a young abbess and robs her of her braid. The second type of cadejo is the regular cadejo, the mysterious evil dog. It kills and savagely tears through its victim. First it demoralizes him with a series of sounds and other signs that it is nearby. Then, after the victim is scared, it leaps forward, and will kill him if the white cadejo is not near. The final, and least powerful type of black cadejo is the offspring of a normal dog and the "regular" cadejo. It is a mortal hybrid and can (with difficulty) be killed by a strong man (bearing in mind that most men in those regions only carry a machete for protection). Once dead, it will completely rot in a matter of seconds, leaving behind a stain of evil, on which grass and moss will never grow again. This cadejo will never bite its victim. Instead, he kicks and pecks them with his snout. After this happens, people say "Lo jugó el cadejo" which means "he\she was handled by the cadejo". The victim goes mad. This term is sometimes applied to people that are born with a mental illness. A fairly popular version of the legend in El Salvador talks about two brothers who walk into the house of a black magician. During a storm, he asks the boys to help him with some logs for a fire. Both boys slack on the job but eat the man's food. Once he finds out the little bit of food he had is missing and that there is not enough wood for his fire, he puts a curse on the road that leads to the boys' village. Voices bother the boys and when they turn their backs on the voices they get turned into creatures: a white cadejo and a black one. After going back to their village in their cursed form they get kicked out and have no choice but to wander. In the early 1900s, Juan Carlos was a guardian who lived in a thatched house near Los Arcos, in the country fields near La Aurora in Guatemala. He worked near Parroquia Vieja and arrived at his house at midnight. Almost all the time, his wife and small children spend the whole day alone, in the middle of the fields. Juan found a white dog when he arrived at his house one day. When the dog saw him coming, it would shake, turn around and disappear. Juan always tried to follow the dog, but he could never reach him. One day, when he arrived, the white dog never moved, and when he approached the dog, it did not make a single sound. But then Juan touched his paw, and all of a sudden it opened his eyes. Juan was scared; the dog said, 'you do not need my help anymore'. Frightened, Juan exclaimed,'what help'? And the dog said, in pain, 'I am a dog sent from above. My mission was to protect you from any danger. But you had showed me you do not need my help anymore.' Right after that, the white dog closed his eyes. Juan buried him, and every time he came home, he remembered the white dog. The Guatemalan born artist, Carlos Loarca, born in 1937, was a painter known for utilizing the cadejo as a main motif in his paintings. As a child, Loarca was told the legend, and he believed that the cadejo protected his father, as he always came home from safely from the cantina. As an adult, Loarca felt the protecting spirit, and helped him break his own alcohol habit. The cadejo first appeared in his paintings in the 1970s, and still is brought into reality through his paintings. Loarca states the "dog" has been a companion, guide, and has grown old with him.
Fu Lions or Fu Dogs, traditionally known in Chinese simply as Shi (Chinese: 獅; pinyin: shī; literally "lion"), and often called "Foo Dogs" in the West, are a common representation of the lion in pre-modern China. Statues of guardian lions have traditionally stood in front of Chinese Imperial palaces, Imperial tombs, government offices, temples, and the homes of government officials and the wealthy, from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), and were believed to have powerful mythic protective benefits. They are also used in other artistic contexts, for example on door-knockers, and in pottery. Pairs of guardian lion statues are still common decorative and symbolic elements at the entrances to restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and other structures, with one sitting on each side of the entrance, in China and in other places around the world where the Chinese people have immigrated and settled, especially in local Chinatowns. The lions are usually depicted in pairs. When used as statues, the pair would consist of a male resting his paw upon an embroidered ball (in imperial contexts, representing supremacy over the world) and a female reassuring a playful cub that is on its back (representing nurture). The lions are traditionally carved from decorative stone, such as marble and granite or cast in bronze or iron. Because of the high cost of these materials and the labor required to produce them, private use of guardian lions was traditionally reserved for wealthy or elite families. Indeed, a traditional symbol of a family's wealth or social status was the placement of guardian lions in front of the family home. However, in modern times less expensive lions, mass-produced in concrete and resin, have become available and their use is therefore no longer restricted to the elite. The lions are always presented in pairs, a manifestation of yin and yang, the female representing yin and the male yang. The male lion has its right front paw on an embroidered ball called a "xiù qiú" (绣球), which is sometimes carved with a geometric pattern known in the West as the "Flower of life" The female is essentially identical, but has a cub under the closer (left) paw to the male, representing the cycle of life. Symbolically, the female Fu lion protects those dwelling inside, while the male guards the structure. Sometimes the female has her mouth closed, and the male open. This symbolizes the enunciation of the sacred word "om". However, Japanese adaptions state that the male is inhaling, representing life, while the female exhales, representing death. Other styles have both lions with a single large pearl in each of their partially opened mouths. The pearl is carved so that it can roll about in the lion's mouth but sized just large enough so that it can never be removed. According to feng shui, correct placement of the lions is important to ensure their beneficial effect. When looking out of a building through the entrance to be guarded, looking in the same direction as the lions, the male is placed on the left and the female on the right. So when looking at the entrance from outside the building, facing the lions, the male lion with the ball is on the right, and the female with the cub is on the left. Chinese lions are intended to reflect the emotion of the animal as opposed to the reality of the lion. This is in distinct opposition to the traditional English lion which is a lifelike depiction of the animal. The claws, teeth and eyes of the Chinese lion represent power. Few if any mescles are visible in the Chinese lion whereas the English lion shows its power through its life like characteristics rather than through stylized representation. The Buddhist version of the Fu Lion was originally introduced to Han China as the protector of dharma and these lions Statue of Narasimha Fu dogs have been found in religious art as early as 208 BC. Gradually they were incorporated as guardians of the Chinese Imperial dharm. Lions seemed appropriately regal beasts to guard the emperor's gates and have been used as such since. There are various styles of guardian lions reflecting influences from different time periods, imperial dynasties, and regions of China. These styles vary in their artistic detail and adornment as well as in the depiction of the lions from fierce to serene. Narasimha (Sanskrit: नरसिंह; Narasiṃha), also spelt Nrusimha (नृसिंह; Nṛsiṃha), Narasingh, Narsingh and Narasingha, is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu and one of Hinduism's most popular deities, as evidenced in early epics, iconography, and temple and festival worship for over a millennium. The adoption of Buddha as one of the avatars of Vishnu under Bhagavatism was a catalyzing factor in assimilation during the Gupta period between 330 and 550 CE. Mahayana Buddhism is sometimes called Buddha-Bhagavatism. In India, a panel dating to third-fourth century AD shows a full theriomorphic squatting lion with two extra human arms behind his shoulders holding Vaishnav emblems. This lion, flanked by five heroes (virs), often has been identified as an early depiction of Narasimha. Standing cult images of Narasimha from the early Gupta period, survive from temples at Tigowa and Eran. These sculptures are two-armed, long maned, frontal, wearing only a lower garment, and with no demon-figure of Hiranyakashipu. Images representing the narrative of Narasimha slaying the demon Hiranyakasipu survive from slightly later Gupta-period temples: one at Madhia and one from a temple-doorway now set into the Kumra-math at Nachna, both dated to the late fifth or early sixth century A.D. Although the form of the Chinese guardian lion was quite varied during its early history in China, the appearance, pose, and accessories of the lions eventually became standardized and formalized during the Ming and Qing dynasties into more or less its present form. Komainu symbolic of the Buddhist/Hindu Syllable Om (ॐ). Meant to ward off evil spirits, modern komainu statues are almost identical, but one has the mouth open, the other closed. This is a very common characteristic in religious statue pairs at both temples and shrines. This pattern is however Buddhist in origin (see the article about the Niō, human-form guardians of Buddhist temples) and has a symbolic meaning. The open mouth is pronouncing the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, which is pronounced "a", while the closed one is uttering the last letter, which is pronounced "um", to represent the beginning and the end of all things. Together they form the sound Om, or ॐ;, a syllable sacred in several religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Komainu strongly resemble Chinese guardian lions and in fact originate from Tang dynasty China. The Chinese guardian lions are believed to have been influenced by lion pelts and lion depictions introduced through trade from either the Middle East or India, countries where the lion existed and was a symbol of strength. During its transportation along the Silkroad, however, the symbol changed, acquiring a distinctive look. The first lion statue in India appears around the 3rd century BC on top of a column erected by King Ashoka. Shisa (シーサー Shīsā?, Okinawan: siisaa,) is a traditional Ryukyuan decoration, often in pairs, resembling a cross between a lion and a dog, from Okinawan mythology. People place pairs of shisa on their rooftops or flanking the gates to their houses. Shisa are wards, believed to protect from some evils. When in pairs, the left shisa traditionally has a closed mouth, the right one an open mouth. When a Chinese emissary returned from a voyage to the court at Shuri Castle, he brought a gift for the king, a necklace decorated with a figurine of a shisa-dog. The king found it charming and wore it underneath his clothes. At the Naha Port bay, the village of Madanbashi was often terrorized by a sea dragon who ate the villagers and destroyed their property. One day, the king was visiting the village, and one of these attacks happened; all the people ran and hid. The local noro had been told in a dream to instruct the king when he visited to stand on the beach and lift up his figurine towards the dragon; she sent the boy, Chiga, to tell him the message. He faced the monster with the figurine held high, and immediately a giant roar sounded all through the village, a roar so deep and powerful that it even shook the dragon. A massive boulder then fell from heaven and crushed the dragon's tail. He couldn't move, and eventually died. This boulder and the dragon's body became covered with plants and surrounded by trees, and can still be seen today. It is the "Gana-mui Woods" near Naha Ohashi bridge. The townspeople built a large stone shisa to protect it from the dragon's spirit and other threats. Foo Dogs are the ancient sacred dogs of Asia who guard Buddhist temples. The association between these dogs and Buddha is one of great significance. Foo Dogs have the appearance of a lion. The lion in Buddhist religion is seen as sacred, and has sometimes been offered to Buddha as a sacrifice. The name given to these guardians originates from China. The Chinese word for Buddha is Fo, which led to the original title– “Dog of Fo”. There have been other theories that the name developed from the city of Foochow; however, there is no actual proof of this. Another name given to the beast is “Lion of Korea”. This, of course, is due to the creatures close appearance to a Lion. Foo Dogs can be traced as early as the Han Dynasty. Their first appearance was in Chinese art, which dates back to approximately 208 BC to about 221 AD. Foo Dogs vanished for nearly 400 years after their first appearance. They later returned in the T’ang Dynasty that was in power from 618 to 917 AD. Foo Dogs were popular because of their meaning. The Lion is a creature of the feline race that is known as the proud master of all cats. Its introduction into Chinese art coincided with Buddhism. The Foo Dog was the protector of sacred buildings and a defender of law. The dogs were commonly placed at business institutions, temple gates, home entrances, and estates. It was also not uncommon to see these sacred dogs guarding tombs or placed in front of government buildings to scare evil spirits. Throughout the ages, Foo Dogs were frequently given as gifts to the Emperor. They would be presented in sculptures or in the form of artwork. Foo Dog artwork varies. Buddha was sometimes depicted on the back of the great beast, but Foo Dogs are more often displayed in a powerful guarding position. The creature is usually presented holding a spear in its paw. This was the representation of the peace and serenity the animal would maintain for the sanctuary it was guarding; thus discouraging any wrong doers and demon spirits from entering the place of tranquility. The Foo Dog comes in many shapes, sizes, different materials, and colors. Their faces have a mischievous and almost devilish look about them; and their eyes are normally wide open with a tiny speck in the middle. This threatening appearance is what gives the idea that they guard against evil spirits. It is important to point out that the Foo Dog is also known as the Celestial Dog, and the Happiness Dog. The animal is a symbol of energy and value, and is often displayed in a male/female pair. The male plays with a ball that symbolizes the Earth, while the female holds a cub. The Foo Dog is embodied in rich Chinese history and tradition. They are still very popular today, not only in China, but also in other parts of the world. They are fantastic dogs not only infused with artwork – but with meaning. On August 15, 2013, the zoo in the People's Park of Luohe, in the central province of Henan, replaced exotic exhibits with common species, according to the state-run Beijing Youth Daily. It quoted a mother who was visiting the zoo to show her son the different sounds animals made - but he pointed out that the animal in the cage labeled African lion was barking. Apparently, officials in Louhe city zoo in central Henan province hoped no one would notice when they decided to make the switch and send the enclosure's regular resident, an African lion, away to a breeding center. Turns out it was no Fu Lion, but just a Tibetan mastiff, a large, hairy breed of dog — which, for what it's worth, more closely resembles the king of the jungle than does perhaps any other domestic canine. "One family surnamed Liu took their six-year-old son to the zoo in People's Park," reported the local Dahe Daily newspaper. "On the way, Mrs. Liu was teaching her son all the sounds that the different animals make. But when they arrived, her son said the lion was barking like a dog." Mrs. Liu told the Beijing Youth Daily: "The zoo is absolutely trying to cheat us. They are trying to disguise dogs as lions." And, the dog-for-cat swap wasn't the only attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of zoo patrons: There was also a domestic dog housed in the wolf pen, and a white fox was found pacing the leopard exhibit. The most notable account of Fu Lions was by the medieval explorer Marco Polo (1254 AD – 1324 AD). Marco Polo made vivid accounts of "wolf lions", dragons and even unicorns. However, the credibility of Polo's depictions of Asia are vastly questionable. Skeptics have wondered if Marco Polo actually went to China or if he perhaps wrote his book based on hearsay. While Polo describes paper money and the burning of coal, he fails to mention the Great Wall of China, Chinese characters, chopsticks, or footbinding.
The hellhound is a supernatural dog, found in folklore. Sometimes known as black dogs a wide variety of ominous or hellish supernatural dogs occur in mythologies around the world, similar to the ubiquitous dragon. Features that have been attributed to hellhounds include black fur, glowing red or sometimes glowing yellow eyes, super strength or speed, ghostly or phantom characteristics, foul odor, and sometimes even the ability to talk. There is a famous greek Hellhound named 'Cerberus.' Legend says that if someone is to stare into its eyes three times or more, the person will definitely die. In cultures that associate the afterlife with fire, hellhounds may have fire-based abilities and appearance. They are often assigned to guard the entrances to the world of the dead, such as graveyards and burial grounds, or undertake other duties related to the afterlife or the supernatural, such as hunting lost souls or guarding a supernatural treasure. In European legends, seeing a hellhound or hearing it howl may be either an omen of death or even a cause of death. Some supernatural dogs, such as the Welsh Cŵn Annwn, were actually believed to be benign. However, encountering them was still considered to be a sign of imminent death. Hellhounds do what Hades tells them to.
The Michigan Dogman is a werewolf type creature first reported in 1887 in Wexford County, Michigan. Sightings have been reported in several locations throughout Michigan, primarily in the northwestern quadrant of the Lower Peninsula. In 1987, the legend of the Michigan Dogman gained popularity when a disc jockey at WTCM-FM recorded a song about the creature and its reported sightings. In 1987, disc jockey Steve Cook at WTCM-FM in Transverse City, Michigan recorded a song titled "The Legend", which he initially played as an April Fools Day joke. He based the songs on actual reports of the creature. Cook recorded the song with a keyboard backing and credited it to Bob Farley. After he played the song, Cook received calls from listeners who said that they had encountered a similar creature. In the next weeks after Cook first played the song, it was the most-requested song on the station. He also sold cassettes of the songs for four dollars, and donated proceeds from the single to an animal shelter. Over the years, Cook has received more than 100 reports of the creature's existence. Cook later added verses to the song in 1997 after hearing a report of an animal break-in by an unknown canine at a cabin in Luther, Michigan. He re-recorded it again in 2007, with a Mandolin backing. The first known sighting of the Michigan Dogman occurred in 1887 in Wexford County, when two lumberjacks saw a creature whom they described as having a man's body and a dog's head. In 1938 in Paris, Michigan, Robert Fortney was attacked by five wild dogs and said that one of the five walked on two legs. Reports of similar creatures also came from Allegan County in the 1950s, and in Manistee and Cross Village in 1967. Linda S. Godfrey, in her book The Beast of Bray Road, compares the Manistee sightings to a similar creature sighted in Wisconsin known as the Beast of Bray Road. In 1961 a night watchman was patrolling a manufacturing plant in Big Rapids Michigan. When he saw a peculiar figure. At first he thought it was a person until he saw the doglike features. He pulled his gun and was about to shoot when he remembered his camera and took it out and took a picture of the horrific beast. The photos have not been analyzed yet and the photo still remains a unsolved mystery.
The Mitla is a medium-sized cryptid that is said to be a cat-like dog or a dog-like cat. The report comes from Percy Fawcett, who spent time in Bolivia between 1906-1914. Jeremy Mallinson, the director the Jersey Zoo (now Durrel Wildlife Park) searched for the Mitla. The Mitla has been speculate to be a canid, or a feline similar to the Jaguarundi. Dr. Karl Shuker described it as a strange dog with feline behavior. It's more likely to be a dog than a cat. The place where it was sighted could be situated in forests east of the Cuzco region near to the Maddid jungle; that is also where the short-eared dog lives, but this cryptid is twice as big and darker in coloration. However, this could be a simple difference in level of maturity in the species.
Moddey Dhoo or Mauthe Doog (meaning "black dog") is a black hound in Manx folklore that reputedly haunted Peel Castle on the west coast of the Isle of Man. As to the version where the black dog is described "as big as a calf and with eyes like pewter plates" (Killip 1976), this seems to derive from a report of a modern sighting of the calf-sized dog (Gill 1932), combined with the description of the eyes of a troll in Asbjornsen and Moe's Norwegian folktale collection. A resident Manx historian George Waldron seems to be the sole definitive written authority of this folklore localized in the castle. He describes the dog thus: "They say, that an apparition called, in their language, the Mauthe Doog, in the shape of a large black spaniel with curled shaggy hair, was used to haunt Peel Castle; and has been frequently seen in every room, but particularly in the guard-chamber, where, as soon as candles were lighted, it came and lay down before the fire in presence of all the soldiers, who at length, by being so much accustomed to the sight of it, lost great part of the terror they were seized with at its first appearance." — George Waldron, History and Description of the Isle of Man (1st ed. 1731) 1744 edition, p.23 There used to be a passage connected to the Peel Castle, traversing the church grounds, leading to the apartment of the Captain of the Guard, and "the Mauthe Doog was always seen to come from that passage at the close of day, and return to it again as soon as the morning dawned". Waldron reports that one drunken guard of the castle, who in defiance of the dog, went against the usual procedure of locking up the castle gate in pairs and did this all alone. Emboldened by liquor, he "snatched up the keys" when it wasn't even his turn to do so. The watchman after locking up was supposed to use the haunted passage to deliver the keys to the captain. Some noises were heard, the adventurer returned to the guard-room, ghastly frightened, unable to share the story of what he had seen, and died three days later. That was the last sighting of the dog. But the passage was sealed up and never used again after the haunting, and a different pathway constructed. The dog was made known to the world at large when Sir Walter Scott introduced the "Manthe Dog -- a fiend, or demon, in the shape of a large, shaggy, black mastiff in Peveril of the Peak (1823), an installment of his Waverley novels. Here he freely adapted the folklore to suit his plot, but Scott derived knowledge of this folklore through Waldron's work, as he candidly gave credit in his "author's notes". William Walter Gill (d. 1963), has preserved some of the local lore regarding the Black Dog appearing around the Manx landscape, as well as firsthand eyewitness accounts: A field near Ballamodda, near a field named Robin y Gate, " Robin of the Road," was haunted by an "ordinary moddey dhoo", as opposed to Ballagilbert Glen (aka Kinlye's Glen), where stood a farmhouse on the east side, and in the lane leading to it "lurked a moddey dhoo, headless like that at Hango.". Gill also reports sightings of Moddey Dhoo at a spot called "Milntown corner" close to Ramsey. In 1927, a friend saw it turning towards Glen Aldyn, and it was "black, with long shaggy hair, with eyes like coals of fire". And a doctor while driving the road beyond the corner 1931 encountered "a big black dog-like creature nearly the size of a calf, with bright staring eyes." Moddey Dhoo featured in Tom Siddell's Gunnerkrigg Court as one of the many spirit guides that assist the dead with their transition.
Nandi Bear also known as Ngoloko, Duba, Chimosit, Kikambangwe, Chimisit, Vere, Kerit, Sabrookoo or various other names, is a cryptid reported to live in Africa. The sightings of the Nandi Bear by Western backs up the reality of the beast. Officially there are no members of the bear family in Africa in modern times, but reports of bears or bear-like creatures are nothing new to Africa. The Nandi Bear is often described as being like a large hyena around 4ft - 6ft tall or the size of a black bear. Some have speculated that Nandi Bears are in fact a misidentified hyenas or a surviving chalicotheres. It is said to have a brownish red to a dark color coat. It is a nocturnal animal and is said to attack humans only on dark moonless nights. It has been said to prey upon the children and natives from the villages. Local legend holds that it only eats the brain of its victims. There are cases when natives have killed the beast, normally by burning a hut it had entered. Westerners have also shot at the beast, but without success. The Nandi Bear has eluded both hunters and researchers alike to remain unclassified by the scientific community. Other than the Atlas Bear extinct by the 1800s, no living bears are known to be native to modern Africa, though the Etruscan, and species of the prehistoric genera Agriotherium and Indarctos, lived in Northern Hemisphere during the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Louis Leakey suggested that Nandi Bear descriptions matched that of the extinct bear, though chalicotheres were pterodactyls.
Pal Rai Yuk is a sea monster that lurks the waters of Alaska terrorizing the locals. This creature has an assortment of strange features to it. For example, Pal Rai Yuk is reported to have 3 pairs of legs, have two fox-like heads, two tails, short horns, 3 dorsal fins, 3 stomachs, thick fur, a long tongue, paws at the end of each leg, a fish or whale-like tail, and a serrated ridge on its back. This animal's name derives from Inuktitut words. Not only does it have a strange look but it has strange habits. It is highly carnivorous and vicious often rearing 7-8 feet out of the water and crashing its heavy body on the kayaks the locals are riding in. Pal Rai Yuk is said to possibly eat fish and people with its chameleon-like tongue and its sharp fangs. Inuktituts can also summon Pal Rai Yuk by tapping the bottoms of the kayaks or canoes. This beast is only seen in bay areas not in the open ocean. Pal Rai Yuk sightings and legends have taken place in the Nunivak and King Islands in the Bering Strait of Alaska. A majority of them have also taken place near the Kuskokwim River in Alaska too. Alaska has a majority of strange cryptids such as The Iliamna Lake Monster and Sasquatch, but Pal Rai Yuk is by far the strangest.
Qiqirn, Qiqion, or Keelut is a hairless dog spirit from Inuit mythology. It is described as a large canine and completely naked, except with fur on it's feet. This creature is known to terrify the Inuit people but can also be easily scared away if people shout out its name. This creature silently follows travelers at night. When alone and far from home, the traveler is attacked by this ugly hound and their life is ended. It is possible it could be a chupacabra or a type of Hellhound.
Rougarou or Loup Garou, loup meaning wolf, and garou meaning a man who turns into an animal, is a shape-shifting monster that lives in the swamps of Lousiana. Rougarou is actually the Michif word for werewolf. It is like a werewolf, but it can turn into wolf form any time. This is what makes the Rougarou much more dangerous. Cajun folklore says that it stalks the swamps of Acadiana and Greater New Orleans. It is often used by parents to get their children to behave. Catholics have their own version as well. They say that the Rougarou is a monster that will stalk and murder Catholics that do not obey the rules of Lent. Some people say that the curse (or blessing, for evil people) only lasts for 101 days. The curse is then transferred to the last person bitten. This shape-shifter can turn into a werewolf whenever it wants. It is slightly more muscular and powerful though, because it has to cross the dense swamps. It looks a lot like a werewolf, but has some differences. Cajun lore claims that a rougarou possess the body of a man, but the head of a wolf or dog with glowing red eyes. If anyone managed to look into its red glowing eyes or gets bitten by one, they would become a rougarou themselves in a manner very akin to a typical lycanthrope. Cow mutilations have been reported with no blood left in the cow which is very similar to the chupacabra sightings. Some reports have even made it seem like a skunk ape. Many people have seen the Rougarou. These accounts make it seem like a ruthless cryptid that roams the Everglades.
The Turner Beast is a creature that has been described as a husky-looking wolf with bulky shoulders, big eyes, a flat snout, short mangled ears, and a bushy tail. Before it was proven to be a hybrid, some researchers claimed that it could possibly be a Dire Wolf. It was spotted in Turner, Maine and was estimated to weigh about 120 lbs. It has been known to kill pets and livestock, mostly dogs, most likely for territorial reasons. Later DNA testing of the animal in the pictures revealed it to be a wolf-dog hybrid.Similar to the Ontario white wolf, and often considered to be the same animal, the Waheela is a large, wolf-like creature said to inhabit Alaska and the Northwest Territories. It is larger and more heavily built than normal wolves, with a wide head and proportionally larger feet, and with long, pure-white fur. The animal’s hind legs are said to be shorter than the front legs, and the tracks show widely spaced toes. Witnesses describe it as being about 3’ 12” at the shoulder. Waheela are never seen in packs, so are presumably solitary. Native legends describe the Waheela as an evil spirit with supernatural powers, and describe it as killing people and removing their heads. It has been theorized that the Waheela is an Amphicyonid (a prehistoric carnivore of the Miocene and Oligocene), a dire wolf (A large wolf of the Pleistocene), a prehistoric hyena, or a completely new species of canine.
The Werewolf also known as Lycanthrope (from the Greek λυκάνθρωπος: λύκος, lukos, "wolf", and άνθρωπος, anthrōpos, man), is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse. This transformation is often associated with the appearance of the full moon, as popularly noted by the medieval chronicler Gervase of Tilbury, and perhaps in earlier times among the ancient Greeks through the writings of Petronius. Werewolves are often attributed superhuman strength and senses, far beyond those of both wolves and men. The werewolf is generally held as a European character, although its lore spread through the world in later times. Shape-shifters, similar to werewolves, are common in tales from all over the world, most notably amongst the Native Americans, though most of them involve animal forms other than wolves. Werewolves are a frequent subject of modern fiction, although fictional werewolves have been attributed traits distinct from those of original folklore. For example, the ideas that werewolves are only vulnerable to silver bullets or that they can cause others to become werewolves by biting or wounding them derive from works of modern fiction. Werewolves continue to endure in modern culture and fiction, with books, films and television shows cementing the werewolf's stance as a dominant figure in horror. 1936, Jefferson County, Wisconsin : Mark Schackelman was driving along Highway 18 just outside of Jefferson, Wisconsin when he noticed someone digging in a field off the side of the road. The site was a location where a Native American burial ground was believed to be (I swear I am not making this up). When Schackelman slowed down to get a better look, the "man" turned around and faced him. It turns out that it was a hairy creature that stood on two legs, which Schackelman described as looking like a mix between an ape and a dog. The creature had the general shape of a large man, with opposable thumbs and everything. Schackelman drove off in a hurry but remained curious about the creature. The next night he drove past the same area hoping to see the creature again. He did. This time the man-beast growled at him in a way that sounded eerily human, making a sound that he described as "ga-DA-ra". Schackelman freaked out and the creature ran off. 1964, Jefferson County, Wisconsin : Dennis Fewless was driving along Highway 89 around midnight when he saw a figure running across the road. When his headlights caught sight of the creature, it was eerily similar to werewolf seen in 1936, just a couple of miles away. Large and muscular, stood around seven feet tall, covered in dark brown hair, with a dog-like face. Fewless saw the creature run across the road, jump over a barbed-wire fence, and disappear into a corn field. Fewless waited until the sun was up the next day to return to the scene of the werewolf sighting. He had hoped to find tracks to prove the size of the beast, but the ground was too hard. He was able to find the place in the cornfield where the werewolf had entered. The stalks of corn were broken and askew in such a way that supported the theory that a man-beast of massive size had been there. 1972, Jefferson County, Wisconsin : A woman (name unreported) called 911 when she heard someone trying to break into her rural home in the middle of the night. Upon further investigation, it appeared that it was not a person, but a large animal that had tried to get in. A few weeks later the creature returned and again tried to forcefully enter the house. This time the woman saw the creature. She described it as around eight feet tall, covered in dark brown hair, and it stood on two legs. It had long arms with hands that had long, sharp claws on them. When the creature couldn't get inside the house, it went out to the woman's barn and attacked a horse. The horse was alive, but had a deep cut across its back. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources investigated, finding a foot print that was said to be over a foot long. 1989, Elkhorn, Wisconsin : Lorianne Endrizzi had seen a large figure on the side of the road. As she got close she realized that it was not a person but a tall beast, covered in gray/brown hair, with a dog-like face featuring fangs, pointed ears, and glowing yellow eyes. 1989, Elkhorn, Wisconsin : A dairy farmer named Scott Bray owned a cattle pasture near his family's namesake street, Bray Road. He reported seeing a dog, larger and taller than a German Shepherd, in his pasture one night. The creature was muscular and heavy, covered in gray/brown hair with pointed ears. Bray was able to find footprints, larger than any known dog or wolf, in the pasture the next day. 1989, Elkhorn, Wisconsin : Russell Gest saw a large, dog-like creature in Elkhorn close to the time of the previous two reported encounters. He described the creature in a very similar way to the other reports, stating that it stood on its hind legs and began to slowly approach him before he ran away. 1992, Elkhorn, Wisconsin : Tammy Bray, the wife of Scott Bray, was driving back to her home on Bray Road when she saw the creature. She also described a tall, broad shouldered, and muscular beast covered in dark brown hair. The dog-like face and glowing yellow eyes match the previous descriptions of the Wisconsin werewolf, though at this point, the other sightings had still not been widely reported. 1999, Elkhorn, Wisconsin : It was the night of Halloween 1999, and an 18-year old woman named Doristine Gipson was driving along, you guessed it, Bray Road, when her car suddenly jerked as if she had hit something. She got out of the car and walked back along the road, straining to see. Then she caught sight of what she had hit. A huge, dark, hairy figure began rushing toward her. Gipson ran back into her car and began to drive away. The beast reportedly jumped up onto the trunk of the car, but due to the wetness of the rain-covered car, it could not hold on and fell to the ground. Gipson said she drove back to the location that same night with a young trick-or-treater, and they both saw a large figure laying on the side of the road. They didn't stay long. Gipson reported the sighting the next day, which is what brought the other witnesses to share their tales. At this point, no one was sure what the creature was, so they dubbed it "The Bray Road Beast". In medieval Europe, especially France and Germany, innocent people were often taken to the court because they were thought to be Werewolves. After being forced to plead guilty, these innocent people were typically tortured by stretching and were executed by burning or beheading. Contrary to popular belief, Werewolves in folklore were not believed to shape shift when the moon is full, turned into a werewolf by being bitten by one, and silver bullets were not needed to kill them. These classical elements to the werewolf myth were invented from fiction. Traditionally, Werewolves were believed to shift at will and would appear as a wolf at anytime. The best method to become a werewolf was innate (pact with the devil, wearing magical wolf pelt/girdle, rubbing magical ointment, a curse, etc), and werewolves could be killed with any conventional weapon. There are many ways to become a werewolf yourself.