Sal’awa/Salawa/Al-Salaawa/Al-Salawwa/Silawa

The Sal’awa is a mysterious creature from Egypt. Their name means  “she-wolf” in Arabic. Sometimes they are related to Djinn, while others view them as a cryptid. They’re described as nocturnal dog-like animals sometimes resembling a cross between a jackal and an anteater. They have square ears, a drooping nose, a hyena-like muzzle, big canine teeth with prominent fangs, and a poofy forked tail. They are roughly the size of dogs with beige or black fur, and back legs longer than the front. They are thought to live in the desert and are often related to depictions of the Egyptian god Set. They are known to attack and kill humans, especially children. They were first sighted in the 1960s and then disappeared for decades with some attacks in 2005 blamed on Sal’awa. Biologists have suggested sightings of Sal’awa are based on foxes, feral dogs, or other canine hybrids. 

Citations:

Eberhart, George M.. Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology. United Kingdom, ABC-CLIO, 2002.

Lebling, Robert. Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar. United Kingdom, I.B.Tauris, 2010.