Cryptids
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Tsuchinoko/Gigi-Hebi/Bachi-Hebi/Koro/Koro-Hebi/Tsuchi-Korobi
The Tsuchinoko is a Cryptid, or UMA, and Yokai from Japan. The name Tsuchinoko has been translated as “child of the earth,” “small mallet,” or “mallet child.” This name references a Japanese mallet called a tsuchi similar in shape to the creature’s body. They’re described as short, thick, snake-like creatures. Some describe them as incredibly poisonous and believe they can survive even when their heads are cut off. They’re known to be incredibly rare with many trying hard to prove their existence. There is an urban legend from Kanazawa stating that there is a slope where one night a man saw something tumbling down it. When he approached he saw…
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Nahuelito/Patagonian Plesiosaur
Nahuelito is a cryptid from Argentina living in Nahuel Huapi Lake. The sightings come from the 1910s, and 1920s. Its name means “little Nahuel” and it rarely bothers humans. It’s described as anywhere from fifteen to twenty feet in length, though some suggest it could reach ninety-eight feet in length. It has rough skin, a body with multiple humps, a snake-like head, and a nine foot long neck. Seen on calm summer days and only surfaces when the water is calm. It is known to have a distinctive sound to its breathing. Citations: Eberhart, George M.. Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology [2 Volumes]. Ukraine, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2002. Maberry, Jonathan.…
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Great Auk
The Great Auk is a cryptid in the form of a species, Alca impennis, believed to be extinct. It was originally classified by Swedish biologist Carl von Linné in 1758, most were killed by settler’s dogs, and the last reported pair was killed by an Icelandic fisherman in 1844. It was a large flightless penguin-like bird from Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, and Norway. Despite being officially declared extinct, there have been several sightings of them since then. In 1867 residents of Greenland supposedly captured and ate a Great Auk. There were several sightings from the 1920s and 1930s in Norway, but investigations declared these were penguins imported by whalers. Despite…
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Craigsmere Beast
The Craigsmere Beast is a cryptid from Florida. It was sighted in 1920 by a man aboard the ship Craigsmere. It was described as a long creature with several dorsal fins and a head slightly further in front of the body. It was suggested by Bernard Heuvelmans to be a “Many Finned Sea Serpent” seen on its side. Citations: Newton, Michael. Florida’s Unexpected Wildlife: Exotic Species, Living Fossils, and Mythical Beasts in the Sunshine State. United States, University Press of Florida, 2007.
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Washington County Goat Man
The Washington County Goat Man is a cryptid sighted in Washington County, Wisconsin, specifically in the town of Erin. The origin of this creature comes from the time of the Civil War. According to the story, a veteran was driving a covered wagon with his wife on Hogsback Road. An axle broke on the wagon and the man went to fix it while his wife waited inside for several hours. She heard growling and suspected a wolf or bear, and looked out to see a large upright creature covered in shaggy dark hair and with the head of a goat. She hid in the wagon until sunrise when she peeked…
- Alabama, Cherokee, Cryptids, E, Georgia(state), Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, W, West Virginia, Witches
Wampus Cat/Ewah
The Wampus Cat is a mysterious feline creature from the myths of the Cherokee. Sightings of this creature are from the Appalachian Mountains commonly West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Its name is sometimes thought to come from the term “cattywampus” since it means “not quite right” and it is known as the Ewah by the Cherokee. Often it is described as a bizarre cross between a woman and a mountain lion. Other times it resembles a hybrid of a large mountain lion, panther, cougar, and gray wolf. Commonly it has hypnotic glowing eyes along with huge fangs and is known to make…
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Big Man-Eater
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Shar Khorkhoi
The Shar Khorkhoi is a rare cryptid similar to the Mongolian Death Worm. They have been sighted along the Tost Mountains of Mongolia. They were described as long yellow worms when several came out of holes in the ground. The witness ran away and looked back to see over 50 approaching. Citation: Shuker, Karl. The Beasts That Hide from Man: Seeking the World’s Last Undiscovered Animals. United States, Paraview Press, 2014.
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Badak Tanggiling/Scaled Rhinoceros
The Badak Tanggiling is a cryptid sighted in Sumatra, Indonesia. They are described as hoofed mammals similar to the rhinoceros, but with only one horn. They measure ten feet long, and the females are sometimes hornless. A Hunter named J.. C. Hazewinkel supposedly shot eight of these in the 1920s. Some theorize a Javan rhino with a single form may have persisted in Sumatra during this time, leading to these sightings. Currently, Sumatra only has one species of rhino which has two horns. Citations: Eberhart, George M.. Mysterious Creatures [2 Volumes]: A Guide to Cryptozoology [2 Volumes]. Ukraine, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2002.
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Lau
The Lau is a rare cryptid from swamps at the source of the White Nile. The marshes thought to hold this creature are largely unexplored, adding credibility to the idea of an unknown species. They inhabit holes in the banks of the river or swamps, though mostly in the swamps. This creature is known to the Nuer, Dinka, and Shilluk people of Africa. The Nuer people would identify their presence by a long rut in the ground, and run away from it. It’s believed that if a Lau sees a group of people before they see it, then it is assumed that all of them will die. If a group…
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Veo
The Veo is a cryptid from Rintja Island between Flores and Komodo in Indonesia. It has been sighted by natives and is described as the size of a horse, at least 10 feet long. It has a long head, scaly back and flanks, fur underneath, and large claws. It’s thought to make a cry like “hoo hoo hoo” at sundown. It eats ants, termites, and beached shellfish. If threatened it goes on its back legs and strikes with front claws, but is normally docile. Reports from natives gathered by traveler Pierre Pfeiffer. They live in hills and mountains during the day and go to mangroves at night. Descriptions match that…
