Rougarou

The Rougarou is a creature that was thought to be a combination of the French Loup Garou and the Algonquin Wendigo. Various Louisiana Native American tribes believed the Attakapa to be a tribe of shapeshifting cannibals. Attakapa even means “man eater” in Choctaw. The story goes that after a difficult period of war, the starving Attakapas gained the ability to shapeshift from dark spirits who possessed them. After being possessed, they would hunt humans as their prey. During the summer they would take human form and live normal lives, only taking constant animal forms during the winter when food was more scarce. Particularly cruel Rougarou however would take animal form at any time. They were thought to be driven by the memory of starvation and vengeance on the other tribes who warred with them. In more recent times, the mutilation of farm animals would also be blamed on the Rougarou.

Citations:

Steiger, Brad. The Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting Beings. United Kingdom, Visible Ink Press, 2011.