Have you ever seen Bigfoot? Do you think it could be real? The American community of cryptid enthusiasts loves to ponder these questions, and you might enjoy the hobby, too!
◊
When many of us think of America, we think of golden arches, bald eagles, and suspicious sushi from the grocery store. But one slice of America remains as American, if not more American, than apple pie: cryptids.
Though you may not have heard the word “cryptid,” you’ve definitely heard of examples because they’re nothing more than urban legends that revolve around some imaginary beasts. Think Sasquatch and the Loch Ness Monster. Let’s look at the tales behind three of our favorite cryptids whose names may have already graced your ears once or twice.
Jersey Devil
Depictions of the Jersey Devil are pretty inconsistent. Some say it looks like a flying kangaroo; others see a dragon-like creature. But witnesses almost always report Satanic features -- from hooves and red eyes to wide bat wings and a goatish body -- and a blood-curdling screech. These differences are actually part of the lore behind the Jersey Devil, and for good reason: Its appearance is supposedly so menacing and grotesque that witnesses run away before having a good look.
Far from the boutiques and restaurants of Hoboken lies the Jersey Devil’s birthplace in the middle of the remote Pine Barrens. Before its birth, as the story goes, its mother lamented that it would be her 13th child, so she said that the Devil could have it. Apparently, the Devil did claim it, at least in the sense that the child took on certain features of its surrogate father, flying out the window across the Pine Barrens shortly after its birth.
Apart from the mysterious vastness of the Pine Barrens, scientists haven’t found a reasonable explanation behind the Jersey Devil. Whether it’s a new species or something as innocuous as a common turkey, hunters of the supernatural will need to start carrying better cameras to solve the mystery.
Does a demon inhabit the Pine Barrens of New Jersey? This chilling MagellanTV film considers the possibilities.
Chupacabra
Translated from Spanish as “Goatsucker,” the Chupacabra is a formidably vampiric creature with a vaguely canine appearance, bright red eyes, scaly skin, and glistening fangs. The beast is generally associated with Latin America, and the first sighting occurred on the island of Puerto Rico.
Farmers would often find their cattle dead in the fields, half-eaten, and, more curiously, drained of blood. Naturally, the farmers blamed these attacks on the Chupacabra.
As with many urban legends, there’s a kernel of truth about the Chupacabra on which scientists have agreed. Many witnesses note that what they see is a hairless canine, betraying the fairly simple explanation that many of these “Chupacabras” are sick coyotes whose mange has caused both hairlessness and unusual aggression toward livestock.
A roadkill “chupacabra” in Florida (Credit: Dick Langer, via Wikimedia Commons)
Mothman
What could be worse than a moth eating your clothes? At around seven feet tall, Mothman is big enough to eat the rest of you! On November 15, 1966, this hulking behemoth emerged from the ether to stand in front of a couple’s car, blocking State Route 62 on the way to Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Like many others, this couple saw a creature with bright red eyes between two gigantic wings of indistinct blackness.
The couple swerved around the beast, gunning for civilization, but Mothman shot upward and flew close behind them with ostensibly minimal effort. As clunky as Mothman’s movement appeared to be on the ground, it glided as nimbly as a falcon, even as the couple sped away from it at 100 miles per hour.
Though the couple escaped successfully, the legend of Mothman remained, fascinating the people of Point Pleasant enough for them to search for it with hunting rifles and flashlights. Locals often accuse Mothman of loitering about their lawns, chasing other couples’ cars, and even abducting dogs.
An artist’s terrifying portrait of Mothman (Credit: Tim Bertelink, via Wikimedia Commons)
If you live in a town with a legend, keep your wits about you and your furry friends close. You never know when you’ll see a pair of bright red eyes glowering at you from the wilderness. And by the way, don’t forget to take a picture for the rest of us!
Ω
Title Image credit: Den Boro Day, via Adobe Stock (generated with AI)
_4.jpg)
