The Sumatran creature that locals call Orang Pendek somewhat resembles a Bigfoot – only that it is not big at all. Dwelling deep in the jungles of the island, it is said to have both apelike and human features: shortness of stature, extreme strength, and a tendency to shy away

Kongamato is a cryptid allegedly living in the deep marshes and jungles of Equatorial Africa – an area of special interest for cryptozoology, due to the vast number of cryptids reported there. Kongamato resembles a pterodactyl, with a wingspan of about seven feet (2 meters), and it is supposed to

Megalania Prisca, formerly known as Varanus Priscus, was a prehistoric monitor lizard – several times bigger than the Komodo dragon – that roamed the Australian outback terrorizing the native fauna. Even though science acknowledges Megalania to be extinct, sightings of monitor lizards (or goannas, as they are known in Australia)

The agogve of Kenya and Uganda bear some resemblance to the almas, but are smaller in stature and often described as upright walking bonobos with vaguely human features such as long, slender hands. British explorer and hunter J. Cottnay attempted to hunt agogve creatures, only to have the natives persistently

The almas are elusive and savage man-beasts that dwell into the mountain ranges of Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Their description somewhat resembles prehistoric man, given their short stature, powerful muscles, hairy bodies and lack of ability to speak. Accounts of the almas go back for hundreds of years, and the natives

Ri and Ilkai are the names given by tribes in Papua New Guinea to an elusive species of humanoid sea creature that is said to resemble mermaids. Although the existence of such a creature may be quite preposterous from an evolutionary viewpoint, the large number of reports coming from natives

There are legends of this creature in Africa. He is said to have looked like a mix of a man and a monkey. Legend had it that the creature had magical powers and enjoyed the taste of human flesh. Female pongos turned into gorgeous women in order to get close

This beast was sighted in Wisconsin, USA. It has been sighted since 1936. It runs on all four limbs, or its hind limbs. It is said to be about six feet tall, built like an athletic man and covered in shaggy hair. He has a wolf-like face with yellow eyes,

For those who grew up in Australia, the bunyip will be familiar. The bunyip is a large mythical creature from Australian Aboriginal mythology, said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks, riverbeds and waterholes. It has been described as a giant starfish that walks on land – imagine that! Other 19th-century

The Lizard Man, being particularly terrifying, deserves a high place on this list. This humanoid cryptid is said to inhabit the swampland areas in and around Lee County, South Carolina. The sightings began on June 29, 1988, with the most recent notable sighting in February, 2008. The creature is described

This beast is said to have inhabited the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey, with tales beginning in the 1800s and continuing until the 20th century. The creature is usually described as a flying biped with hooves, wings like a bat and a head resembling a horse. The legend of

The legend of the Wampus Cat is still told in the mountains of East Tennessee and western North Carolina. A long time ago, it is said, a Cherokee woman spied on her husband and the men of the tribe as they were away on a hunting trip and told sacred

Alternately spelled Windigo, as well as other variants, this monster comes to us from Algonquin folklore of Canada and the northern part of the U.S. The Wendigo is a large furry beast that eats people, but it has a more supernatural story than, say, Sasquatch. Described as a bipedal creature

Tales of enormous squids have circulated throughout the world since ancient times. Aristotle and Pliny the Elder both described such monsters; legends such as the Lusca (Caribbean), Scylla (Ancient Greece), and the sea monk (Medieval Europe) all describe a bizarre, often dangerous nautical creature. Perhaps the most famous legendary squid

Central African tribes and ancient Egyptians described and depicted a bizarre creature for centuries, colloquially dubbed the “African unicorn” by Europeans. It is known locally by such names as the Atti, or the O’api, resembling a cross between a zebra, a donkey and a giraffe. Despite descriptions from explorers and

For centuries, the Sea Serpent persisted as the most captivating cryptozoological mystery in the world. Sightings of these mysterious, and often frightening, creatures have occurred plentifully throughout history, even up until the early twentieth century. From northern European waters to the Eastern North American coast, tales of serpentine, aquatic beasts

The Devil Bird, or Ulama, is a frightening horned bird of Sri Lankan folklore. This elusive creature is rarely seen, but is often heard in the form of its infamous, blood-curdling screams. Its cries are said to resemble a wailing woman and are perceived by locals as an omen of

Often described as a “cave demon,” the Olitiau is an elusive giant bat with a wingspan of 12 feet (3.5 meters), a black body, blood red wings, and two inch (5 cm) serrated teeth. There are stories of these bats from the local tribes in the forests of Cameroon, in