Boogeymen

Since 1735, legend has it that a demonic creature has stalked the woods of one of America’s oldest states. There are two images of the monster: one, a terrifying creature that has haunted New Jersey for centuries; the other, an invention of marketers to sell merchandise. The Devil has given its name not just to hockey teams but to shops, wine, musical bands and a dizzying array of memorabilia.

Westmoreland County, in western Pennsylvania, is a region rife with reports of paranormal sightings and occurrences. A number of witnesses have seen a flying creature that resembles no known bird in existence. Some who say they saw the giant bird are hunters with intimate knowledge of wilderness and wildlife. Others are local residents who swear they’ve seen small dogs snatched by a giant bird.

The Sasquatch, sometimes referred to as Bigfoot, has haunted the forests of North America’s West Coast for centuries. It’s imposing silhouette was seen by dozens of people over the years, but to this day we are still wondering if it's a figment of the imagination. The most detailed theory traces its roosts to Asia during the Ice Age, followed by a migration to America across the Bering Strait.

In the 1990s, the Chupacabra spread fear into the hearts of rural Texans. According to some reports, it has dark grey, leathery skin and fearsome red eyes. But while some people debate whether it walks on two or four legs, everyone agrees on its long fangs, thorny spine and claws. There was no physical evidence supporting its existence – until a resident of Dewitt County made a gruesome discovery.

Louisiana’s Honey Island Swamp Monster has terrorized the inhabitants of the bayou for more than 30 years. This bipedal monster with piercing yellow eyes is estimated to stand over two meters tall, and weigh more than 300 pounds. Rumor has it that the beast is a cross between an alligator and a baboon, and terrifying stories are attached to its lore, including children said to have snatched up.

In the dense forests of the Appalachians, there lives a rare and still unidentified class of creature. Physically imposing, with traits characteristic of wolves, bears and even gorillas, this strange monster strikes fear into anyone who wanders into his presence, especially since it has a reputation of attacking small farm animals and human beings. Some see it as a Dog-Man or American werewolf.

A mythical snake-like creature lives in the waters of Lake Seljordsvalnet in Norway. The monster measures some 20 meters in length, with a greenish tint and a raised back, and has been terrifying residents of the lake since the 18th century. Recently, an Oslo family sighted the serpent, known as Selma. It fascinates Swedish cryptozoologist Jan Sunberg, who has been using a giant trap to catch it.

In a lake just a hundred miles from Loch Ness, you may find the monster of Loch Morar. Known as Morag, it has avoided the limelight and tourists partly because no road goes around the lake. Locals are often reluctant to talk about Morag sightings, as superstition has it that seeing the monster is an omen of death. Texts dating back over a hundred years describe what many of these witnesses saw.

The Dobhar Chu is a mythical monster that has inhabited British lakes since ancient times. Thought to be a cross between a giant otter and a hound, the Dobhar Chu is about seven feet long, or about the size of a crocodile. As recently as 2003, Irish artist Sean Corcoran and his wife Miranda had a surprise encounter with a similar creature while camping on Omey Island in Ireland’s County Galway.

On the coast of Queensland, Australia, rumors of something extraordinary have haunted locals for centuries. Aboriginal cave paintings depict a large and furry bipedal monster. European colonists reported a similar creature stalking the woods. These rumors and reports have become local legend, and sightings of the mysterious animal show no signs of slowing down. Where do myth and reality mingle?

The natural beauty of Australia’s Byron Bay attracts over one million visitors per year. These tourists probably don’t suspect the presence of a mysterious creature known locally as the Devil Dog. It could well be a species of animal long thought extinct in the region: the thylacine, better known as the Tasmanian tiger. This half-dog, half-kangaroo with fangs has been extinct since the 1930s.

A hairy, aggressive monster is said to haunt northern New Zealand. The Maori named it Moehau, in honor of the highest peak in a nearby mountain range. This half-man, half-gorilla is a true New Zealand legend, just as Bigfoot is for North Americans. The monster first terrorized colonists who settled in the north of the archipelago. After that, it was gold rush miners who feared it like the plague.

A monster has terrorized Belize for centuries. It is described as a small man, three-feet tall, with an ugly face, hands without thumbs and inverted feet. According to legend it wears a red hat, dresses in animal skins and carries a menacing machete. Almost all its sightings have occurred at night. When it’s approaching, it emits a hissing sound that sends its victims into a state of confusion.