Names like these have popped up in movies and documentaries, sometimes more often than real creatures we have fossils for. Trackers have dedicated their lives to proving they exist. While some cryptids have a devoted, albeit questionable, following based on blurry footage and photos that might be prankster creations, the real question is: how believable are these well-known cryptids, really?
About this list
- 1

The Kraken is a legendary sea monster. It measures over a mile across. Many tentacles allow it to wrap a ship. It pulls the ship to the sea bottom. Terrifying stories claim the Kraken capsized ships and drowned passengers since the twelfth century. These stories usually come from Norway.
Some think the Kraken is just a misidentified giant squid. Volcanic activity in the Icelandic region causes powerful currents, which some link to the Kraken's abilities. The Kraken is not proven real, but it remains a real cultural item. Literary and art works reference it for hundreds of years. A popular rum brand now uses the creature's name.
159 - 2

The Orang Pendek resembles Sasquatch. This bipedal, fur-covered humanoid creature allegedly roams the forest. Natives and Western travelers have spotted it in Sumatra.
The Orang Pendek stands about four feet tall and moves with grace. Its remote home makes the legend hard for science to test. Some think it is an undiscovered Orangutan. Others suggest it is a primitive human.
Regardless of its biology, the Orang Pendek keeps appearing in Southeast Asia.
151 - 3

The legend of Sasquatch appears in many North American tales. People claim they saw the bipedal humanoid wander the wilderness for centuries. They call this creature "Bigfoot." Native American cultures across the continent started the Sasquatch stories. Sasquatch are thought to be seven to nine feet tall. They possess inhuman strength. They communicate with primal grunts and noises.
The still frame shot of the alleged Bigfoot from 1967."Patterson" short film.This image is one of the twentieth century's most famous. Thousands of believers are convinced Bigfoot exists. They hold this belief with or without evidence. Bigfoot still wanders the wilderness.Sasqutch Genome Project, Dr. Melba Ketchum leads the project. It seeks to prove Sasquatch exists scientifically.
126 - 4

The Yeti is a bipedal, humanoid creature. It lives in the mountains of Nepal. This creature resembles the Bigfoot legend, adapted for the Himalayas. It is supposedly shorter than the North American Bigfoot, usually around six feet tall.
Sightings are common for the Yeti. In 1986, a hiker in the Himalayas saw a strange creature leaving prints in the snow. He took pictures of the creature, which remain unaltered. No physical proof of the Yeti exists. This lack of evidence only strengthens the theory that Yeti are very shy and hard to find.
112 - 5

The Yeren legend, meaning "Wild Man," exists in Chinese folklore for centuries. People say this humanoid primate lives in remote Hubei province. Sightings of the Yeren occurred in China before the Great Wall.
Road builders allegedly killed a female Yeren in 1961. Scientists investigating found the body vanished. Some think these events stem from misidentifying gibbons or other animals. However, preserved hands and feet of a previously unknown hominid surfaced in the 80s, remaining a mystery.
81 - 6

Ogopogo might be Canada's Loch Ness Monster. Sea creature appearances in Lake Okanagan predate the Nessie legend. Records of Ogopogo date back to 1872. Sightings continue without stopping. People typically describe the creature as 15 to 20 feet long, with a head like a goat or horse. Early Native Americans depicted this creature in pictographs.
In the 1920s, people found a strange, battered carcass ashore. It weighed about 400 pounds and measured six feet long. People thought it was a mangled Ogopogo. The sea monster also has many group sightings, making its existence seem more likely.
68 - 7

Almas means "wild man" in Mongolian. Eyewitnesses describe the fur-covered animal as looking distinctly human and acting human. This contrasts with tales of the Yeti and Bigfoot, which describe more ape-like creatures.
Researchers see similarities between the Almas' features and modern Neanderthal reconstructions. This lends some credibility to the legend.
63 - 8

Yowie is the name for the Bigfoot-like creature in the Australian wilderness. Accounts of its looks and personality differ. People think the creature stands between 7 and 12 feet tall and looks distinctly ape-like.
Stories about the indigenous creature, sometimes called the "hairy man," go back to the early 19th century. Reports of Yowie sightings persist today. One man claimed he saw a Yowie in his garage in 2010 and insisted it tried to talk to him.
Source52 - 9

The Skunk Ape is an orangutan-like creature often thought to live in Florida. Sightings also happen in South Carolina and Arkansas. This hominid gets its name from its look and the bad smell it allegedly makes.
In 2000, a resident of Sarasota, Florida, sent a letter to the Sheriff's Department with two photos. The photos showed a large, shaggy primate hidden in the brush. The resident claimed the creature stole fruit from her yard and thought it might be an orangutan.
50 - 10

Drawings of a mysterious aquatic creature in the Scottish Highlands date over a thousand years. The modern Loch Ness Monster legend started in 1933. A new road then offered clear views of the Loch Ness. A local couple reported seeing "an enormous animal rolling and plunging on the surface."
More than 4,000 eyewitness accounts detail the Loch Ness monster since then. Alleged photographs have appeared throughout the century. The Loch Ness Monster usually looks like a sea creature with a long, snake-like neck, two humps on its back, and four fins.
42 - 11

The Chupacabra, or "goatsucker," is a recent cryptozoological find. First alleged attacks occurred in 1995 in Puerto Rico. Chupacabras suck blood from livestock, leaving carcasses with no known death cause for farmers to find. It has gray skin, spinal quills, fangs, and allegedly hops like a kangaroo.
In 2010, Texas animal control officers shot and killed an alleged Chupacabra. Testing later showed it was a coyote-dog hybrid with parasites and mange. Still, the sudden, frequent Chupacabra attacks remain compelling. The legend of a vampiric, reptilian dog is not ending soon.
29 - 12

This unnerving creature is the Mongolian Death Worm in the West; its native name is Olgoi-Khorkoi, meaning "intestine worm." Named for its size and color, this worm lives in the Gobi Desert. It allegedly shoots a highly poisonous, corrosive yellow saliva that kills prey instantly. Legend claims this worm rises from the sand, swells, and explodes its venom on its victim.
Some suggest this creature is a worm-lizard hybrid, perhaps with small legs witnesses missed. Wherever this creature fits in the Animal Kingdom, it inspired the giant worms in the movie.TremorsThese creatures offer a good reason to avoid the Gobi Desert.
6 - 13

Manipogo is the name for the lake monster allegedly living in Lake Manitoba, Canada. It references British Columbia's Ogopogo. Like other lake monsters, the Manipogo has visible humps on its back and looks like a huge serpent.
It also supposedly has a sheep-like head. Sightings of the Manipogo started around the turn of the 20th century. One notable event involved 17 witnesses seeing three Manipogos swimming together, apparently all strangers.
-7 - 14

Isshii is the Japanese version of lake monster legends around the glove. It is said to live in Lake Ikeda. Sightings of this creature first appeared in the late 70s. A group of 20 lake visitors saw something moving fast through the water then, and sightings have continued since.
Some think this creature looks like a giant eel; others see a Plesiosaur relative. Video evidence of this thing has appeared since the 1990s.
-8 - 15

The Wendigo is an Algonquian tribe spirit. It possesses humans, forcing them into cannibalism. When a Wendigo takes human form, it appears extremely thin with a gaunt face and yellow skin, wanting human flesh unnaturally. Possession by a Wendigo explains strange, scary events on Native American Reservations.
Cree man Swift Runner is one example. He murdered and ate his whole family in 1878, even though he was near a supply post with plenty of food.
-10 - 16

Tessie, the Lake Tahoe Monster, allegedly first appeared in Washoe Indian legend. Nineteenth-century settlers may have spotted it. In 1984, Patsy McKay claimed she saw the creature. She described it as having a humped back and being about 17 feet long. She said it moved slowly through the water.
Other people confirm her story of a large, mysterious animal in Lake Tahoe. It sometimes appears above the water.
Source
-10 - 17

Kusshii is a Japanese lake monster similar to the Loch Ness Monster. It is thought to be between 30 and 60 feet long. Witnesses describe it with two humps on its back and horns on its head.
The most famous Kusshii sighting involved a team of 40 university scientists. Tourists reported 15 separate sightings the following year. The creature reportedly swims as fast as a motorboat.
-10 - 18

The Mothman began appearing near Point Pleasant, West Virginia, in 1966. Sightings showed a large man with glowing red eyes and giant wings.The "TNT Area" is an area locally known as the "TNT Area," an old War War 2 munitions plant. Some people think the Mothman lived in the old munitions building. Others link it to local UFO sightings.
Mothman sightings stopped suddenly after the Silver Bridge collapsed in 1967, killing 46 people.This event prompts theories linking the Mothman to the tragedy. Perhaps it was an omen or a direct cause of the collapse.
-13 - 19

Naga is the Sanskrit word for a deity or entity shaped like a King Cobra. This creature appears in Hindi, Buddhist, and Sikh mythology. Stories of nagas spread through areas where these religions are popular.
Their behavior toward humans shifts based on the legend. Generally, they appear curious, becoming hostile only when provoked. These entities are seen as minor gods holding an elixir of immortality and possessing wisdom.
-17 - 20

In 1988, a teenager in Bishopville, South Carolina, saw a strange, red-eyed creature. The creature grabbed his car door handle. It had green skin and three fingers with long black nails; it was very strong. It climbed the car roof, and the teenager swerved the car, making the Lizard Man fall off.
Similar reports of the Lizard Man followed that year. People still report sightings and evidence of the Lizard Man's existence.
-21 - 21

Legends about merpeople exist in cultures globally since ancient times. Merpeople have a human torso and a fish tail. Mermaids are said to lure sailors to death. They also interact with humans, sometimes falling in love or acting kindly.
Christopher Columbus saw mermaids during his travels. Many think mermaid legends stem from mistaking animals like manatees for humans. The possibility of merpeople exists for thousands of years. Merpeople feature in global culture, movies, literature, and art.
-22 - 22

The Bunyip is a monster from Australian folklore. Meaning "devil" or spirit," the Bunyip lives in swamps, riverbeds, stagnant water, and wells. It waits for people or animals, then devours them. Some believe the Bunyip prefers the taste of women and children.
Indigenous folklore shapes the Bunyip's look. Some say it is the size of a large dog; others claim it is much bigger. Early drawings show horns, flippers, and a horse-like tail. Other accounts suggest it looks more snake-like.
-23 - 23

Stories of the Jersey Devil terrorizing the New Jersey Pinelands date back 250 years. Witness accounts total over 2,000. The creature has pterodactyl-like wings and a horse head, with crane-like legs and hooves.
Over 1,000 sightings of the Jersey Devil occurred in one week in 1909.Sightings of the Jersey Devil..
-26 - 24

The Owlman legend lacks detail. Sightings of the frightening feathered "bird man" began in 1976 in Mawnan Village, Cornwall county. It has clawed feet and slanting red eyes. It shares many traits with the famous American Mothman.
In the following years, the Mawnan Church saw frequent Owlman sightings. These sightings matched strange area events, including odd weather and odd behavior from local birds, cats, and dogs. Increased UFO sightings also occurred, suggesting the Owlman is more than people know.
-28 - 25

The Trunko story begins with a 1924 article. That article detailed a fight on a South African beach. Two killer whales battled a giant half polar bear, half fish, with an elephant-like trunk. The fight lasted three hours. The mysterious hybrid creature leaped from the water. It hit the whales with its tail. Its body washed ashore. Witnesses said it measured 50 feet long. It had white fur and a lobster-like tail, plus an elephantine trunk. People dragged it back to the ocean ten days later. Some think Trunko did not die; it was just unconscious.
Some theories explain this strange event. Some think the body washed up was just decaying whale blubber; that happens often. People also offered an explanation for the fight. Whales play with food; Trunko might have just been blubber tossed in the water. Still, the creature's striking description and witness accounts make the story compelling and hard to ignore.
-28 - 26

The Minhocão is a huge earthworm or serpent-like animal. It allegedly lives in South American forests. Witnesses report it reaches 150 feet long. It has scaly black skin and tentacles sticking out of its head. People think it burrows. The collapse of some man-made structures happened because of this alleged burrowing.MinhocãoThe enormous trenches Minhocão allegedly leaves behind flood. These floods create underground water bodies.
Scientists keep studying this strange creature. No sightings have been reported in the last 130 years; it seems to have vanished.
-28 - 27

Reptoids, also called Reptilians, are one of the most common alien life types. Some think Reptilians are highly intelligent and hostile. Others believe Reptilians have lived among humans for thousands of years, hiding as people and holding power.
People link Reptilians to UFO sightings. Some believe Reptilians form a major part of the Illuminati. High-profile figures, like celebrities and politicians, often face accusations of being Reptilians in disguise.
-31 - 28

Madagascar's Man-Eating Tree legend comes from an 1881 account by German explorer Carl Liche about the native Mkodo tribe. Liche claimed the tree received human offerings. A 1924 book by Chase Osborn stated that many local tribes and missionaries also knew about the tree.
No such trees exist. But there are...many species of carnivorous plants. Maybe there is a 20-foot Venus Flytrap waiting to be found.many species of carnivorous plants out there. Maybe there is a 20-foot Venus Flytrap waiting to be discovered.
Source
-34
More like this

Great Country Songs About Rivers & Lakes
Over 300 music fans voted on 30+ Great Country Songs About Rivers & Lakes, with the current top 3 being Fishin' in the Dark, Chattahoochee, and The River.

17 People Share Funny Stories Of Being Mistaken For Employees
On Subreddit r/IDontWorkHereLady, people share funny stories of being mistaken for employees. We've compiled the most hilariously frustrating ones, varying from frustrating to wholesome - vote up the best ones!

Strongest MCU Characters, Ranked
Over 7,000 fans voted on 20+ characters in Strongest Characters In The MCU, Ranked. The current top 3 are Thor, Scarlet Witch, and Doctor Strange.

Best 'My Hero Academia' Fanfiction, Ranked
Over 13K fans voted on 30+ items for Best 'My Hero Academia' Fanfiction, Ranked. The top 3 are Hero Class Civil Warfare, Yesterday Upon The Stair, and Erased Potential.

Comments (0)
Join the conversation
Sign in to share your take and reply to others.
First take? Share what stood out to you.