Cryptids by Region

Cryptids by Region

This page is designed to give readers brief information about cryptids throughout Alaska, and to help witnesses identify wich cryptid they saw. In order for a creature to qualify for this list there must be at least one documented encounter that occurred sometime between the year 1725 and the present. The following information will be addressed for each cryptid on this list: a brief description of its physical appearance, its typical behavior, and brief information about the evidence that supports its existence. More cryptids will be added to this page as more research is done.

alaska.gov

Southeast

Bigfoot/Sasquatch/Kushtaka

Description: Bigfoot are large ape-like, humanoid creatures. They usually stand between  seven and ten feet tall. The body of a Bigfoot is heavily built, muscular, and covered in long, coarse hair that can be black, brown, or reddish-brown in color.

Behavior: Bigfoot spends most of its time in the forests and along the shore line where it has been observed running, walking, and even swimming in a frog-like manner. Evidence suggest this creature is an omnivore: Bigfoot has been observed in areas where there are blueberries and it has also been seen chasing large game. These creatures are usually passive or curious but there are some reports of terrifying, aggressive behavior. There are even a few cases in which a bigfoot allegedly killed or injured a human.  

Evidence: Encounters with this creature make up the bulk of the evidence of its existence. Other evidence includes nesting sites, disturbed trees and vegetation, strange vocalizations, unidentified hair samples, and findings of strange humanoid skeletons.

The Otter People/Kushtaka.  

https://www.tumblr.com/search/kushtaka

Description: The Otter People are tall and Ape-like. They are horribly ugly and covered in long coarse hair except where scabs and scars replace it. The Otter people are also equipped with long claws.

Behavior: The Otter people are aggressive, and deadly creatures. Evidence suggests that they will chase and kill people and emit terrifying screams.

Evidence: A miner in the early 1900’s had a terrifying encounter with these creatures at Thomas Bay. A trapper in Thomas Bay lost his dog, went out to look for it, and never returned. The existence of this creature is also suggested in native mythology.  

South Central

Bigfoot

Description: The Bigfoot of southcentral Alaska is remarkably similar, if not identical, to the bigfoot of southeast Alaska. (See bigfoot/sasquatch/kushtaka above).

Behavior: Reports from evacuated villages suggest that these creatures are highly aggressive and will kill people and big game animals.

Evidence: Entire communities have moved in order to avoid contact with this creature. Bigfoot-like creatures are also present in local native mythology. Aside from former residents of evacuated communities, other people have also had strange encounters with this creature.

Southwest

Iliamna Lake Monster

Wikipedia

Description: The Iliamna Lake Monster is a large fish between 10-25 feet long. Its skin is a dull-aluminium color.  This creature looks very similar to a white sturgeon.

Behavior: The Iliamna Lake Monster spends most of its time submerged; when it is seen near the surface it does not come up for air and moves its tail from side to side. This creature occasionally leaps out of the water and possibly collides with boats.

Evidence: Several sightings in the mid to late 1900’s make up the bulk of the evidence for this creature’s existence, but native mythology also suggests that there are monsters in Lake Iliamna.

Steller's sea Ape

http://karlshuker.blogspot.com

Description: Steller’s sea ape is an aquatic ape-like creature with unusual features. This creature’s back is covered with grayish hair and its belly is reddish-white in color. The sea ape has many other unusual features such as a hog-like head, large eyes, and pointed ears. The animal has a shark-like tail but no fore fins or fore feet.

Behavior: This creature has only been observed swimming in the waters of the Aleutians using its sharklike tail. Explorer George Wilhelm Steller described a curious, playful, and intelligent creature when he saw this creature on an expedition in Alaska.

Evidence: This creature was seen by Georg Wilhelm Steller in the Aleutian Islands. A sailor also saw a similar creature in the Aleutians in the year 1969. To this day these two sightings are the only sources of evidence for this creature’s existence.

Bigfoot

Description: The Bigfoot of southwest Alaska are remarkably similar, if not identical, to the Bigfoot seen in southeast and southcentral Alaska. (see bigfoot/sasquatch/kushtaka above)

Behavior: Evidence suggest this creature is probably an omnivore like the other. It has been observed feeding on the carcass of a decaying walrus. This creature is usually passive and sometimes curious when it comes into contact with humans. The Bigfoot of southwest Alaska is rarely, if ever, aggressive toward humans.

Evidence: Encounters, especially ones near the community of Bethel, that occurred in the 2000’s make up the majority of the evidence for this creature's existence, but footprints have also been found and bigfoot-like creatures have a presence in native mythology.

Urayuli

Description: The Urayuli stands 6 to 10 feet tall and has long arms that reach down to it ankles. It

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/423619908671347439/
This is not an accurate drawing of the creature!

is covered in long coarse hair and has glowing eyes

Behavior: The Urayuli roams that tundra around lake Iliamna, it is not known what it feeds on or how it lives. This creature is described as being curious and passive. It does not harm people but It has been blamed for stealing fish from nets.

Evidence: This creature was encountered multiple times in the late 1900’s and has a presence in native mythology.

The Kodiak dinosaur

Description: The Kodiak dinosaur is large plesiosaur-like aquatic animal or, possibly, a whale.
Behavior: Unknown
Evidence: The fully functioning, state of the art sonar of a shrimp boat fishing off the coast of Kodiak detected a strange, massive object in the water. The size and shape resembled a large, dinosaur-like creature. It was detected about 330 feet below the surface and was about 200 feet in length.

Bibliography

"Alaska's Creature Of Cryptozoology The Hairy Man - The Urayuli -- Sott.net." SOTT.net. N.p., 5 Jan. 2010. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.http://www.sott.net/article/201096-Alaskas-Creature-Of-Cryptozoology-The-Hairy-Man-The-Urayuli

"Kodiak Dinosaur Story." : The Kodiak Dinosaur Story. Blogspot.com, 20 Jan. 2010. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.http://cryptozoo-oscity.blogspot.com/2010/01/kodiak-dinosaur-story.html

Morphy, Rob. "KODIAK DINOSAUR (ALASKA, USA) - Cryptopia - Exploring The Hidden World." Cryptopia Exploring The Hidden World. Cryptopia.us, 06 Mar. 2010. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.http://www.cryptopia.us/site/2010/03/kodiak-dinosaur-alaska-usa/

TheMortlock. "Cryptids of Northern Canada and Alaska." Http://themorlock.deviantart.com. Deviantart, 23 July 2013. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.http://themorlock.deviantart.com/art/Cryptids-of-Northern-Canada-and-Alaska-310235710

"Unknown Explorers - Kodiak Dinosaur." Unknown Explorers - Kodiak Dinosaur. Unknown Explorers, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.http://www.unknownexplorers.com/kodiakdinosaur.php