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Oklahoma Octopus

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A big octopus that may resemble the Oklahoma Octopus. Photo: AmericanOceans.org

The Oklahoma octopus is said to dwell in several man-made freshwater lakes in Oklahoma such as Lake Thunderbird, Oologah Lake, and Lake Tenkiller, where it allegedly preys on unsuspecting swimmers.

The Legend of the Oklahoma Octopus

The lakes where the Oklahoma Octopus is said to dwell: Lake Thunderbird, Lake Tenkiller and Ooloogah Lake. Image: gisgeography.

The Oklahoma Octopus is a massive cephalopod that inhabits several freshwater, man-made lakes in Oklahoma.

The creature is described as having a large, round head and a body that can grow up to 8 feet in length.

It’s believed to have long, slimy tentacles or arms that it uses to grab and subdue its prey, which includes unsuspecting swimmers who venture too close to its lair. Some accounts suggest that the creature has sharp claws or talons, while others claim that it has a paralyzing venom that it uses to immobilize its victims.

The Oklahoma Octopus is known for its ability to camouflage and blend into its surroundings, making it difficult to spot. It’s said to have a slimy, slippery skin that helps it to move swiftly and silently through the water, making it a formidable predator.

It’s said that this elusive creature haunts the depths of man-made freshwater lakes in the Sooner State, just waiting to pounce on unsuspecting swimmers who dare to venture into its murky waters.

Legend has it that the Oklahoma Octopus is a master of disguise, able to blend seamlessly into its watery surroundings and strike without warning. Some say it has long, slimy tentacles that it uses to drag its prey down to the bottom of the lake, while others claim it has razor-sharp teeth that can tear a person limb from limb.

Oklahoma Octopus Sightings

There have been several sightings of the Oklahoma Octopus over the years.

In the 1960s, a group of scuba divers claimed to have encountered a giant octopus while exploring a lake in Oklahoma. They reported seeing a large, tentacled creature that was unlike anything they had ever seen before. However, some skeptics have suggested that the divers may have mistaken a large catfish for the creature.

In the 1970s, a man claimed that he was fishing on Lake Thunderbird when he saw a massive creature emerge from the water. He described the creature as having a large head and long tentacles that reached out to grab his boat. He managed to escape unharmed, but was shaken by the experience.

In 2008, a local news station reported that a group of teenagers had been attacked by a “giant squid” while swimming in Lake Thunderbird. The teenagers claimed that the creature had wrapped its tentacles around them and pulled them under the water. They were eventually able to escape and swim back to shore, but were shaken by the experience.

Theories about the Oklahoma Octopus

How did this mysterious creature come to be? There are a number of theories about how this legend came to be:

Misidentification of known species: One theory suggests that people have mistaken known species of aquatic creatures for the Oklahoma Octopus. For example, some suggest that large catfish, eels, or even alligators could be mistaken for the creature under certain conditions.

Hoaxes: Another theory suggests that the Oklahoma Octopus legend may have originated from hoaxes or pranks. Some people may have made up stories about the creature to scare others or to draw attention to themselves.

Government experiments: A more far-fetched theory is that the Oklahoma Octopus is the result of secret government experiments. Some people believe that the creature was created in a lab and accidentally released into the wild, where it has since thrived and evolved.

Native American legends: There are some Native American legends that involve creatures similar to the Oklahoma Octopus. Some believe that the creature is a modern interpretation of these ancient stories.

Urban legends: It’s possible that the Oklahoma Octopus legend is simply an urban legend that has been passed down through generations. As with many urban legends, it’s difficult to say how the story originated or why it continues to persist.

Regardless of its origins, one thing is certain: if you hear the telltale splash of the Oklahoma Octopus lurking beneath the surface of the water, it’s time to get out of there as fast as you can! So if you find yourself swimming in one of Oklahoma’s many lakes, keep your wits about you and stay on the lookout for this legendary creature. Who knows, you just might be the one to catch a glimpse of the elusive Oklahoma Octopus!

A video for a university lecture about the Oklahoma Octopus

Have you ever seen the Oklahoma Octopus? Yell us your story in the comments!

If you enjoyed learning about the Oklahoma Octopus you might also be interested in the Loveland Frog or the Palmyra Wolves.

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Cryptids

Nandi Bear: A Ferocious African Cryptid

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An artist’s interpretation of the Nandi Bear. Photo: Cryptid Archives.

The Nandi Bear is a ferocious cryptid spotted in the highlands of Kenya during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Description of the Nandi Bear

A footprint of a Nandibear

The Nandi Bear is also known as the Chemosit, Kerit, Koddoelo, Ngoloko, or Duba. It has been described as as a carnivorous animal with a formidable build, possessing long legs exceeding a height of four feet, and a back that slopes downward. It is described as being highly aggressive in nature.

Nandi Bear Sightings

A drawing of a Nandi Bear encounter by A. McWilliams

A number of early 20th century authors mention the Nandi Bear in their work.

Richard Meinertzhagen claimed in 1905 that he was told by the Nandi people that the Nandi bear was once widespread when they first settled in the highlands of present-day Kenya, around the early 17th century.

The Nandi people believed that the rinderpest epidemic towards the end of the 19th century pushed the Nandi bear to the brink of extinction. Although the Nandi bear was never numerous, it was not uncommon prior to the epidemic.

Unfortunately, the population never fully recovered from the impact of the outbreak. During the colonial era, the Nandi bear was held responsible for the deaths of numerous native people, whose skulls were found crushed every year.

While the Nandi Bear was widely feared by the native population, it does not appear to have been known to Europeans or colonial officials until the beginning of the 20th century.

Prior to 1912, the Nandi reportedly killed a Nandi Bear after it climbed onto the roof of a hut, broke through, and killed everyone inside. Subsequently, the village inhabitants burned down the hut with the animal still inside. Geoffrey Williams had heard of a similar animal’s preserved skin in Kabras, but was unsuccessful in obtaining it.

There were rumors that a Boer had shot a Nandi bear, but was unable to retrieve the carcass. C. W. Hobley wrote of this story.

Similarly, a farmer from Uganda named K. R. Williams supposedly unintentionally poisoned a young Nandi bear while setting out bait for hyenas.

Williams described the animal as being much larger than a spotted hyena, with the same yellowish fur, and a head similar to that of a bear. However, when he returned to his camp to retrieve a knife for skinning the carcass, actual hyenas had dragged the Nandi bear’s body away.

In 1905, while on the Nandi Expedition to the Uasin Gishu in western British East Africa, Geoffrey Williams wrote of his experiences with the Nandi Bear.

He observed an animal of around 5 feet in height sitting upright like a zoo bear, with small pointed ears and a long head, about 30 yards away.

The creature then ran away with a sideways canter towards the Sirgoit Rock. Williams quickly took a snapshot of the animal with his rifle, but missed it.

He claimed the Nandi bear was larger than a typical zoo bear and heavily built, with thick fur covering its forequarters and all four legs. The hindquarters were relatively smooth, and the color was dark.

Williams could not recall much about the ears, but mentioned that they were small, and the tail, if any, was tiny and barely noticeable.

Engineer Dennis Burnett and his wife Marlene reported the most recent documented sighting of the Nandi bear in February 1998.

While driving along the Koru-Kisumu road near the base of the Nandi Escarpment during a rainy evening, they saw a large animal crossing the road.

Upon reversing their car, the couple observed the animal for about fifteen seconds. Although they initially thought it was a bear, they soon realized that it was “an enormous, shaggy hyena – resembling a Striped Hyena but significantly larger.”

Theories about the Nandi Bear

Bob Gymlan of Bigfoot hunting fame has posted a detailed video telling the history of the Nandi Bear.

In 1923, Charles William Andrews proposed that the Nandi bear might be a surviving species of the extinct Chalicothere. Louis Leakey later suggested in the 1930s that the Nandi Bear’s descriptions matched those of the Chalicothere, despite chalicotheres being herbivores.

The Chalicothere hypothesis was eventually abandoned. In 2000, paleontologist Louis L. Jacobs stated that if Chalicotheres still existed, they would have been discovered, much like the giant forest hog. Jacobs concluded that if there was any truth to the Nandi bear story, it could be a description of gorillas passed down orally across the continent.

Zoologist Reginald Innes Pocock argued that the Nandi bear sightings were actually misidentified spotted hyenas. The British Natural History Museum also stated in 1932 that many reports of the Nandi bear were nothing more than spotted hyenas.

Paleontologist George Gaylord Simpson claimed that the Nandi bear turned out to be honey badgers, which zoologists had been aware of since 1776.

Have you ever seen a Nandi Bear? Let us know in the comments.

If you enjoyed learning about the Nandi Bear you might also be interested in the J’Ba Fofi: A Giant Congolese Spider Cryptid or the Tikoloshe, a South African Cryptid.

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Cryptids

Squonk: The Saddest Cryptid

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The Squonk as featured in Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods by William Cox. Photo: Wikipedia

The Squonk is said to be the ugliest creature in the world. It is so ashamed of its appearance that it will hide from anyone who approaches and, if caught, it will dissolve into a puddle of tears.

The Legend of the Squonk

The rock band Genesis wrote a popular song about the Squonk

The first mention of the squonk in written history is in William Cox’s 1910 book “Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods, With a Few Desert and Mountain Beasts.”

Cox describes the as the ugliest animal in the world and claims it is aware of its unfortunate appearance.

Cox claims that the squonk used to have a wide distribution and preferred habitats with plenty of desert vegetation on high plains. As these areas changed into swampy, lake-dotted regions, the squonk was forced to adapt to the water.

Due to its low intelligence, the squonk constantly searched for food by swimming in the marshes, and over time developed webbing between its toes, but only on its left feet that were submerged in water. As a result, it could only swim in circles and could never return to shore, leading to thousands of squonks dying from starvation, as evidenced by fossil bones found in the lake bottoms.

Cox also claimed that the squonk can only be found in the hemlock forests of Pennsylvania. It is said to be shy and reclusive, and can be seen mostly during twilight hours.

It is covered in a loose and warty skin that doesn’t fit properly. The squonk is known to be perpetually unhappy and often weeps due to its distressing appearance, leaving a trail of tears that can be followed.

The best time to search for a squonk is during moonlit nights, as it tends to stay hidden in its hemlock dwelling, afraid to catch a glimpse of itself in a reflective pool.

Sometimes, the sound of a softly weeping squonk can be heard, which sounds like a mournful call resembling that of the cross-feathered snee.

A Mr. J.P. Wentling had a disappointing experience with a squonk near Mont Alto. He captured the squonk by mimicking its crying sounds and tricking it into hopping into a sack. As he carried it home the sack suddenly became much lighter. Wentling unslung the sack and looked in. He found that the squonk had dissolved into tears and bubbles.

Squonk Meme

A variation of the squonk meme that has become popular in recent times.

The squonk has become a meme in recent times, with many internet users feeling like they can relate to the poor little creature. The squonk has even featured in one of our paranormal meme dumps.

Have you ever seen a poor little squonk in the wild? Let us know in the comments.

If you enjoyed this article you might also be interested in the story of the kushtaka or the Central American Whintosser.

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