8 Crazy Cryptids That Could Exist

The bunyip (bun-yip) is a creature derived from the beliefs and traditions of Australian aboriginals. This cryptid is said to lurk around bodies of water all across Australia and eats whatever it can, including humans.

Descriptions of the bunyip vary greatly depending on what tribe and what belief system they originate from. For example, the Moorundi people of the Murray River describe it as a water-spirit that changes its form. Some see it as a long-necked creature with a very small head. Whereas other might describe the creature as cross between a hippo and wolf. Whatever the case, all who know of the bunyip fear it.

Accounts of the bunyip do not only stem from aboriginal folklore. There are many accounts from European settlers of such ferocious creatures. One such example is when Hamilton Hume and James Meehan found the bones of an unknown creature in a lake in New South Wales. The naturalists were scared off by an unidentified creature whose description fits perfectly with the bunyip stories of the tribes of that area. Even after being offered large sums of money to collect the full skeleton, they never returned, due to their fear of the lake.

Many other stories similar to this have been cited throughout the 1800s and do not seem to stem from already confirmed animals, such as crocodiles. The fact that so many unconnected people, including those in the scientific community, have stories about this cryptid has led many to believe in its existence.