A swamp monster is a creature found imagined to lurk in a swamp. Legends of swamp creatures, passed on from generation to generation, are usually bound to a specific swamp. — Wikipedia

Swamp Monster Pt. 2

While all over the world, most likely in Nordic places. We are all aware of the legend of Bigfoot otherwise known depending on the location: Sasquatch, Yeti or Abominable Snowman. Otherly put, the existence of a tribe of giant furry animal-like bipeds.

They could be real for many people from everywhere and created enough wave to have many movies, documentaries, and shows about its possible existence and have some people doubt their own beliefs that it is impossible for such a creature even to be thought to be alive.

Also, now, it might even have moved down to the marshes of Louisiana and adapted to its environment thus evolved to become one with its surroundings. Many believe it to be of the Bigfoot family only slimier.

The legend of the Swamp Monster might not be as old as its Sasquatch counterpart, but like any group of nomads trying to hide from the world, it had to move and find a new home eventually. Who knows, maybe it grew tired of the harsh winters?

As the Swamp Monster gains in popularity in the paranormal world, the Swamp Monsters show that aired on the Destination America channel in 2014 to give an example, picked people’s curiosity about the creature and it only grew from there on.

Many watchers such as me, didn’t want the team to kill the creature and I believe that it was one of the many reasons why the show went off the air—also that it was believed to be a fake documentary, like type of show.

The Devil Has Many Names

Just like Bigfoot, the Swamp Monster has many cousins all around the world and among them are the Will-o’-the-Wisp, Willothewisp, that seems to be living around the swamps and many legends has the creature appear as an evil spirit haunting the lands.

Another one named the Grootsland, which is a bizarre creature that is most doubtful to exist in my personal opinion. It is supposed to be an enormous creature reminiscent of an elephant with a reptilian tail that lives in caves and swamps in South Africa.

As part of the Australian Aboriginal mythology, dating back to 1847, the Bunyip is a beast that marauds around the swamps, creeks and any other type of body of water.

“…Much dreaded by them … It inhabits the Murray; but … they have some difficulty describing it. Its most usual form … is said to be that of an enormous starfish.”

George French Angus

A name that caught my attention was the Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp in the Lee County of South Carolina in the United States. The common characteristics are that the creature would be about seven feet of height and bulky. The reason for its reference as a lizard is the scaly skin all over its body.

Much like an amphibian, it would have three toes on each of its feet and hands. It is also believed to possess superhuman strength, and for that, there are testimonies of people reporting to have seen a tail despite having many other reports unaware of the presence of one.

It was on June 29th, 1988 in the early hours of the morning, 2 a.m. that Christopher Davis a seventeen years old boy in Scape Ore Swamp, encountered what would come to be known as the Lizard Man. His description of the creature was one worthy of a Stephen King novel.

“I looked back and saw something running across the field towards me. It was about 25 yards away, and I saw red eyes glowing. I ran into the car, and as I locked it, the thing grabbed the door handle. I could see him from the neck down – the three big fingers, long black nails, and rough green skin. It was strong and angry. I looked in my mirror and saw a blur of green running. I could see his toes and then he jumped on the roof of my car. I thought I heard a grunt and then I could see his fingers through the front windshield, where they curled around on the roof. I sped up and swerved to shake the creature off.”

Christopher Davis

The Skunk Ape or the Cabbage Man is the Swamp Monster of the marshes around the State of Florida in the United States. It was between 1960 and 1970 that many reports were emerging, but in 1974 sightings of an ape-like creature tall and full was brought up as it was said to be running upright on two legs in the suburbs of Dade County.

Of course, investigators were not taking those testimonies seriously and one of them, Joe Nickell, even wrote that the creature might have been none other than a black bear while other sightings might have been merely hoaxes.

It’s A Swamp Thing

There might never be a way to honestly know if the Swamp Monster is real or not, because maybe if they are a part of our world they want to stay secluded away from human eyes and if they do not, then why so many sightings and legends told about its existence?

While we are drowned in technology, holding our phones next to our face always looking down at the next cool thing to buy or watch or “like” we might be missing on paranormal sightings and mysterious encounters. We have disconnected ourselves with a single night around a campfire to tell each other creepy stories about creatures that may or may not exist.

Our world still hides many secrets for us, and much is unknown. What is to say that we are the only ones out here? Before looking out there, maybe we should revisit our backyard and take a trip down “South” to one of those swamplands and see for ourselves?

Also, either you decide to believe or not, one thing remains true: legends and folklore captivate our mind and ignite our imagination.

The OCD Vampire,
Alexa Wayne