Quick Links

When scouting the world for the mysterious and unknown, it comes as no surprise to learn there are things out in the wild that we still have yet to find. Every year, people discover new species, or beings that were previously thought to be extinct. But there is still more to discover.

What about the creatures that have been lurking in the shadows? Those that simply do not want to be found. It's these creatures that give us wonder, fright, and truly offer a multitude of possibilities. Along with that wonder comes the legends and myths.

Some people have had experiences with select few creatures, and believe with all their hearts that these experiences were real. They swear that what they saw was fact, even if they don't have any evidence to back their claims. Listed here are a few of the creatures that people believe actually exist. Some of them we have heard about before, while others haven't yet grown in popularity. Here are 15 mythical creatures that people believe to be real.

15. Bigfoot

via youtube

We have all heard the stories about a large, hairy creature running around in the woods late at night. People have different names for this creature, but famously, he is known as Bigfoot. For those who might still be living under a rock, Bigfoot is a cryptid creature, meaning his existence has yet to be proven by anyone. He has been spotted around many parts of North America and sightings continue to this day. One only has to go online to search for these sightings and even read stories and see pictures that people have posted.

For someone who doubts Bigfoot is real, it seems crazy that a creature this size, being spotted so often, continues to exist without being caught. However, to those who do believe, they are convinced without any sort of doubt that these creatures do indeed roam the woods. Even a good amount of crypto-zoologists believe that these creatures have been running around.

14. Mermaids

via youtube

When talking about this type of mermaid, we aren't talking about Ariel from The Little Mermaid. These creatures are much different and have completely adapted to their environment. The first mention of a mermaid in history dates back to 1000 B.C. So, in other words, they have been around for quite some time. Tales have existed for centuries, but has anyone actually seen one? People claim to all over the world. Some scientists even believe that us humans may have come from some type of mermaid creature. It certainly adds to the theory that we came from the ocean, so it's not too crazy of a stretch, right? After all, the ocean is a very big place with many spots to hide.

13. Werewolves

via youtube

This picture obviously shows a jogger. But what is does prove is that people still believe. To most people, it is known that werewolves aren't real, but that doesn't dissuade others from thinking the mythical beasts exist. Some people are scared that if they aren't careful, a werewolf could come tearing into them.

Throughout history, Werewolves have been complex, not simply beasts with fangs. Werewolves are known as mythological humans who can transform into a wolf or a wolf/human hybrid form. Once the shape-shifter has changed, they have extremely fast speeds, quick reflexes and are able to knock down pretty much anything in their way. Apart from silver, not much is known to stop these creatures. However, humans have claimed to have stopped them more than once after they enter a village and take down numerous innocent souls.

12. Aliens

via dailymotion

While many people may argue that aliens are mythical creatures, it's obvious to many UFO groups that aliens are very real. In fact, we have seen some very interesting and exciting images over the past two decades that would suggest there is life on other planets. Many of these sightings and experiences have been debunked by professionals. Often times they're considered a terrible episode of mental illness, or a military drone in the sky. But such excuses can't always be blamed. Sometimes it's just too real. There are even religions like Scientology, that foster alien belief. And just like Bigfoot, aliens can be searched for endlessly online.

11. Wild Men

via sasquatchcanada.com

The concept of a wild man is pretty much as simple as it sounds. They're men who, according to certain professionals, became feral and grew large amounts of body hair as fur. However, these beings do not resemble apes so much as they do us humans. There are many theories as to why these wild men exist, but no one has confirmed their existence or origin. While it may be a very strange and unsettling idea to picture a half naked and hairy man running around in the woods, it's something you will have to consider for the moment. Some researchers believe that the cryptoids are results of a genetic mutation in certain humans. Perhaps something was triggered and it made them this way. Either way, if there ever is a wild man discovered, it would be a sight of wonder for the world.

10. Kraken

via youtube

For those who might be lacking in the knowledge of ships capsizing due to being taken down by a giant tentacle monster, let me clear up a few things about this mythical beast's past. The stories of the Kraken go as far back as ancient times when the Greeks were trying to navigate the seas. As the years progressed, people would tell stories of seeing a giant monster. Some even reported that the creature was mistaken for an island due to its large size. Other accounts depict the creature with large tentacles, able to reach to the highest mast of a ship. As history moves forward, the accounts depict the creature dwindling down in size, but still large enough to bring fright into the hearts of sailors. Even to this day, there are accounts of large creatures in the deepest depths of the ocean. Of course, we have those who swear by their lives that the creature is real.

9. Korrigan

via medevilmeetsworld

If you have ever been one to believe in fairies and gnomes, then this mythical creature might interest you. The Korrigan are considered by many to be a beautiful fairylike creature who hid in rope structures in trees. Others claim they are evil and terrible dwarfs that could be found dancing playfully around water fountains. According to the latter sources, the dwarfs would place magical charms on their victims. Not long after the charm had taken affect, the dwarfs would kill their prey. If there were any children about, you can be rest assured that they would steal them, and take them away forever. The mythical tale of these creatures comes from a place in the northwest part of France known as Brittany. It is a cultural region full of wonderful and mystifying stories. One can never really be sure if these tales are true or not. But, for those who believe in the tales and legends of the Korrigan, it is not a joking matter by any means.

8. Wendigo

via youtube

The legend of the Wendigo is an old one. Long ago, the Algonquian tribes flourished around parts of the Atlantic coast as well as parts of Canada and Hudson Bay. The Algonquians are currently considered the most extensive tribes in North America, with numerous members still speaking the Algonquian language. The tribes had many interesting and enticing stories throughout their culture. However, one of the stories always seems to stick out and strike everyone's attention. Many people were told of a creature known as Wendigo. This being was considered highly dangerous and appeared to be part man, part monster. It was almost zombie-like. The Wendigo is said to feast upon human flesh. It was said that if a man had eaten human flesh, they were in danger of becoming a Wendigo. Many people believe this was just the tribe's way of stopping the cannibalism cases in the area, but not everyone agrees. Many today talk of the beast and believe it truly exists.

7. Mothman

via youtube

Many people have said that the Mothman is simply a hoax. But the first sighting of the Mothman wasn't exactly false. At least, the people of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, never thought so. On November 15th, 1966, a man by the name of Roger Scarberry came rushing into the Mason county courthouse to report something he and his friends had seen. The deputy at the time, Millard Halstead, sat down with them and listened. Scarberry stated that he was driving down a road with his friends near a nature preserve when one of them pointed at something. They stopped in front of a factory and checked it out. What they saw were two red eyes glaring at them in the dark. Those red eyes were part of a seven foot tall creature with wings. Scarberry and his friends ran down the road and drove the car to escape the creature, but it kept up with the vehicle until they got to the courthouse. That wasn't the last sighting of the Mothman. People all over Point Pleasant reported sightings of the creature as well. Many people now believe that it may have been a precursor, a warning sign for bad things to come. Today, there are still accounts of the creature being sighted just before major disasters and tragic events. Certain people believe it comes for a reason, while others are simply terrified by the thought of it.

6. The Jersey Devil

via metro

The Jersey Devil is a tale that has been around for centuries. Some say that the creature is a product of the devil himself, and that the woman who birthed him placed a curse on the child. It's all just hearsay until things start going bump in the night.

The story that sparked the famous legend goes back to the 18th century when a woman, by the name of Mother Leeds, proclaimed something ghastly: "Let this one be a devil," she said as she was giving birth to her 13th child. The curse came true and out came a creature with hooves, horns and wings (seriously?). The creature moved around the room, killing all of the midwives. After it finished them off, the creature flew off. Almost 200 years later, it resurfaced. In January of 1909, strange footprints on the roof of many people's homes were reported. The terror was so intense that various mills and schools were closed down. Again in 1960, merchants offered $10K to anyone who could capture it. Of course, no one stepped up to the job. Even today, reports of the Jersey Devil circulate.

5. Lizard Man

via Blumhouse.com

For almost 30 years, Bishopville, Scape Ore Swamp, South Carolina, has been experiencing sightings of what appears to be an actual lizard man. Now, when first hearing something like this, your first thought is to laugh. However, many different people have reported seeing the same type of creature throughout the swamp. The first sighting happened in 1988 when a man stopped on the side of a road. While changing a flat tire in the middle of the night, he claims that the creature started chasing him. Since then there have been reports of something that stands about 7 feet tall, with green scaly skin and glowing red eyes. In 2015 a picture of the lizard man surfaced. The woman who captured it claimed that the photo was real. While the photo does leave something to be desired, it's nonetheless a supposed picture of the creature. However, this isn't the only picture. There are plenty of different sightings that have been posted in videos online as well.

4. Ahool

via Mysterious Universe

If you're thinking of taking a trip to the Island of Java, in Indonesia, don't forget to go on the hunt for one of the largest and scariest flying creatures thought to exist. It is known as the Ahool. The name comes from the noise it makes when letting out a howl or screech. With a large core, and big eyes, it's shaped like a giant bat, with long flat arms and a wingspan of an astonishing 12 feet. The most famous of reports come from a naturalist in 1925 named Ernest Bartels. Ernest said he saw the creature fly over head when hiking in the Salek Mountains. He would see the creature again flying over his hut, screaming in the night. Many people in the area certainly believe his claims.

3. Loch Ness Monster

via pinterest

In case you've forgotten about the mythical lake beast that has been swimming the waters of Loch Ness, let me remind you. It's obvious that so many claimed this creature to be real, but why? The first picture of the Loch Ness monster was taken in 1933, well before the camera had made great advances towards zoom and high resolution. Having said that, when the first picture was captured, it wasn't very easy to make out the mysterious form in the water. To this day, people still believe that it was simply a log or some type of drift wood floating through the lake. Others believe that there really is something in the waters. But the most intriguing thing about it all is that there is still no physical evidence to suggest that it truly does exist.

2. Pukwudgie

via newenglandfolklore

Following another group of mischievous and evil creatures, the Pukwudgie were known by many Algonquian tribes to be little people who run about in the forest. If the tribes weren't careful, the Pukwudgie would steal children away in the dead of night. The Algonquian people believed strongly in this creature and they didn't take its existence lightly. However, there were some tribes who believed that the creatures were harmless unless treated with disrespect. Even to this day, they are known to many Algonquian people as dangerous and a group of beings. They are believed to be about knee high, and their name translates to "person of the wilderness". They are said to smell very sweet and have a strong association with flowers. The Pukwudgie allegedly have magical powers in which they can even turn invisible. Wait until Papa Smurf hears about this.

1. Vampires

via The Collective Intelligence

In recent years, we have molded the image of the vampire into a creature of wonder and torture. A fascinating monster that makes the world crave the gift of immortality. But that wasn't always how the vampire made its living. Where the legend of the blood sucking creature started isn't entirely known. However, many people pin most of the fear in today's world on Bram Stoker, a famous Irish author during the late 1800's who wrote the novel known as Dracula. The story's main antagonist, Dracula, is a vampire. A creature that must drink blood in order to survive. This is the same theme for most of the vampire legends around the world. However, some people state that some vampires feed of the energy of others. The vampire exists all around the world, and yes, people do still believe in them. There are even individuals who believe that they are vampires themselves.

Sources: AnimalPlanet, NewAnimal, HuffingtonPost