Cryptid Bats
Is the mysterious "big bird" seen over Texas really a giant microchiroptera?
The animals listed here are bats which are not recognised by mainstream science. Many cryptids which are described as "birds with monkey faces" or "men with wings" are most likely bats, and will be included here.
"Big bird" (Texas NA): Reports of a large bird-like animal, with a bald head, no feathers and a "gorilla-like" face came out of Texas during the mid-1970's. Most likely a species of giant microchiroptera, or "small bats". This group includs the common bats of most countries, and the vampires. Most cryptd bats are in this group.
Brazilian "winged humanoids" (Brazilian Amazon SA): In Brazil there exist several legendary creatures, some of which are said to be men with wings and backwards feet, that may infact be giant bats. The existence of such creatures is supported by a sighting in 1950 by Mr. and Mrs. Real of two "winged humans" who flew out of the trees and landed on the ground. Wehn microchiropterans land on the ground, their legs stick out behind them and give the impression of backwards facing feet.
Camazotz (Mexico, Guateala and Brazil SA/NA): The "snatch bat" or "death bat" of Mayan legend. It was supposedly a giant bat which attacked human beings and other large animals, drinking the blood. it was also known as the "sudden bloodletter". Fossils of Desmodus draculae, the giant vampire bat, support these legends. there have also been skeletons of D. draculae found which were sub-fossil, of very recent age. These suggest that the bat was still common when the Mayans were around, and may still be today.
H?ik'al (Mexico NA): Also called the "black man", this is supposedly a demon with wings and a human-like head, and has been called the "neckcutter" from time to time. Most likely D. draculae, and possibly the same as the camazotz.
Soucouyant (Trinidad SA): A "bat demon" from the mythology of the peoples of Trinidad. Most likely D. draculae.
Tin tin (Ecuador SA): Another "bat demon", similar to the soucouyant, h?ik'al and camazotz. I would like to propose that these are all the same creature, although different from the "winged humans" and "big bird". the South American bat demons are, in my opinion, D. draculae.
Ethiopian death birds (Lekempti Cavern, Ethiopia AFRICA): The "death birds" are a unique case in cryptozoology; we know exactly where they are, they are said to be very common, and they come out every night to feed on the blood of humans and animals, yet they aren't recognised as existing cause no one has ever bothered to go there and collect specimens. Thy are obviously some kind of blood drinking bat, but as the only known vampires are from South America, and no fossils have ever shown up anywhere but South America, we are stuck for an answer as to how they could exist.
Guiafairo (Sengal and Gambia AFRICA): A bat-like creature, often lumped in with reports of pterosaurs. Probably an undescribed fruitbat.
Sasabonsam (Ghana AFRICA): A very strange creature, most likely mythical, he sasabonsam may in fact be some kind of giant bat. Depicted as a violent, dnegerous creature, a carvingof the beast shows it with small horns. These may be mis-identifications of ears, or even more likely they are symbolic, being added in to represent the creature's "evil" standing, it ebing associated with the Christian devil. I highly doubt it's existence, but if it does it is most likley some strang bat.
Vietmanese "winged men" (Vietnam ASIA): Creatures reported from Vietnam have been described as "winged men with backwards facing feet and pointyt ears". They are said to the about 3 or 4 feet from head to feet. If so, they would be one of the biggest microchiropterans on earth.
Philippines giant bats (Philippines ASIA): Very similar to the Vietmanese bats, possibly the same species or at least the same genus.
Athol (Java ASIA): Definitely the most famous of all giant bat cryptids, the athol is historically known becuase early explorers to Java often told of hearing loud whooping noises, sounding like "a-hool!" coming out of the jungle at night. The natives accredited these to an animal they called the athol, and said it to be a massive bat the size of a man. Ther have been many sightings of the creature as well. Many think that the athol is that same as the Vietnamese creature, but if so you'd expect giant bats to be reported from Sumatra. to my knowledge there are none.
