The Kapre's extended family

According to Filipino folklore, the Kapre is a dark-skinned, long-haired, cigar-smoking human-like being that lives among tall trees and harasses passersby. But if legends are to be believed, other countries also have some kind of Kapre in their own culture.

 

They all share more or less the same traits: a huge, hairy humanoid that has never scientifically been proven to exist. Many people believe that sightings of them have been mistakenly attributed to bears, apes, or even reclusive hermits, but others prefer not to discount their legend and venture into the wild with extreme caution.

 

From North America to South Asia, here are a few examples of the Kapre’s friends from around the world.

 

Bigfoot (North America)

 

In many reports, Bigfoot (also called Sasquatch) is said to be six to 10 feet tall and weighs more than 500 pounds. It’s said to have a pronounced brow ridge like an ape’s, covered in dark brown or red hair. While most people agree that it has large, red eyes and a horrible smell, alleged casts of its feet give it between two to six toes on each foot.

 

Many Bigfoot sightings have been reported since 1924, when a Canadian named Albert Ostman claimed to have been abducted by a Sasquatch tribe in British Colombia. As late as 2007, hunter Rick Jacobs claimed to have caught one on film with a rigged camera. But all these findings have proven inconclusive.

 

Some accounts, however, have been exposed as fakes. In 2005, Tom Biscardi claimed to have captured a Bigfoot and demanded a pay-per-view event for his catch on radio. He later retracted, saying he had not captured a Sasquatch and blamed a source for misleading him.

 

Yeti (Nepal, Tibet)

 

The Yeti, also known as “the abominable snowman,” piqued the attention of many Western expeditioners in the Himalayan mountain ranges. Evidences range from purported footprints and photographs as early as 1925, to escaped World War II prisoner Slawomir Rawicz claiming in his 1957 autobiography to have seen bipedal animals shuffling around in the snow.

 

In Tibetan mythology, the Yeti is said to be among the mythical creatures that inhabit the mountains. Descriptions vary, however, between a bipedal, light-colored animal that blends with the snow, and a smaller, darker one that moves on all fours. But there's a general agreement that like the Bigfoot, it's an extremely reclusive animal.

 

Mapinguari (Brazil, Bolivia)

 

In South America, locals believe in a one-eyed, sloth-like animal that moves silently in the jungle and eats its prey aided by a gigantic second mouth on its belly. The Mapinguari is also said to possess a thick hide impervious to arrows and bullets. According to eyewitnesses, it has long claws and can draw itself up to seven feet in height.

 

But strangely, they claim that the Mapinguari avoids bodies of water and does not eat people, preferring livestock instead. Researchers have not found any direct evidence of its existence, but suggest the beast might really just be a giant anteater or sloth.

 

Batutut (Borneo, Vietnam, Laos)

 

This creature is described as six feet tall and is said to have a very leathery neck. It's also said to be covered in gray, brown, or black hair, except on its knees, hands, soles, and face.

 

Unlike its other cousins, Batututs are said to have attacked humans and move in tribes, along with female members of the species. But not all of them are violent; others claim to have sat down and shared food with a Batutut and listened to them mumble unintelligible words. — CM, GMA News