The Cryptids in Our Midsts

CEBU, Philippines – Cryptozoology may not always be a hot conversation topic among friends and family, but in no way does this downplay the enigmatic points and intriguing aspects of the field.

Defined as the pseudoscience that delves into the authenticity of mythological creatures, cryptozoologists (individuals who are engaged in the pseudoscience) are constantly in search of evidence that prove the existence of mythical creatures - creatures that are collectively called "cryptids."

But it's not only the cryptozoologists who are intrigued by these mysterious creatures. Cryptids have also stirred the creative minds of visual artists, who try to produce images of the creatures based on descriptions provided be those that have supposedly seen cryptids or from the sheer imagination of the artists themselves.

Even literature is speckled with works about these mythical beings. Often the literary piece is simply a work of fiction, but at times it claims to be an actual witness account. For whatever it is, there's no denying the overall impact of the cryptids in our midst - whether in the actual environment or mainly in the mind.

From the mysterious Bigfoot to the enigmatic chupacabra, cryptids of all sorts are attributed to prowl and hunt in mountains and forests all over the world - those in islands of the Visayas and Mindanao being no exception.

Following are some of the locally "known" mythological creatures that have a place in the expansive lexicon of cryptids - some of the enigmatic cryptids in our midst, if you will.

Sigbin

The "sigbin" is arguably the most notorious of local cryptids, characterized as a creature that walks backwards with its head positioned in between its hind legs.

Said to only prowl at night during Holy Week, there are different physical descriptions associated with the creature - some noting that it looks like a hornless goat with large ears and with a whip-like tail; others describing the creature as a cross between a dog and kangaroo, whose hind legs that are longer than its front legs.

Though widely accepted as a mythical creature, the potential discovery of a new carnivore specie in the Indonesian side of Borneo in 2003 has raised questions about the actual existence of the "sigbin" - as a night camera propped by the WWF in the Kayan Mentarang National Park captured footage of a cat-like animal whose hind legs appear to be longer than its front legs.

Called the "cat fox," no live "cat fox" has ever been captured, but its "discovery" has led to cryptozoology theories postulating that the mysterious creature just might be or may be a relative of the infamous "sigbin."

Anggitay

When it comes to centaur-like creatures and local cryptids, the "tikbalang" is often considered to be the Filipino equivalent of the half man-half horse creature, with "tikbalangs" physically described as having the head of a horse and a human body - the reverse physical description of the centaur's human upper body and horse legs form.

But as it turns out, there is a creature in Philippine cryptozoology whose physical description exactly fits with the characteristic form of the centaur - the "anggitay."

Like the centaur, the anggitay is described to have the upper body of a human being and the legs of a horse. But unlike the centaur, "anggitays" are said to be only female in gender - with some "anggitay" descriptions indicating that they also have unicorn-like horns on their forehead.

"Anggitay" lore notes that the cryptid has a penchant for precious stones, and that they appear when it rains while the sun is up.

Tambaloslos

Described as humanoid creatures with overly large heads and mouths, the "tambaloslos" is widely considered to be a local cryptid that's native to the Visayas and Mindanao.

Said to prowl in forests and jungles, an encounter with a "tambaloslos" is alleged to involve a lot of "confusion" - with most tales of n"tambaloslos" encounters telling of persons getting lost in their way, regardless of how familiar they are with the surroundings.

Characterized as a creature with sinister intentions, the cryptid is also said to possess supernatural powers, with different stories of "tambaloslos" encounters telling of mysterious disappearances that are tied with its elusive presence.

Amalanhig

In Visayan folklore and mythology, the "amalanhig" is described as a creature with human-like physical characteristics - only different from the common "tao" since it bares long fangs like canines’.

Said to rise from their graves at night, "amalanhig" folklore tells that the cryptid has a penchant for biting the necks of their victims - a monster modus operandi that's akin to the "hunting method" of one of the world's notorious "creatures of the dark," the vampire.

Described by cryptid lore as a creature that can only tread in a single straight direction (said to be so because their bodies are stiff), "amalanhigs" are fabled to have a weakness in dealing with heights and with bodies of water.

Though the "amalanhig" is not exactly as well-known as the horse-like "tikbalang" or the "sigbin," it can be said that it is technically more well-known than the two - considering that it is one of the cryptids touted by Philippine cryptozoology as a "Filipino variant" of the vampire.