Buzz
Known for its politeness and stunning landscapes, Canada still remains largely untamed, with vast, unexplored regions. It's no surprise, then, that it boasts a rich collection of legendary creatures. While some of these beings bear resemblance to mythical figures from European folklore, brought over by settlers, others have roots in indigenous stories. A few even have modern origins, with reports and photographs of monstrous sightings from just a few decades ago.
1. CADDY
For over two centuries, people in the British Columbia coastal area have reported sightings of a sea serpent resembling a plesiosaur (as depicted above) with a horse- or camel-like head, small front flippers, and either large rear flippers or a powerful tail with a flipper on its tip. This mysterious creature, known as Cadborosaurus—or 'Caddy'—is named after Cadboro Bay on Vancouver Island, where it’s believed to make its home. Many theories have emerged to explain its existence, including ideas that it's a pipefish, an oarfish, a basking shark, or even a sea lion. Despite at least nine carcasses being discovered, which some believe to be 'Caddies,' these have mostly turned out to be sharks or small whales. In 2009, fisherman Kelly Nash captured a video that he claims shows Caddy. Interestingly, native Alaskan tribes to the northwest of British Columbia have their own tales of a similar creature, and they once painted its image on their canoes to ward it off.
2. WENDIGO
The Wendigo, also called windigo, is a malevolent, human-like spirit believed by the Algonquin tribes of the Great Lakes region to have the power to turn humans into cannibals by possessing them. It was thought that simply engaging in cannibalism could cause someone to become a Wendigo. Consequently, the native people considered it better to take their own life rather than succumb to cannibalism in times of extreme necessity.
Wendigos are easy to identify: They’re unnaturally tall and gaunt, with decaying, yellowish skin and hollow eyes. These creatures are said to roam the frigid forests, searching for those desperate enough to resort to cannibalism. The Wendigo also became a symbol of insatiable greed, and the story was deeply frightening to some: In 1907, a Cree chief and medicine man named Jack Fiddler and his brother Joseph were charged with killing 14 people. The brothers claimed the victims were either Wendigos or were on the verge of becoming them. Despite widespread calls for his release, Jack either hanged himself or died of tuberculosis (sources vary), shortly after, at the age of 87.
3. MUSSIE A.K.A. HAPYXELOR
DaMongMan, Flickr // CC BY 2.0
Canada has a particular fondness for lake monsters, which makes sense given the country’s abundance of roughly 2 million lakes. Mussie, named after its home at Muskrat Lake, located about 70 miles northwest of Ottawa, is a particularly puzzling creature. Its appearance varies widely, with some descriptions depicting it as a walrus, others as a giant sturgeon, or even a three-eyed version of Nessie. Sometimes it’s said to have legs, sometimes not; sometimes it’s armed with sharp teeth, sometimes it sports a single prominent tooth. However, the one thing all accounts agree on is that it’s called Mussie—likely because its original name, Hapyxelor, was too difficult to pronounce. Despite no one being able to explain exactly what Mussie is, locals seem unafraid of it, even adopting it as a cultural symbol, frequently featured in travel brochures.
4. WAHEELA
Waheelas are massive wolves with broad heads, splayed toes, and thick white fur, closely resembling prehistoric dire wolves. These fearsome creatures are said to reside in the remote Nahanni Valley of the Northwest Territories, where they’re notorious for tearing off the heads of their victims. So infamous is this reputation that the area has earned the chilling nickname 'The Valley of the Headless Men,' due to the number of decapitated bodies found there. All these gruesome deaths are blamed on the Waheela, which is said to stand about 4 feet tall at the shoulder. Interestingly, the Waheela shares similarities with an Inuit mythological creature called the Amarok: both are large, terrifying wolves, though the Amarok is more about eating those foolish enough to hunt alone in the dark than decapitation. Tough but fair.
5. THE THETIS LAKE MONSTER
The Thetis Lake Monster is another lake-dwelling creature, but it’s not your typical dinosaur-like beast lurking beneath the surface. Often referred to as the 'Canadian Lizard Man,' it’s described as a creature resembling a mix between a sleestak and the Creature from the Black Lagoon (pictured above). Allegedly spotted in Thetis Lake on Vancouver Island, this monster is described as a short being with silvery-blue scales and barbed fins running along its back. Its most famous sighting occurred in 1972 when two teenage boys claimed to have seen the creature, one even alleging he was scratched by its webbed claws. Although two other men later claimed to have seen the same creature, they recanted their statements, and a fisherman supposedly encountered it in 2011, though the account remains unclear. The legend may have gained traction due to its similarity to a native Haida myth from Haidi Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands), where a creature of similar appearance has two tails and wears a hat.
6. OLD YELLOW TOP
Old Yellow Top is essentially a blonde version of Sasquatch that prefers the forests of Ontario over those of British Columbia or the Pacific Northwest. First reported in a 1906 newspaper, this creature is sometimes referred to as a “pre-Cambrian shield man.” Often mistaken for a bear due to its large size, Old Yellow Top stands out because of its distinctive yellow mane and its ability to walk on two legs, rather than four. Its fur is dark, except for its head, which sports a shoulder-length hairdo. For many years, sightings were sporadic, appearing about once every two or three decades. The last reported encounter was in 1970, when it crossed a road in front of a group of miners, causing the driver to nearly crash into a rock cut.
7. ADLET
The Adlet is another creature from Inuit mythology—described as a human with the legs of a dog, capable of running at impressive speeds. These beings are said to be the offspring of a union between a woman and a giant dog. According to legend, the woman gave birth to ten puppies, and five of them ran across the ice, becoming the first Europeans. The five that remained behind became twisted abominations, known for fighting amongst themselves and wandering the tundra, seeking out Inuit villages to devour. Ethnologist Franz Boas recorded several of these tales during his travels to Baffin Island and published them in 1889. Similar stories of half-human, half-dog creatures have been noted in other cultures, including those of the Dakelh tribe of British Columbia and the Chukchi people of Siberia.
8. LE LOUP-GAROU
Wikimedia Commons
The French term loup-garou literally means 'werewolf,' but in the context of French Canada, it refers to a very specific type of werewolf. In Quebec, the loup-garou is believed to be a person who failed to fulfill their religious duties for Easter—not once, but seven years in a row. This wretched fate might also be a punishment for having made a pact with the Devil or for committing the sin of planting potatoes on a Sunday.
Although named after the wolf, the loup-garou doesn’t always take the form of one. It can transform into a variety of creatures, such as a pig, a cat, a calf, an ox, or other animals. However, most of the classic werewolf traits still apply: It changes into its animal form only at night and seeks to hunt people. If a loup-garou attacks you, the remedy is to throw rocks at it or stab it with a knife. If you manage to draw blood, the curse will be lifted, and the creature will return to its human form. Afterward, neither party is allowed to speak about the incident, or else both risk becoming loup-garous themselves.
