“Hybrid Mutant of Something”

An unidentified creature found dead in Turner, Maine, is believed to be the “mysterious animal with chilling monstrous cries and eyes that glow in the dark” that “has mauled dogs, frightened residents, and been the subject of local legend for half a generation.”

Curiously, “Wildlife officials and animal control officers declined to . . . examine the remains,” leaving us with just this photograph to speculate about the possible identity of the animal.

Because a positive identification was not made, speculation about the animal and its origins will probably be discussed in cryptozoological tracts for decades. From such seemingly innocuous events are legends born.