Waracabra tiger

The Waracabra tiger is a mystery big cat but in actuality it is the combination of South American bush dogs rummaging through the forest disturbing trumpeter birds who howl loudly! Please read on.

KPN Shuker, is an expert on the mystery animals of the world and in carrying out ‘crypto-investigations’. His book, Mystery Cats of the World was published in 1989. He has a website on mystery animals and has written many books on the topic. There are many examples of mystery cats. Some of them are listed below this article by the way.

One of these mystery cats is called the Waracabra tiger. It is supposed to be a pack-hunting jaguar. Jaguars are not pack hunters as you probably are aware. They are solitary creatures just like your typical wild cat species (excluding the lion). The Waracabra tiger is supposed to create a unique terrifying, eerie howl. The sound can be heard echoing through the Guyanan forests in the dead of night.

The Waracabra tiger is a combination of South American bush dogs charging through the forests disturbing trumpeter birds who howl loudly
The Waracabra tiger is a combination of South American bush dogs rummaging through the forest disturbing trumpeter birds who howl loudly. Image: MikeB.

The howls are like the cries of the trumpeter bird which is known locally as the Waracabra bird. You can see the connection between the bird and the tiger.

But, unsurprisingly for me, although this mysterious tiger has been heard it has never been seen. The mysterious beast was investigated by an American zoologist, Lee Crandall, who came to the conclusion that the pack hunting animals in question were in truth, South American bush dogs.

That might sound like a plausible theory but these dogs do not make eerie howls at night.

As a result, there are some who believe that the Waracabra tiger is still of considerable interest.

Dr. Desmond Morris has a better theory which sounds even more plausible. He suggests that the “packs of wild dogs could easily disturb the sleeping trumpeter birds and set off their very loud alarm cries. This combination – of a pack of scurrying mammalian figures in the forest, accompanied by loud, echoing cries – could easily create a legend of a nightmarish, pack-hunting jaguar.”

Now, that sounds like a very smart suggestion which should put to sleep the thought that this mysterious howling tiger exists.

P.S. Humankind has a habit of creating dangerous mystery animals because people are often fearful about the unknown and the future. This fear feeds into the creation of mystery animals.

There is a mysterious beast in the forest called by the native Indians the “waracabra tiger.” All travellers in the forests of Guiana speak of this dreaded animal, but strange to say, none of them appear to have seen it. The Indians profess the greatest terror of it. It is said to hunt in packs (which tigers [jaguars] never do), and when its howls awake the echoes of the forest, the Indians at once take to their canoes and wood skins as the only safe refuge from its ravages.

Henry Kirke, a former Sheriff of Demerara (my thanks to Mr Shuker’s website).

Click this to visit Mr Shuker’s website.

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