The bunyip is a mythical creature that is native to Australia. It is also known as kianpraty. The Aborigine word “bunyip” translates into demon spirit. There has been some debate as to whether this creature is just another species of Bigfoot or yeti, however, no one knows if there is a relation. The Australian Aborigines believed in the Bunyip so thoroughly that it has been integrated as a part of their traditional ceremonies and stories.
There are numerous descriptions of this beast from a giant starfish to being identical to the North American Bigfoot. One of the most common descriptions is that it has a canine face and head, tusks like a walrus, flippers and a horse-like tail. Because of this description, some believe that the bunyip is, in fact, an endangered, or even extinct, species of seal or sea-lion.
Other descriptions included anything from feathers and legs like a dinosaur, to scales like a crocodile.
Though the creature seemed to prefer the unexplored territories of Australia, there have been sightings in Tasmania. The bunyip lives in a rivers, swamps, bogs, or water-holes, across Australia. It is believed that if a camp is set too near a bunyip hole, the entire camp will be destroyed, including the campers, during the night, by an enraged bunyip. The main source of food for a bunyip is thought to be cattle and people. Many people claim that several drownings throughout Australia are due to the bunyip, rather than bad choices or inability to swim.
Probably the most prolific period for bunyip sightings was in the 1850s. Hundreds of settlers and natives claimed to have seen the creature.
There are several explanations for the possibility of the bunyip. The first, an endangered or extinct seal or similar marsupial, is a good possibility. Another explanation is that it is a species of creature thought to be extinct over 10,000 years. The species is known as the diprotodon. The diprotodon was a plant eating marsupial that was large and to a point meets some of the criteria in the descriptions. Some researchers claim that if this creature did survive, but is yet undiscovered, it would have evolved into a hippo-like marsupial.
Since the coelacanth was believed to have died off about the same era, and yet still exists, it is completely possible for a creature like the diprotodon to continue living. There are still vast areas of Australia that have yet to be explored.
Like other unknown creatures, this creature has probably hidden for good reason. The fact that even though the human population is expanding there are only a handful of sightings every year leads one to assume that the bunyip population could be dwindling. Maybe it is for the best that they stay hidden.
Sources:
Mastin, Colleayn O. Illus. by Sovak, Jan. “The Magic of Mythical Creatures.” B.C.: Grasshopper Publishing, 1997. Print.