Devil Monkey

Devil monkeys are the name given to unknown large primates in the United States as well as areas in Canada around the Canadian shield and the Cascadian bioregion. Although most sightings of devil monkeys occur in the United States, presumably due to a larger population and generally warmer climate, devil monkeys have also been observed in Canada. Devil monkeys are described as being four to six feet tall, with muscular bodies and barrel shaped chests, long arms, strong legs, pointy ears and most notably, a tail. They have short to shaggy hair, usually dark brown, but black, light brown and even white specimens have been reported, which may be due to differing age of the specimen or are under other lighting. They have large, flat feet, about 20 to 40 cm, and unusually, have three toes, a recurring feature among large cryptozoological monkeys and some proto-pygmies, like the Malagasy kalanoro or the Nepali kra-dahn. Devil monkeys are sometimes mistaken for kangaroos, due to their strange hopping gait when on all fours, which are their primary way of movement, but they’re sometimes reported walking on two legs. Devil monkeys are solitary animals and have a very distressing call, described as a mix between a monkey hooting and a woman screaming.

Devil monkeys have been theorized to be an escaped Papionini species, like baboons, mandrills and geladas. Others theorize they may be related to various extinct old world baboons like Dinopithecus or Simopithecus, and some speculate devil monkeys are an unknown species of new world monkey that convergently evolved a baboon-like build. If devil monkeys are new world in origin, it may be related to Cartelles bambuiorum, a ground dwelling species related to spider monkeys that reached more then 50 pounds, that died out only 10,000 years ago. They were the largest monkey ever native to the Americas. Although there is a small handful of Indigenous folklore and early European accounts of Devil monkeys, a vast majority reports take place after the late 30’s. One of the most famous Canadian devil monkey sightings was in 1969, when two famous bigfoot researchers, John Green and Rene Dahinden, investigated sightings of a long-tailed giant monkey-like animal. This animal left three toed tracks, and was seen around the Mamquam River, a tributary of the Squamish river in southwestern British Columbia. In 1992, a man named Ian Harper claimed that when he was taking his black lab for a run on his bike, somewhere near Lake Scugog, Ontario, he encountered a “white monkey.” As he was almost back home, his dog suddenly ran ahead of him towards the driveway of a stranger’s cottage, growling and barking. Harper got off his bike and started yelling at his dog to stop his dog from attacking the animal. Suddenly, the “monkey” stood up, about three-feet tall with a large head and “long willowy arms”. The creature then made a very loud grunting noise, startling both Harper and his dog. They then ran back home and never saw it again. Harper only reported the story in 2017, to the Paranormal Studies & Inquiry Canada. In the mid 2010’s, two unnamed sisters from Jackhead, Manitoba claimed to have seen a large monkey-like creature cross Highway Six near Devil’s Lake about 65 yards from their car. It was about four feet long, not counting the tail, had brown fur, large shoulders and a sloped back similar to a chimp’s.