El Lobizon

Throughout history, stories of werewolves have existed around the world. Stories of men changing into wolves can be traced back to Ancient Greece and Rome. Famous writers such as Pliny the Elder, a Roman author, and Virgil, a Roman poet each wrote about men turning into wolves in their work. 

As the Middle Ages arrived, belief in werewolves was widespread and as people migrated to the new world, those beliefs and stories traveled with them. 

While North American Native American Tribes feared creatures such as the Wisakachek, South American people feared a creature called El Lobizon. 

Although EL Lobizon has been characterized as a werewolf by cryptozoologists, it has several key differences from the traditional North American Werewolf. First, the beast has been described as walking with four legs occasionally standing on two legs, which is different than American werewolf which is bipedal. Also, El Lobizon is created not from the bite of a werewolf but from a hereditary curse. Only the seventh born son in a family can become a El Lobizon. However, legend says that if the saliva from El Lobizon comes in contact with a person, that person will become a El Lobizon. 

Still there are characteristics that El Lobizon shares with the traditional werewolves. El Lobizon is affected by moon cycles, and it’s said that during a full moon a boy will undergo a painful transition to become a werewolf. The next day, the creature will return to its boy form. 

There have been hundreds of reports of El Lobizon throughout the years. The beast is known to attack small animals and livestock. It is also said the creature feeds upon the dead as well. 

El Lobizon is said to be extremely dangerous. Witnesses state the beast has ripping claws and sharp teeth with powerful jaws that make ripping flesh easy and quick. El Lobizon is described as powerful and fast with unnatural strength and speed, but also possessing good endurance. Once the creature has spotted its prey, the legend says little chance exists for the prey to survive.

Still, although very difficult to kill, El Lobizon can be killed. And unlike its northern cousin, silver is not needed to slay the beast. Guns and long spears can be used to put down the creature and it is recommended that efforts to kill it should be done with large groups and extreme caution. 

Once the beast is killed, it is strongly advised to decapitate the creature and burn it. The ashes should be burned and scattered in flowing water to not allow the animal to regenerate. 

While dozens of reports exist of the beast killing livestock, one report reveals just truly how aggressive and dangerous the creature can be. In northern Argentina a story exists of a bold Lobizon barging in a private residence. The creature was then clubbed and beaten by the residents until the beast was thought dead. Once they had dragged the body outside, the creature stood up, seemingly unharmed, and ran off into the night.

While stories of werewolves are largely dismissed as fiction in most places around the world, there are a number of cultures who believe in their existence. 

Argentina is one country who takes the stories seriously. During its history, having a seventh son has caused immense fear and as a result has caused a lot of people to give up these children for adoption, abandon them, or in extreme cases murder them. In fact, the government has been forced to acknowledge the existence of the beliefs around the beast and implement policies to help seventh sons. Today, the government requires that all large families have their seventh sons baptized. 

In 1920, the president of Argentina Dr. Juan Hipolito Yrigoyen set forth an ingenious plan in order to rid his country of the superstition and evil that had made all seventh sons outcasts for decades. To that end, Yrigoyen officially decreed that he would henceforth be the legal godfather of any seventh son born in Argentina. Further, they would receive free education and the parents would receive a gold medal at the baptism. Not surprisingly, harm to seventh sons dramatically dropped. 

While many might still doubt the existence of the creature, it’s important to remember many of the reports come from deeply religious families with little incentive to lie. Eyewitness accounts have occurred not just in the country, but in small towns with multiple witnesses.

Still skeptics point out that the animal could just be an infected wolf or possibly a new species very strong and fast. With the vastness of the Amazon rainforest nearby, it’s possible this species resides there and once in a while one wanders off in search of food. Like so many other cryptids though, El Lobizon will continue to be a myth until a body is one day found.