Classification: Mythical Beasts & Cryptids

Temporal Range: 1837 - 1904

Geographic Range: Pacific Northwest Coast, Canada

Diet: Small children and sailors

Horde: North American

First reported by the Tlingit peoples, the Kushtaka (sometimes called Kóoshdaa káa) is a shape-shifting land otter that preys on small children and sailors alike. These creatures can appear as humans or as otters, allowing them to cause havoc both on land and underwater.

The Kushtaka are notorious for tricking sailors, often appearing as harmless otters or even as drowning humans to lure them in before pulling them into the deep, dark waters. Tlingit mothers tell tales of the Kushtaka to warn their children away from playing near treacherous shores, as the Kushtaka are said to have a particular fondness for 'bite-sized' humans, the smaller and more snackable, the better. There’s just something about that tender, child-shaped morsel that hits the spot, like a perfectly prepared amuse-bouche of the underworld.

However, the Kushtaka are not all bad. They have been known to rescue the occasional sailor or swimmer lost at sea and can even transform others into otters, enabling them to stay warm enough to stave off hypothermia and freezing. There are accounts of these creatures calling to one another with a distinctive whistle that begins with a low tone, followed by a high one, then a final low tone. Only respond to this sound if you are in dire need, it is best suited for the drowning, the lost, and the dangerously curious.