Bunyip is a monster in the mythology of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia. According to tradition, the Bunyip lurks in or near billabongs (water holes), rivers, and lakes, attacking anyone who approaches its watery home. The Aboriginal name is usually translated as devil or demonic spirit. Descriptions of the Bunyip vary widely. In some tales, it is a seal-like creature with some characteristics of a dog. Other stories describe the Bunyip as manlike or snakelike or having the head of a horse or emu. Some reports describe it as an oversized starfish.
The legend of the Bunyip comes from Dreamtime, the fundamental spiritual concept that connects traditional beliefs and practices among the Aboriginal peoples of Australia. Dreamtime includes both an ancient time and a sacred world in which exist the first beings and other creatures, including monsters such as the Bunyip.
Tales of the Bunyip eventually reached the early European settlers of Australia, causing them to fear the monster. As early as 1818, strange-looking bones of large animals were attributed to the beast. These bones sometimes turned out to be the fossilized remains of prehistoric animals. Sightings of the Bunyip have been reported since the 1800’s, leading some investigators to consider the creature to be a cryptid. A cryptid is a living thing whose existence has been suggested but not demonstrated. Most reported sightings of the Bunyip are considered unreliable. Scientists think that other animals seen or heard in the Australian wilderness may have been mistaken for the Bunyip.
