Kushtaka: Alaska’s Shapeshifting Otter
An artists depiction of a Kushtaka. Photo: ATI.
According to Tlingit mythology the Kushtaka is an evil shapeshifting creature that often appears in the form of a sea otter.
What is a Kushtaka?
Stories of the Kushtaka come from the Tlingit people of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America.
The Kushtaka is described as a mischievous shapeshifting creature that often takes the form of a sea otter. It makes a distinctive whistling noise in the pattern of high-low-high.
Kushtaka are capable of taking almost any form but prefer to become sea otters or humans. Sometimes they appear as half human and half otter.
According the legend the Kushtaka are nasty creatures that take delight in leading Tlingit sailors into dangerous situations. They take pleasure in killing people or turning them into Kushtaka. It is believed that if you become a Kushtaka you can no longer be reincarnated.
Kushtaka sometimes mimic the cries of a child or a woman in trouble to lure good Samaritans into the water. Once there the Kushtaka will attack and tear the person to shreds or even turn them in to a Kushtaka.
In other stories the Kushtaka has a friendlier vibe. Sailors who were lost at sea have returned with stories of being kept warm by friendly Kushtaka.
Some stories claim the Kushtaka will distract the lost by showing them visions of their loved ones as sea otters. They may even transform the lost people in to Kushtaka so that they are able to withstand the freezing cold temperatures.
In some stories the Kushtaka will appear as a group of men who are lost or injured. If you attempt to help them they will draw you into the wilderness and then attack.
Kushtaka are able to be warded off with fire, urine, copper and dogs.
Kushtaka Sightings
Every fisherman in South East Alaska has a story about the Kushtaka.
In one account two visitors were camping in the Alaskan wilderness with a friend who was a local. The two non-Alaskans went out fishing leaving their friend behind. When they returned they appeared frightened. They told their friend something strange had ran into the boat several times. It followed the men back into shore releasing a horrible guttural cry as it went.
A video with some Kushtaka encounters
Theories about the Kushtaka
Some believe that the legend of the Kushtaka story was made up to stop children from venturing too close to the water. It could also cause them to have a healthy distrust of strangers.
Have you ever seen a Kushtaka? Tell us your story in the comments!
If you enjoyed this article you may also be interested in the African Grootslang or the mysterious Ozark Howler.
Further Reading
In 1923, several residents of Berkshire and Richford, Vermont reported seeing a creature resembling a griffin, with a 20 foot wingspan and a serpentine tail.
In the fall of 1951, English mountain climbers Eric Shipton and Dr. Michael Ward were exploring routes to climb Mount Everest from Nepal. While on this mission Shipton discovered some huge footprints in the snow, possibly belonging to the fabled Yeti.
A massive shark is caught on camera prowling near a research vessel off the Massachusetts coast, creating a buzz on social media. What is the link between NASA Zone F and this elusive megalodon?
The Salt Lake Herald featured a story in 1883 about three businessmen who stumbled upon a wild woman with three children who seemed to be half human and half bear.
The Native American Salish tribe recounts tales of a cryptid known as the Stick Indians, which remarkably mirror many reported sightings of Bigfoot.
In the winter of 1959, at least five eyewitnesses claimed to have seen a huge, bipedal creature resembling an octopus in the area around the Ohio River.
The Cornwall Owlman is a Mothman-like creature spotted repeatedly since the 1920’s in a churchyard in the UK.
In August 1817, the skipper of a trading ship entering Gloucester Harbour, Massachusetts, witnessed a baffling 60-foot long, leathery sea creature. This spectacle birthed the story of the Serpent of Gloucester.
In December 1964, a man named Robert Le Serrec witnessed a 75-80ft long creature underwater near Hook Island, Queensland.
Kasai Rex is a gigantic lizard creature that has been spotted several times in Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa. Some believe it may be a surviving species of dinosaur.
Several people have reported seeing a huge, bigfoot-like creature with glowing orange eyes around Mansfield, Ohio.
In 1959, a group of three men from Ohio reported an encounter with a mysterious being near Charles Mill Lake. They described the creature as an immense humanoid devoid of arms, sporting luminous, green eyes, and webbed feet.
The Re’em is a creature mentioned nine times in the Bible, translated in the King James Version of the Bible as “unicorn”. Does this mean that Unicorns existed in Biblical times?
In 1942, a bigfoot-like creature was spotted in Cedar Bog, Ohio. This creature was blamed for the disappearance of a group of teenagers, and its legacy still haunt locals to this day.
An article in the Western Star from 1882 tells of a child being taken by a giant snake-like creature. The story was verified by the local doctor and a judge.
In September 2019, an extraordinary video emerged from China, showing footage of a massive and unusual sea creature swimming through the water.
Tsuchinoko are a snake-like cryptid from Japan, said to be about the size of a cat with scaly skin and viper-like fangs.
During the early 1900s, American lumberjacks told terrifying stories of encounters with the Slide-Rock Bolter - a whale like creature living in the mountains.
In Peru, there is a legend that if you commit incest, as a punishment, God will transform you into a monstrous llama with a human face, known as a Jarjacha.
The Nandi Bear is a ferocious cryptid spotted in the highlands of Kenya during the 19th and 20th centuries.
The Squonk is said to be the ugliest creature in the world. It is so ashamed of its appearance that it will hide from anyone who approaches and, if caught, it will dissolve into a puddle of tears.
The Shunka Warak’in is a hyena-like creature from Native American mythology that has been spotted in the Rocky Mountains. A museum in Montana claims to have one on display.
The Thunderbird Cryptid is a giant bird resembling a condor or vulture that has been seen all over the United States.
The Germantown Werewolf was a mysterious creature spotted in Defiance, Ohio, several times in 1972. It was a 6ft tall, bipedal wolf that was said to carry a plank of wood In its front paws.
The Black Bird of Chernobyl was said to be about the size of a small airplane, with glowing red eyes and a wingspan of over 20 feet.
Air rods, also known as "flying rods" or "sky fish," are a phenomenon that been captured on cameras and mobile devices worldwide.
A hoop snake is a creature that's said to be able to bite down on its own tail and roll after its prey like a wheel. Hoop snakes have been seen in the USA, Australia and Canada.
The Oklahoma octopus is said to dwell in several man-made freshwater lakes in Oklahoma such as Lake Thunderbird, Oologah Lake, and Lake Tenkiller, where it allegedly preys on unsuspecting swimmers.
The legend of Sheepsquatch is a folk tale from the Appalachian region of the United States. According to the legend, Sheepsquatch is a creature about the size of a bear with white fur and big horns.
Just like the infamous Silver Bridge Mothman sightings, witnesses claim seeing a strange, 7ft tall flying humanoid in the weeks before the collapse of the I-35W bridge in 2007.