Dog-headed pig monster’ terrorizes Africa’
‘Dog-headed pig monster’ terrorizes Africa’
The bizarre report has generated considerable fear among rural populations who have taken to travelling in groups and arming themselves before venturing out. The creature is said to be white with a dog’s head and a giant pig-like body, residents reported seeing it attacking dogs, goats and other domestic animals in the region. “This is an alien animal that the people have not seen before,” said an official.
The assumption that the beast has magical origins is not surprising. A 2010 Gallup poll found belief in magic widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa, with more than half of respondents saying they personally believe in witchcraft and sorcery.
This is not the first time that unusual animals have been spotted in rural areas of Namibia; several other monsters have been reported over the years, including in July 2009, when unknown creatures reportedly sucked the blood out of livestock, including nearly two dozen goats. Though no one saw the monsters, they were said to have left footprints similar to those of a dog, but much larger. Police followed the footprints, but they mysteriously stopped in an open field, as if the creature suddenly took flight or vanished. At that time, locals were also convinced that the strange beast was the product of black magic — going so far as to accuse an old man and his sister of conjuring the creature.
It’s not clear whether locals believe that the current dog-headed, pig-bodied animal is the same mystery creature that terrorized the region three years ago. Whether the reports are real or rumor, hopefully belief in these creatures won’t be used as an excuse for mob attacks on elderly men and women suspected of witchcraft.
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