Trail cam footage on October 22nd of a mysterious winged and horned creature captured at Bristol Zoo had the experts stumped, unable to identify what it was. The creature wandering around the zoo’s bear habitat bore no resemblance to any animal in the wildlife park. Puzzled, the zoo posted on their social media asking netizens and experts if they could identify the creature.
Unidentified Creature Captured on Camera
The weird creature was found wandering around the Park’s animal areas when a trail cam near the bear habitat captured it on camera. While some felt it looked like a muntjac deer, others were puzzled at the appearance of wings and horns, which coincided with the zoo’s Halloween “Myths and Legends Trail.
Baffling the Experts
The conservation team overseeing the cameras in the zoo’s 7.5-acre woodland shared the footage online, asking for the public’s help identifying the creature. Despite resembling a muntjac deer, viewers quickly noted its unusual features, leading to widespread speculation.
Public Theories Range from Mythical to Mundane
Many online followers offered imaginative theories, some suggesting it could be a baby unicorn. In contrast, others leaned toward more rational explanations, such as a muntjac deer distorted by the night-vision camera. The zoo also posted pictures of a Muntjac deer on their Facebook page to compare to the animal; it probably could have been one. Muntjac deer are small species of deer native to Southeast Asia with short antlers that resemble horns.
Linking to Local Legends
As the sighting coincided with Bristol Zoo’s Halloween-themed “Howl-oween: Myths and Legends Trail,” the zoo embraced the mystery. Zoo staff likened it to regional myths, such as Scotland’s Loch Ness monster and Cornwall’s Beast of Bodmin Moor, sparking even more excitement.
Coincidence with Halloween Celebrations
This mysterious encounter further heightened anticipation for the zoo’s Halloween festivities, during which visitors might glimpse rare animals and hear eerie stories. Rosie Sims, Bristol Zoo’s public engagement manager, noted how the sighting added a “mythical” atmosphere to the celebrations, saying, “The sighting of this mythical-like creature is a mystery to us here at Bristol Zoo Project and has been a great inspiration for the Halloween trail this year. Scotland has the Loch Ness monster, and Cornwall has the Beast of Bodmin Moor – have we discovered a similar mythical here in Bristol, perhaps?”
Although public guesses continue to fuel the intrigue, the zoo awaits a more definitive scientific identification, leaving locals and visitors intrigued by what could become Bristol’s cryptid legend.
Hi, I’m Andrew, and I come from India. Experienced content specialist with a passion for writing. My forte includes health and wellness, Travel, Animals, and Nature. A nature nomad, I am obsessed with mountains and love high-altitude trekking. I have been on several Himalayan treks in India including the Everest Base Camp in Nepal, a profound experience.
