Bunyip
{{Infobox
|image = 
|imagewidth = 300|type = Lake Monster
|1st Sighting = 1818
|last sighting = 1852
|Country = Australia
|Specific Area = New South Wales, Victoria; All throught the Australia
|Population = Unknown|map = 
|mapwidth = 300}}The Bunyip, also known as the Kianpraty, is a creature from the Aboriginal mythology in southeastern Australia. It is said to live in swamps, billabongs, creeks, riverbeds and waterholes. The word bunyip translates to "devil" or "evil spirit" from the Wemba-Wemba language.
Description
Physical descriptions of the bunyip vary. Some say it has a dog-like face, dark fur, a horse-like tail, flippers, walrus-like tusks, a crocodile-like head and a duck-like bill. There are even claims that it resembles a snake with a beard. While it's wide range of descriptions make it difficult to determine it's appearance, it is agreed that the bunyip is aquatic.
History
One of the earliest accounts of the bunyip occured in 1818, when explorers James Meehan and Hamilton Hume discovered large bones in Lake Bathurst in New South Wales. They did not call the creature a bunyip, but described the remains as similar to a manatee or hippopotamus.
In the mid-1830s, fossilized bones were first discovered by George Ranken and later by Thomas Mitchell in the Wellington Caves in New South Wales. British anatomist Sir Richard Owen identified the fossils as the marsupials Diprodoton and Nototherium.
On July of 1845, the Geelong Advertiser describes the bunyip in great detail. It was also the first recorded use of the term "bunyip".
In January 1847, an unusual skull was found on the Murrumbidgee River banks near Balranald, New South Wales. Initial reports suggested that it was the skull of an unidentified creature. By July 1847, several experts identified the skull as a deformed foal or calf; despite this, it was put on exhibition at the Australian Museum in Sydney as evidence of the bunyip.
One legend says that a man named Bunyip broke the Rainbow Serpent's greatest law by eating his totem animal. Banished by the spirit Biami, the man became an evil spirit that lured tribesmen and their livestock into the water so he could eat them.
In 1857, in an article titled, "The Bunyip", a newspaper reported on the drawings made by Edwin Stocqueler: "Amongst the latter drawings we noticed a likeness of the Bunyip, or rather a view of the neck and shoulders of the animal. Mr. Stocqueler informs us that the Bunyip is a large freshwater seal, having two small padules or fins attached to the shoulders, a long swan like neck, a head like a dog, and a curious bag hanging under the jaw, resembling the pouch of the pelican. The animal is covered with hair, like the platypus, and the color is a glossy black. Mr. Stocqueler saw no less than six of these curious animals at different times; his boat was within thirty feet of one near M'Guire's punt on the Goulburn, and he fired at the Bunyip, but did not succeed in capturing him. The smallest appeared to be about five feet in length, and the largest exceeded fifteen feet. The head of the largest was the size of a bullock's head, and three feet out of water. After taking a sketch of the animal, Mr. Stocqueler showed it to several blacks of the Goulburn tribe, who declared that the picture was "Bunyip's brother," meaning a duplicate or likeness of the bunyip. The animals moved against the current, at the rate of about seven miles an hour, and Mr. Stockqueler (sic) states that he could have approached close to the specimens he observed, had he not been deterred by the stories of the natives concerning the power and fury of the bunyip, and by the fact that his gun had only a single barrel, and his boat was of a very frail description."
Explanations
The bunyip could be the misidentification of a known species, with suggestions such as leopard or elephant seals, cassowaries, and Australasian bitterns. It is also believed the bunyip could be a surviving Diprodoton or other extinct Australian maruspials.
In Popular Media
Gallery
<gallery navigation="true"> Bunyip 1.jpg Bunyip---.jpg Bunyip 3.jpg Bunyip 5.jpg Diprotodon.jpg|A Diprotodon. Bunyip7.jpg 50ec621afe1c70b8ab99d1910cf78bca.jpg Bunyip back.jpg Bunyipcollage.jpeg|From Bollywood film Chander Pahar 720D50DD-223A-49B3-81C2-943D91D3DC43.jpeg|link=https://www.deviantart.com/speculatimsauru5/art/Monstober-Entry-12-Bunyip-769723154|Bunyip Bunyip.png|Bunyips in The Secret Saturdays. Bunyipscribblenauts.png|In the Scribblenauts games 7D77F8B6-2CC9-4A9A-B779-F789F303D08E.jpeg|link=https://www.deviantart.com/themorlock/art/Long-necked-Bunyip-214312343|Long-Necked Bunyip 95D340C8-FAC5-477F-88C0-A32091FC8315.jpeg|Bunyip (Murraysaurus bunyip) 2C89949A-F729-4A12-A1C4-22A185DB30DC.jpeg|Bunyip Diprotodon big.jpg|If Bunyip is a modern day Diprotodon. 25005181-F772-4166-AB1E-13768FE5AFCF.jpeg|link=https://www.deviantart.com/ropen7789/art/Request-from-Naomi-Toetjes-Bunyip-587660208|The Bunyip Bunyip 1890.jpg|Bunyip Bun X-Ray.jpg|notice how he's a massive eel/snake titan, a nice touch but, the monsterverse might reveal how he got his mammalian myth... Maxresdefault.jpg
Bunyip (Baryonyx)
</gallery>
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thumb|480x480px">Impact on Australian culture
To the right is a clip from the 1977 Australian movie, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot_and_the_Kangaroo_(film) Dot and the Kangaroo]. This is a song from the movie about the bunyip.Sources
Sutherland, Tui T, and Kari Sutherland. Krakens and Lies. HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015 {{CryptidsNavBox}}Category:Cryptids>Category:Cryptids Category:Lake Monster>Category:Lake Monster Category:Humanoids>Category:Humanoids Category:Australia/Oceania>Category:Australia/Oceania Category:Aquatic-based Cryptid>Category:Aquatic-based Cryptid Category:River Monsters>Category:River Monsters Category:Reptilian Humanoids>Category:Reptilian Humanoids Category:Hairy Humanoids>Category:Hairy Humanoids Category:Cryptid Wiki>Category:Cryptid Wiki Category:Dragons and Dragonoids>Category:Dragons and Dragonoids Category:Reptile>Category:Reptile Category:Reptiles and Amphibians>Category:Reptiles and Amphibians Category:Living fossil>Category:Living fossil Category:Giant cryptid>Category:Giant cryptid Category:Herbivores>Category:Herbivores Category:Mammals>Category:Mammals Category:Marsupials>Category:Marsupials Category:Carnivore>Category:Carnivore Category:Dinosaurs and Pterosaurs>Category:Dinosaurs and Pterosaurs Category:Monotreme>Category:Monotreme Category:Demon>Category:Demon Category:Vehements>Category:Vehements Category:Aquatic-Based Cryptids>Category:Aquatic-Based Cryptids Category:Cryptid wiki>Category:Cryptid wiki Category:Lake monsters>Category:Lake monsters Category:Sea Monsters>Category:Sea Monsters Category:Amphibians>Category:Amphibians Category:Crocodilian>Category:Crocodilian Category:Alligator>Category:Alligator Category:Bovine>Category:Bovine Category:Hippos>Category:Hippos Category:Birds>Category:Birds Category:Seals>Category:Seals Category:Amphibious>Category:Amphibious Category:Swamp Beasts>Category:Swamp Beasts Category:Animalia>Category:Animalia Category:Animals>Category:Animals