Crocotta
The crocotta is a mystical dog-wolf that originated in India and Africa. The crocotta is said to have the body of an extremely large dog, cloven hooves, a horse-like mane, and a tale of a lion. Its fur is orange and with spots or stripes. it is sometimes depicted with large teeth used to crush bones.
Legends of the crocotta can be traced back to the early Roman Empire. Pliny wrote in his Natural History of a combination of dog and wolf and lion. He called it: “the swiftest of all beasts, about the size of an ass, with a stag’s haunches, a lion’s neck, tail and breast, badger’s head, cloven hoof, mouth opening right back to the ears, and ridges of bone in place of rows of teeth—this animal is reported to imitate the voices of human beings.”
The crocotta is said to dwell in the rainforests of India and parts of Africa – specifically Ethiopia. It is believed to hunt humans and dogs. Some stories state it can change color at will to more easily blend into its surroundings and ambush prey. According to stories, the crocotta is sexless and is able to switch between the sexes at will.
The crocotta is considered an intelligent being that can mimic the wails of a dog or a human. It has been said to call out the names of people who wandered into the forest by themselves in order to ambush them.
So what inspired this fearsome beast?
The spotted hyena is believed to have inspired the frightening crocotta. These animals live in North – Northeast Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, all the way into Siberia. These animals would have lived where the stories originated. There are physical similarities between the descriptions of the mythical creature and this animal as well.
Hyenas have powerful teeth and jaw and can digest a wide range of food. They are well-known scavengers, even digging up human remains. Spotted hyenas are also known for their laughing vocalizations that are eerily human.
Local folklore states hyenas are able to switch sex, like the crocotta. While modern science has identified more than 65,000 known cross-sexual species, the hyena is not one. The origin of this story likely comes from the female spotted hyena’s unconventional genitalia. The female’s clitoris extends eight inches and is shaped and positioned like a penis. The female spotted hyena also has no external vaginal opening future confusing those looking at the animal.
This sexual mimicry does not end with physical similarities. Hyena clans are strictly matriarchial, with dominance passing down through female cubs. Adult males are even left to eat last.
Many large carnivores, including lions, have a patriarchal structure. It isn’t hard to hypothesize that those observing these animals would assume these animals followed the same structure.
It is largely believed by researchers that hyenas of different types inspired the myth of the crocotta. The belief is so strong that the spotted hyena has even taken on the myth as the binomial name. It is called the Crocuta crocuta – literally meaning “wild animal of Ethiopia.”
Sources:
Bradford, A. (2016, June 10). Facts about hyenas. LiveScience. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.livescience.com/55037-hyenas.html#:~:text=It%20lives%20in%20north%20and,to%20the%20National%20Wildlife%20Foundation.
Cooke, L. (2019, May 29). Everything you know about hyenas is wrong – these animals are fierce, social and incredibly smart. ideas.ted.com. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://ideas.ted.com/everything-you-know-about-hyenas-is-wrong-these-animals-are-fierce-social-and-incredibly-smart/
Crocotta. Cryptid Wiki. (n.d.). Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Crocotta
Funk, Holger (2010). Hyaena: On the Naming and Localisation of an Enigmatic Animal. GRIN Verlag. pp. 52–54.
Richard. (2022, December 31). What is the Crocotta? Indian Mythology Beast. Mythology Planet. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://mythologyplanet.com/what-is-the-crocotta-indian-mythology-beast/
San Diego Zoo Global Library staff. (n.d.). Libguides: Spotted Hyena (crocuta crocuta) fact sheet: Taxonomy & history. Taxonomy & History – Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) Fact Sheet – LibGuides at International Environment Library Consortium. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://ielc.libguides.com/sdzg/factsheets/spottedhyena/taxonomy-history#:~:text=Crocuta%20an%20uncommonly%20used%20Latin,the%20yellow%20color%20of%20saffron
