Cryptid Vault
Huallepen

Huallepen

Also known as: Waillepen, Huallpen

A cow-headed amphibian haunts Chilean marshes, and seeing one means birth defects for the unborn.

First Reported

Pre-colonial Mapuche tradition

Origin Area

Southern Chile marshlands

Size

Sheep-sized, roughly 4-5 feet long

Temperament

Non-aggressive but feared as an omen

Status

Folklore

Folklore onlyMedium DangerSouth AmericaSwampRiver

The Lore

The Huallepen is a bizarre amphibious creature from Mapuche mythology found in southern Chile. It has the body of a sheep and the head of a calf, with twisted legs that allow it to move through marshes. Pregnant women were warned never to look at a Huallepen, as the sight was said to cause deformities in their children. Its agonized bellowing at night was considered a terrible omen.

Body Type

Giant mammal

Folklore Origin

Indigenous tradition

Similar Real Animals

South American tapirCapybara