Succarath

An illustration of the succarath from Thevet's work

The succarath (also spelt succurath) or su was a cryptid reported from southern Patagonia from the Fifteenth Century, connected with living ground sloths like those explicitly reported from Patagonia by some authors.

Etymology

André Thevet, who first described the animal, wrote that "su" means water in a Patagonian language. George Eberhart writes that the name comes from the Tehuelche su (“cloak”) and carrath (“skin”).

Description

Jesuit priest Pedro Lozano described the succarath as

“

...a hideous figure, at first sight it seems to have the face of a lion or even that of a man, because from its ears grows a beard with hair that is not too long; its body narrows towards the rear, its front end is very large; its tail is long and very hairy, and with it, it hides its pups that it places on its back. This does not prevent it from running swiftly away. It is carnivorous and is hunted by the local natives, who are interested in its fur, because, being of a cold climate; they protect themselves from the weather with it. The usual way of hunting them is to dig a deep hole which they cover with branches; the unwary beast falls into it with its brood and seeing no way out, either out of generosity or anger, tears them apart with its claws, so that they do not fall into the hands of men; roaring at the same time, to terrify its hunters, who coming close to the mouth of the pit, pierce the beast with their arrows.

”

The succarath (centre left) alongside some other South American animals including a Patagonian unicorn in the far background.

It was also said to live near riverbanks. Thevet wrote that the Tehuelche wore the skins of succarath. Ambroise Paré "stressed its tender love towards its pups". Edward Topsell wrote in The History of Four-footed Beasts and Serpents (1697) that the succarath was “cruel, untamable, violent, ravening, and bloudy”. Father Guevara in 1764 described the succarath's "horrifying roars". Another author describes it taking its young to fields of flowers to play with and perfume them.^{[primary source needed]}

Theories

Both Florentino Ameghino and Bernard Heuvelmans connected the succarath with giant ground sloths, which Dale A. Drinnon notes are likely to have carried their young on their backs. Other possibilities include otters, jaguars, or a Patagonian species of giant anteater.