Gazeka

The Gazeka, also called the Papua Devil Pig, is a cryptid from early 20th-century colonial anecdotes in Papua New Guinea, reportedly a large, tusked animal seen in dense highland jungles. Descriptions vary wildly—some portray it as a shaggy, bear-like beast with a long snout, while others insist it resembles a gigantic, aggressive hog. It was first popularized by missionaries and explorers who claimed locals spoke of a dangerous creature that destroyed crops and attacked solitary hunters. Modern interpretations suggest misidentifications of feral pigs or perhaps exaggerations of run-ins with cassowaries, large flightless birds notorious for their aggression. Despite scant evidence, the Gazeka lives on in cryptozoology writings as a symbol of how unfamiliar terrain and cultural misunderstandings can quickly blossom into monstrous legends.