Rumors of Strange Creatures Abound in Basrah

Sightings Spread Horror, Conpiracy Theories Among Locals

By ZEYAD KASIM

For over a month now, people in Basrah have been circulating rumors about a "strange," bear-like deadly creature that attacks people at night with its strong claws. Locals in rural areas around Basrah
claim it has killed three people and injured six others, and that it usually pounces on its victims as they are sleeping outdoors during hot summer nights, when electric power outages are common. Farmers
at Garmat Ali, Abu Skheer, Jisr and Shikhatta were so alarmed, they assigned guarding duties at night to prevent its attacks, the Nahrain website and Radio Sawa reported last week.

Eventually, several animals were caught or killed – up to 28, locals claimed – and cell phone videos of them were published on Iraqi websites and forums. The dead creatures look like honey badgers,
compact but vicious omnivores that typically consume insects and small animals. Honey badgers are more prevalent in Iran--their presence in Iraq dwindled after the destruction of the salt marsh habitat in the south.

Residents of Garmat Ali, north west of Basrah, hanged one of the killed badgers on the Garma bridge that connects the southern city to the main Baghdad-Basrah highway, according to Mudhar Nazar, a
resident interviewed by the pan-Arab Al-Hayat daily. "It looks like a dog, but its head looks like that of a bear," said Nazar. "It has short hands and 15-cm-long claws, long hair, a penis like a man's, and it only moves around at night."