“Devil monkey” is a name used in cryptozoology for scattered reports of aggressive, baboon- or kangaroo-like animals in the eastern United States, especially the Appalachian Mountains of south-western Virginia. Witnesses describe an animal three to eight feet tall, with a dog- or monkey-like face, pointed ears, dark fur with a white throat and belly, a long tail and powerful hind legs, sometimes leaping or running on two legs. The reports are few and widely scattered, and many are known only through retellings, so the label probably covers several different things.[1][2]
| Type | Reported large, aggressive primate- or kangaroo-like animal |
|---|---|
| Region | Eastern United States, especially the Appalachians of Virginia |
| Typical description | 3–8 ft tall, baboon-like face, pointed ears, dark fur with white throat and belly, long tail, long hind legs |
| Best-known reports | Saltville, Virginia (1959 and after); Tazewell–Marion road (1973); Roanoke area (late 1990s) |
| Key compilation | Chad Arment, “Virginia Devil Monkey Reports,” North American BioFortean Review (2000) |
| Physical evidence | None confirmed |
| Likely explanations | Feral dogs, escaped exotic animals, misidentified wildlife |
The Saltville reports
The best-known stories come from Saltville, in Smyth County, Virginia. According to accounts collected by researchers decades later, in 1959 a couple named Boyd were driving near Saltville when an animal with light, taffy-colored hair and a white blaze on its throat and underbelly, running on its hind legs, kept pace with their car and struck it, leaving three long scratches through the paint to the bare metal. Some time later, two nurses driving home near Saltville said a similar animal leaped at their convertible and tore its top. Dogs brought in to track the creature reportedly refused to follow its trail.[1][2][3]
These stories were gathered and published by cryptozoology writers rather than reported in contemporary newspapers, as far as we have been able to find, and dates and names vary between retellings.
Other reports
- 1973, south-western Virginia. A man driving between Tazewell and Marion said that a creature swiped at his arm as he rested it on the open window.[2]
- 1997, Ohio. A woman named Debbie Cross reported a monkey-like animal three to four feet tall with long arms.[2]
- Late 1990s, near Roanoke, Virginia. A woman driving at night reported a black animal about six feet tall when standing, with pointed ears, a monkey-like head and a long thin tail, that crossed the road in a single enormous leap. A wildlife official suggested a feral dog or wolf-dog hybrid.[4]
- 2001, Danville, New Hampshire. A local fire chief and others reported a large, dark, woolly-haired animal; search parties found nothing.[2]
- 2006 and later. Further reports include a creature confronting a family dog, and sightings in Goochland County, Virginia (2010 and 2014) and West Virginia (2010).[2][4]
Some writers also link the devil monkey to reports of livestock, dog and cat killings in Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky in the 1930s.[2]
Is it one animal?
Writers who collect devil monkey reports note that the term is used loosely. Some witnesses describe something like a baboon, some a kangaroo, some a lemur, some a large black cat or dog. Heights range from three to eight feet, and some reports include a tail while others do not.[2][4] This variety is a strong hint that several different kinds of sightings have been gathered under one label.
Possible explanations
- Feral dogs and wolf-dog hybrids. Large dogs that rear up, run or leap can look very strange in headlights, and many reports involve brief glimpses from moving cars at night.
- Escaped exotic animals. Baboons, monkeys and wallabies are kept privately in the United States and sometimes escape. An escaped baboon would match several descriptions closely, including the white-chested, dog-faced form, and a wallaby would explain the kangaroo-like leaping.[2]
- Mangy or unusual wildlife. Coyotes, foxes and bears with mange can look thin, hairless and long-limbed.
- Storytelling. Without dates, names or records, some of the best-known stories may be local legends that have grown in the retelling.
North America has no native monkeys or apes, and no body, bone or clear photograph of a large wild primate has ever been found in Appalachia. For other reported primates, see Bigfoot and the Skunk Ape.
References
- “Terrifying tales of actual monster attacks,” Grunge.
- Denver Michaels, “Devil Monkeys,” blog post (1 October 2024), citing Chad Arment (2000), Rob Morphy (Cryptopia, 2010) and others.
- Chad Arment, “Virginia Devil Monkey Reports,” North American BioFortean Review 2, no. 1 (2000).
- Lon Strickler, “Devil Monkeys? Misidentification or Real Anomalous Creatures?”, Phantoms & Monsters (26 January 2024). Repost.
Correction note (October 2026): This entry was rewritten from available sources. An earlier version stated that reports dated to the early twentieth century and described abilities without sources; these claims have been removed. The illustration above is an artistic impression.