The Tshenkutshen is a feline-like cryptid that is reported to live in the forests of Ecuador. Although not a lot is known about this incredibly elusive creature it is described as having distinctive red, yellow, and white stripes that run across its chest which is why it is sometimes called the “Rainbow Tiger”.
| Cryptid Name: | Tshenkutshen |
| Location: | Ecuador  |
| Category: | Feline Cryptid. |
| Description: | Large, tree-dwelling feline with a black or white speckled coat, as well as stripes of red, yellow, and white across its chest. |
| Size: | Unknown, but said to be larger than a jaguar. |
| Behavior/Characteristics: | Extremely dangerous and aggressive, and can leap from tree to tree with ease. |
| Diet: | Unknown, but thought to prey on small mammals and birds. |
| Habitat/Environment: | Forests of Ecuador. |
| Evidence: | Only anecdotal evidence, such as eyewitness sightings and footprints. |
| Sightings and Encounters: | There have been a few reported sightings of the tshenkutshen, but none of these sightings have been verified. |
| Skepticism/Explanations: | Some people believe that the tshenkutshen is a real animal that has not yet been scientifically identified. Others believe that reports are based on misidentifications of other animals, such as jaguars or ocelots. |
What Does The Tshenkutshen Look Like?
The Tshenkutshen is described as having a multicolored pattern of red, yellow, and white fur on its chest which makes it quite distinct from other felines in the area. The rest of its coat is described as being a whitish color with black spots or rosettes. What makes the Tshenkutshen stand out is that many describe it as having monkey-like hands or claws that it uses to move effortlessly through the trees.
Eyewitness Sightings Of The Tshenkutshen
In 1999, Ángel Morán Forés conducted a cryptozoology field investigation focused on unidentified mammals in remote areas of Ecuador. He worked closely with local tribes in his research which included the Shuar tribe who live in the Amazon basin between Ecuador and Peru. During interviews with local hunters, he heard reports of large unidentified felines that were very elusive and rarely seen.
Based on the reports, these cat-like cryptids were described as big dark feline animals about the size of a jaguar or slightly smaller. They had multicolored stripes on their chest and were exceptional climbers. They moved quickly through the trees and could leap effortlessly from tree to tree with the locals saying they had clawed paws like those of a monkey. The hunters that Morán interviewed considered them to be the most dangerous animals in the jungle.
Forés learned that in 1959 a settler had killed a Tshenkutshen near the Abanico River. The settler was walking through the jungle when he saw a strange animal leaping from tree to tree. He was afraid so he shot the creature and realized that although it was a jaguar-sized cat, it was very unique. He reported that it looked like a whitish-colored jaguar with black spots. He also noted the multicolored stripes on its chest and the creature had flat palms similar to those that monkeys have. He also noted that the creature’s legs were very muscular and powerful.
During Forés’ interviews with the local tribes, he was told that you can still find the Tshenkutshen in the deepest parts of the forest. He noted that none of the hunters described these animals with ghostly, mythical, or supernatural features but rather spoke about them just like any other animal in the forest.
In 1998, a writer by the name of Joe Kane heard reports of a similar creature in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve that the local Cofan people called a “howler monkey tiger”. According to the locals, this feline cryptid had monkey-like hands and while they didn’t specifically mention the Tshenkutshen by name, their descriptions align with the descriptions given by other indigenous people who had encountered the animal in Forés’ interviews.
