I just wanted to start a topic about this little known, but interesting cryptid, the Shunka Warakin. The Shunka Warakin is said to be a large wolf-like creature that roams the great plains of the US. It back legs are shorter than its front legs, which gives it a hyena like appearance. One was shot around 1900 and mounted in a museum somewhere up in Montana. There is a picture of it, which I will provide a link for. The picture does not resemble a wolf, in my opinion. Some cryptozoologists theorize that the Shunka Warakin may be a relict population of supposedly extinct American Hyenas, or perhaps even a surviving creodont!

Have any of you heard of this fascinating creature? Have you heard any recent rumors of its existence (sightings, photos, etc)? If so, where? I want to know more! As I live in eastern Kansas, I plan to spend some time looking for this creature sometime in the next few years.

Some info: ( this sight has a picture of the mounted specimen-notice how it does not appear to be a wolf)
http://www.angelfire.com/mt2/mr-myotis0/cr...ora.canids.html
http://www.newanimal.org/amhyena.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shunka_warakin

Info on creodonts, a possible candidate for the shunka warakin:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creodont


So again, if you have anymore info on this beast, please share! Also share your thoughts on what it might be, whether it exists or not, and anything that comes to your mind regarding this creature!

ahhh Ive seen this pic round a few times of this animal n each time it still just looks like a wild bore to me, one that wasnt in a very good condition at time of death or the taxidermy's work hasn't been done too well.
We had a lot of old taxidermied animals in art class given to us from the museum they where old n loosing hair n things in places which makes me think of this animal.
I dunno it has a few odd characteristics but it still looks like a bore to me.

I'm not sure what it is but when you find it can you tell me how intelligent it is

A boar? I don't know man, I see a canid of some type, but hey, everyone sees things a little differently! Thanks for your thoughts!

I'd have to agree with prokofiev. It does resemble a boar, with the tusks removed.

That's actually interesting. Refreshing in a topic usually filled with werewolf and Nessie sightings.
Are there any reports of more recent sightings? The northwest can be pretty remote, but I imagine it's not likely that there are any beasts out there that have not been seen in recent years. I think any new species would be very similar to existing species, and just not recognized as new critters.

I do not know about the hyena identification of this thing. Yes it has the longer front legs an subsequent sloping back of a typical hyena but the head is in no way similar to a hyena. Hyena jaws are designed to crush bones. They scavenge mostly and have to take what they can find, which is usually little more than bones. This animal has the jaws of a rooter. I think a better name for this would be a 'rodent dog'. That muzzle looks adapted for getting into prairie dog holes and such. I wouldn't classify this a s a dog though. Overall it is very un-doglike. A relative of racoon or opossum maybe. But looks can be decieving.

This is my first time hearing about this creature and it's very interesting. Are you guys sure it's a boar? Since boars don't have longer front legs, I was thinking it couldn't be a boar. Maybe it's a hyena someone illegally brought over from Africa?

is the Shunka Warakin a dire wolf maybe or a pre-historic parent of the modern wolf. it doesnt look like a hyena to me

I was thinking the same thing (dire wolf)

Sorry about the double post but I did some diggn' and found a picture of the one that was mounted at the museum at Henry Lake in Idaho ( no one knows where it is now!)

haha I guess I should have scrolled a little further down the stroy huh! I'm going to bed

That looks a lot like this, a dire wolf:

You think?
I thought it looked like a canine head on a pig body.

Notice the front legs, the joint is near the body on the Dire Wolf, it is halfway up the specimens leg, more like a pig. The difference with the rear legs, quite a different shape and far too slight to the body by comparison.
The hair looks very coarse, much more like pig hair then canine pelt. The body also seems rather stout for a canine.

Have a look at This Link of a wild pig for comparison. The body looks quite similar.

why does the stupid pic not show its feet

Mind you we are relying on an accurate job being done by the taxidermist but am I the only one that thinks this thing just doesn't look right? The back legs don't seem to match the body structure. The head looks weird to me. I just don't know. I'm not sure how this critter would work if it really was real. I'm looking at it and the mechanics seem off....

Its possible its something weird, a one of a kind mutation or a member of a rarer than rare species but until someone finds the actual mount, we will never know. For now Im leaning towards a botched taxidermy job on a known creature or something cobbled together for a good story/joke.

Kevin A.

That's what I was thinking. There's not much you can tell without looking at the feet. The bigger picture surely looks more wolf-like, the smaller looked like a warthog.

Hey, wasn't there a weird creature caught on camera a little while back that kind of matches this description? On someone's farm, and it hung around for a bit, drank from their water trough and stuff. Probably pics of it under "chupacabra" or something ridiculous like that.