Cryptids such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and Mothman, are all urban legends, likely passed down by word of mouth or questionable “evidence” posted in obscure online forums. However, some very real creatures were once labeled mythical back in the day because no one had ever seen them before, which is exactly what happened to kangaroos in the 1700s.
The first kangaroo sighting occurred when British explorers made their way to Australia for the first time in 1770. Given Australia’s unique biodiversity, it’s no surprise that Captain James Cook, who led the expedition, was shocked and confused by all the different animals he came across.
According to The Telegraph, Cook and his crew were stranded in modern-day Queensland for six weeks after their ship, the Endeavor, suffered damage from hitting a reef. While there, naturalist Joseph Banks and illustrator Sydney Parkinson were able to study and take note of many different animal species previously unknown to the Western world. In total, the two made 680 sketches and 280 finished drawings during their stay.
As the crew explored more and more of the island, stories began circulating through the ranks that there was a dog-like creature roaming around with legs like a rabbit and two heads. Soon, the sightings increased, and the kangaroo took on the aura of a mythical creature. Banks even got a chance to see one himself one day, which, according to The Telegraph, he described by saying:
In gathering plants today, I myself had the good fortune to see the beast so much talkd of, tho but imperfectly; he was only like a greyhound in size and running but had a long tail, as long as any greyhounds; what to liken him to I could not tell, nothing certainly that I have seen at all resembles him.
Though Banks got a chance to gaze upon the mysterious kangaroo, Parkinson apparently didn’t. Instead, he had to go by what other people told him to make his sketch. This is what he came up with:
National Museum of Australia
As you can see, he did a pretty good job of it despite never seeing one himself. His drawing is a bit more mouse-like than a real kangaroo, but the general concept is there. Though there was reportedly another, earlier sighting of the kangaroo, Cook’s crew is often credited with the discovery. So much so, that there is a plaque that honors the discovery, which features a statue of Parkinson’s drawing with an inscription that reads, “Observed, Amazed, Described, Sketched, Shot, Eaten And Named Kangaroo!”
As more and more people came to Australia and more studies of the creature carried out, people came to quickly realize that the kangaroo was not, in fact, a mythical creature—just a strange one.
Background image: Courtney Rhodes
