When Asa was a puppy, he was convinced that he’d grow up to be a Dire Wolf. No surprise, he didn’t. What is a surprise is we recently learned that a Dire Wolf may have been found in Maine not so long ago. Now I’m not referring to the Dire Wolf craze from a few years ago where dogs resembling the legendary beast grew in popularity thanks to the show Game of Thrones. Rather, according to an episode of the TV show Monster Quest, possibly an actual Dire Wolf was discovered in Maine in 2006!
In case you’re not familiar with the species, Dire Wolves were a prehistoric ancestor to the modern day wolf, and one of the fiercest carnivores in North America. However, based on the fossil evidence, they last roamed the forests approximately 9,500 years ago. Fast forward though to August 12, 2006, in Turner, Maine when a woman found a strange looking deceased dog on the side of the road, and the legend of the “Maine Mystery Beast” began!
According to some residents of Androscoggin County, for years their community had been terrorized by a mysterious animal with chilling monstrous cries and eyes that glowed in the dark. Rumors circulated that it killed pets and livestock, and some even went as far as to suggest it drained them of their blood. Eyewitnesses claimed, it was “an evil-looking thing,” with a “horrible stench.” So needless to say, some residents of this quiet Maine town weren’t surprised in the least, when this person came forward with photos of the beast.
The local newspaper, The Sun Journal, ran the photos, showing a creature with bluish-gray fur, a short snout, big eyes, “mangled ears,” with “curled fangs hanging over its lips,” and an “unusually bushy tail.” Those familiar with the local wildlife claimed it was just an unusual looking dog, others guessed perhaps it was a deformed coyote, and some speculated it was a hybrid between a dog and a wolf. However, those with a more vivid imagination knew it had to be a Dire Wolf!
Soon reporters from as nearby as Portland, to as far away as Germany, flocked to Turner to share the story of the “Maine Mystery Beast!” That is until after analyzing the DNA the University of Maine determined that the animal’s mother was from the Canis family. While the father’s genetic link, although not absolutely certain, was most likely also a Canis. Hence making the creature a dog, or at best a wolf-dog hybrid. Once that revelation came out, the reporters and paranormal enthusiasts scattered to the far corners of the planet in search of other strange creatures.
Were the DNA results just some ploy to get the reporters from away to leave town? Was a Dire Wolf actually terrorizing the residents of Androscoggin County? You can judge for yourself! The paw of this mysterious creature is preserved in a jar at the International Cryptozoology Museum, “the world’s only cryptozoology museum,” in Portland, Maine. Also be sure to join us on Tuesdays throughout the month of October as we share more weird, mysterious, and supernatural stories about Maine!
My apologies for not sharing the actual photos of the “Maine Mystery Beast.” While watching Monster Quest our Maine Dire Wolf fainted at the sight of the skull of an actual Dire Wolf. I didn’t want to risk Asa having another spell while reading this post.
Instead we’ll leave you with this cute photo of Asa, from 2015, when he optimistically declared that he would someday grow up to be a Dire Wolf.
