Tygomelia

On November 22, 1870, one of the most incredible of putative crypto-crossbreeds made its media debut in an Ottawa Times newspaper article after which it vanished from the headlines as swiftly as it had entered them: ‘Sir John E. Packenham, an officer in the English army, who has been spending the last year in Her Majesty’s northern provinces, arrived at Fort Buford [in North Dakota] with an animal of rare beauty, and never before caught on this continent, nor has it been known till late years that the species existed in this country. It is of the same family as the giraffe, or camelopard, of Africa, and is known to naturalists as the tygomelia. They are known to inhabit the high table lands of Cashmere and Hindoo Kush, but are more frequently seen on the high peaks of the Himalaya Mountains.

Tygomelia

‘The animal was taken when quite young, and is thoroughly domesticated, and follow its keeper like a dog. It is only four months old, and ordinarily stands about five feet high, but is capable of raising its head two feet, which makes the animal seven feet when standing erect. It is of a dark brown mouse color, large projecting eyes, with slight indications of horns growing out.

'The wonderful animal was caught north of Lake Athabasca, on the water of the McKenzie’s River. It has a craw similar to the pelican, by which means it can carry subsistence for several days. It was very fleet, being able to outfoot the fastest horse in the country. The black dapper spots on the rich brown color make it one of the most beautiful animals in existence, more beautiful than the leopard of the Chinese jungle.

‘Sir John did not consider it safe to transport this pet by water down the Mississippi River, fearing the uncertain navigation and the great change of climate from the Manitoba to the sunny south. He has, therefore, wisely concluded to go by way of St Paul, Minnesota. The commander of Fort Buford furnishes him with an escort for the trip. He will then proceed through Canada to Montreal, where he will ship his cargo to England.’

In reality, no such beast is known from India or North America (or indeed from anywhere else). Moreover, the only plausible suggestion regarding its identity that has been offered to date (always assuming of course, that the report was not a journalistic spoof) is one suggested by Edmonton-based crypto-investigator Kevin Stewart. Namely, that this ‘Tygomelia’ was a young, freakishly-mottled moose (such specimens have occasionally been documented in the wild). But with no images or further accounts of it known to exist, there is little likelihood that we shall never know for sure.

Sources:
Paranormal Magazine January 2011: “Forgotten Cryptids” Part One written by Karl P N Shuker PhD;
http://karlshuker.blogspot.com/2011/02/never-tangle-with-tygomelia-or-tango.html

Pic Source:
http://karlshuker.blogspot.com/2011/02/never-tangle-with-tygomelia-or-tango.html