(Not to be confused with La Vaca Marina, a demonic folkloric being)
Manatee festing on land can be confused with a cow coming from the water.
The so-called Chilean Manatee, also referred to as the Patagonian Manatee, is a cryptid aquatic animal reported multiple times throughout Chile's history. While it shares similarities with known species like manatees and dugongs, its presence in Chile remains controversial and unconfirmed.
Historical Accounts[]
One of the earliest written records comes from Byron J., in a book dated 1774 (reproduced in a 1996 publication), who wrote:
“Sometimes certain animals appear in the seas of Arauco, in the region of that name in Chile, between Chiloé and the Biobío River, that the locals call sometimes sea bulls, sometimes sea cows. I have not been able to ascertain whether they are manatees or dugongs, or if they belong to some other genus. Nevertheless, I am inclined to believe, based on the vague descriptions I’ve acquired, that they are manatees or dugongs.”
Byron further notes that the first Spanish settlers on the Juan Fernández Islands caught and consumed large quantities of these creatures. However, their presence caused so much damage—presumably to boats or settlements—that the Spaniards eventually abandoned the area. In another account, Byron describes a sighting in the Chonos Archipelago, where witnesses reported a creature with:
“an appearance like that of a man swimming half out of the water.”
This echoes classic descriptions of sirens or mermaids, which may have helped fuel myths of marine humanoids in the region.
Folklore Connection: Vaca Marina and Aquatic Cattle[]
El camahueto another aquatic cattle from chilote folklore.
It's important to distinguish these alleged manatees from the folkloric "Vaca Marina", a demonic sea creature found in Chilean myth. However, the overlap in terminology—"vaca" (cow) and "vaca marina" (sea cow)—may have caused cultural blending between Spanish colonial terms and indigenous beliefs. Stories of sea cattle or aquatic beasts exist across Chiloé and Mapuche traditions, and the European idea of manatees or sea cows likely merged with native mythologies, producing new legends.
Paleontological Evidence[]
Interestingly, there is fossil evidence supporting the existence of manatee-like animals in prehistoric Chile:
- Steller's Sea Cow, a now-extinct sirenian, once lived in cold Pacific waters.
- Fossils of manatees and similar marine herbivores have been discovered in Bahía Inglesa, dating back to the Miocene epoch.
This raises the possibility that descendants or relic populations may have survived longer than previously thought—fueling modern sightings.
References:[]
- Giovanni Bianucci, Silvia Sorbia, Mario E. Suárez and Walter Landinia. The southernmost sirenian record in the eastern Pacific Ocean, from the Late Miocene of Chile. C. R. Palevol 5 (2006)
- Byron J., (1996). Naufragio en las costas patagónicas. Buenos Aires: Ediciones del Sol. pp. 63.