A drawing of the Jersey Devil
The Jersey Devil is a legendary creature or cryptid said to inhabit the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey, United States. Sightings of the beast has been reported since the 1700's.
In the 1700's there was a family living in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, the mother Mrs. Leeds was about to give birth to her 13th child. As the number 13 was seen as very unlucky she prayed that her child be a devil. When her baby was born, she appeared to have given birth to healthy baby blue eyed boy, but very quickly her baby transformed into a devil like creature with hoof like feet and strange wings, the beast then flew out of the house and would haunt the area for years.
Today sightings continue, the beast sometimes attacks people. Some say the Jersey Devil may be a Hammerhead bat that snuck aboard a fruit ship from Africa to America, although the Hammerhead bat and Jersey Devil share some features it is very unlikely that the Jersey Devil could be a bat, as Hammerhead bats can't survive the winter and very cold weather, the Jersey Devil can survive and is much larger in appearance with enough strength to injure its victims.
Who or what the Jersey Devil is may always be a mystery.