Encounter Atlas
Kóoshdaa káa, often written kushtaka, means 'land otter man' in Tlingit. In Tlingit belief it is a being that can take human or otter form, linked to people lost at sea or in the woods. It is part of a living culture, and this entry does not retell traditional stories.
Outside Tlingit communities, the kushtaka has become a popular monster in Alaskan horror fiction, TV shows and online stories, where it is described as luring people to rivers with the sound of a crying baby or a woman's scream. Similar beings appear in the traditions of other Alaska Native and Northwest Coast peoples.
A well-known non-Native tale by Harry Colp, about miners at Thomas Bay near Petersburg, describes hairy, man-like creatures that some later writers identify as kushtaka.
What witnesses report
- In modern stories: a crying baby or scream near water
- An otter-like figure on land
- A three-part whistle
Famous cases
Seen the Kushtaka?
Tell us what happened. Every report is read by a person before it goes on the map, and you can stay anonymous.
