Location: Little Egg, New Jersey. Edge of the pine barrens.

Possible Cryptid: Phantom Kangaroo

Witnesses: 10+

Reporter info: Name and email given but wishes to remain anonymous.

User described details of sighting: “Hello! Thank you for this site!  I’ve lived here in NJ on the edge of the barrens for years now. Everyone I know has become terrified of these woods - one by one- sometimes in a group! - we have all been stalked through the woods at night and seen things that don’t make any sense. I’ll share my friend Amy’s story with you as I believe it relates to sightings of Cryptid kangaroos. One night, about 15 or so of my friends were gathered for a party in Little Egg - late into the evening they decided to take a woods walk as there’s not much entertainment in the area (this is a pretty common event when friends gather), so off they go behind my friend’s house into the pines. The night was dark and soon my friends reached an old sand pit (a depressed area creating a sunken bowl like effect) which is hardly worth noting in a less flat landscape! While they gathered there, suddenly everyone heard a moaning sound that was very disturbing and frightening.  Amy said she looked up to the source of the sound, some 15 ft above on the edge of the sand pit, and saw what she described as a “tyrannosaurus rex” covered with curly grey fur!  At this point they all ran and nothing further was seen.

I asked her for details and she said she never saw the head as she decided pretty quickly to just run! She based her ‘tyrannosaurus’ description on the animal’s very short upper arms and larger bent legs. This reminded me of a kangaroo and I thought it might be related to other sightings.”

Thank you so much for reporting your sighting! From how it sounds, the animal in question could have very well been a Phantom Kangaroo. The mention of the short upper arms and bent legs do bring to mind an image of the well known marsupial. Sadly, no mention of a large tail and no description of the head could lead some to believe in other theories as to what this creature might be. Pareidolia could be used by some to explain the sighting but the sighting of “curly hair” on the creature gives enough credibility to the fact that the witness was looking at an actual creature of some sort and not just a trick of the eyes. Also, kangaroos do make a variety of noises that, if you have never heard them before, would be extremely unsettling to hear while deep in the dark forest at night.

Is it out of the realm of possibility that a Kangaroo could be spotted in the pine barrens? Not at all. The barrens have long been known for their overall creepiness and paranormal/cryptozoological happenings. For many years people have talked about encountering/witnessing/experiencing everything from spirit activity to Jersey Devil close calls and Bigfoot sightings. The mysterious Blue Hole is located within these pines as well as a supposed portal or gateway to another dimension. So we believe that a Phantom Kangaroo would fit in nicely.

-The Pine Barrens Institute

If you have a sighting to share or a piece of folklore to tell, make sure to get in touch and let us know! Remember: It’s your story, so why not share it in your own words!