This Alaska Legend Will Send Chills Down Your Spine

Alaska's sea otter population was completely decimated during the 19th century due to the fur trade, but it was reintroduced in the 1960s. Today, the state has a population of around 26,000 of these playful creatures.

Unfortunately despite the efforts to repopulate the sea otter population, including bans on hunting them, the animals are still considered endangered.

These shape-shifting otters are called "Kushtaka" or "Kooshdakhaa." The legend goes like this:

As you're walking through your village, or hunting in woods or fishing in the sea, a man or group of men approach you. These men look just like kinsmen, and you don't have a clue that they're really the Kushtaka. In some cases, these malevolent creatures appear when you're lost or injured, and claim that they intend to rescue you. However, they lead you deeper into the wilderness and either tear you into pieces, or turn you into a Kushtaka, which prevents your soul from being able to reincarnate. Pretty terrifying. You definitely don't want to come across a Kushtaka in Alaska at night. We can see where some trust issues might develop from this legend.

The very cuteness of otters is what makes the Alaska Kushtaka so dangerous, according to the Tlingit people. Because we're so drawn to their playful nature, it's easy to miss the fact that these shape-shifters really want to consume our souls and condemn us to spend eternity wandering the frozen tundra.

The Kushtaka are supposedly terrified of dogs. Luckily, Alaska has plenty of furry, fearsome sled dogs to keep its villages safe from harm. It's said that fire might be another effective way to keep the shape-shifting otters away.

Alaskan mothers are fond of this legend, and tell it to their children to keep them from wandering too far from home. Have you ever heard of this spine-tingling tale?