Jersey Devil
Leeds Devil · The Thirteenth Child
Diabolus pinnipedibus (colloquial)
Evidence Level
Tier 2/5 — Physical Traces
Overview
A flying creature said to inhabit the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey. Described as having a horse-like head, bat wings, cloven hooves, and a forked tail. Folklore ties it to Jane Leeds, a 18th-century woman said to have cursed her 13th child.
Physical Characteristics
Height 3–4 ft, horse-shaped head, long neck, membranous bat wings (~6 ft span), cloven hooves, forked tail. Emits a distinctive blood-curdling shriek.
📍 Habitat & Region
Pine Barrens, New Jersey, USA · US
Pine Barrens (over 1 million acres of dense forest and wetland in southern New Jersey)
Notable Events
Jane Leeds allegedly curses her 13th child — origin legend
The "week of the Jersey Devil" — thousands report sightings across South Jersey
Gibbsboro, NJ: three boys claim to have been attacked by the creature
Viral photo circulates on social media, later identified as a misidentified animal