A frightening encounter in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, recounts a university professor returning from an evening run who noticed a strange figure moving through a eucalyptus plantation beside a shortcut trail. What first appeared to be a horse soon took on a far more disturbing form, something massive, muscular, fur-covered, and disturbingly human-like.

CASE FILE:

Date: Not given.

Time: Approximately 7:30 PM, after dusk.

Location: State of São Paulo, Brazil.

Setting: Shortcut trail near a university sports club, beside a eucalyptus plantation.

Witness: Adult male, university professor.

Reported By: HG, witness’s child.

Phenomenon: Human-like canine or “Lycan” entity.

Environmental Conditions: Dusk fading into night, full moon visible, low light, wooded eucalyptus plantation.

WITNESS REPORT

“My father likes to go to the sports club at the local university where he teaches. He uses the facility to run and exercise. It is a large athletic area with swimming pools, soccer fields, basketball courts, and other recreational spaces. He still goes there every now and then.

The sports club is located near the exit toward the next town, close to where we live in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. My father usually walks there and takes a shortcut trail that climbs up a ravine and runs past a large eucalyptus plantation. By using this shortcut, he avoids walking another half kilometer uphill to the main entrance. Many people use this path, including local employees.

One day, he went out for a run later than usual, around 6:30 PM. About an hour later, the sun had already gone down, and there were only a few minutes of daylight left. He was exhausted and decided to return by the same shortcut he always used. He did not think it would be much of a problem because the full moon was already high in the sky.

When he reached the edge of the woods, he noticed a figure standing among the eucalyptus trees. At first, it looked like a horse inside the plantation. He ignored it and kept walking, wondering whether he should tell someone. There are farms in the area, and some local farmers own horses, so it did not seem impossible.

As he continued along the trail, he began to feel uneasy, as if he was being watched. The feeling grew stronger with every step. After a short distance, he realized that the “horse” seemed to be walking alongside him from inside the trees.

He looked again and saw that the figure was now behind a tree. That struck him as strange. Why would a horse be hiding? Even more unsettling, it appeared to be standing in a way that kept the tree between them, as if it was deliberately using the trunk for cover.

He tried to shake off the feeling and kept moving down the trail. He was already about halfway down when the fear became much more intense. He looked again toward the figure, and as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see it more clearly.

It no longer looked like a horse.

He saw the animal jump from behind one tree to another. The way it moved made it look like a very tall and powerful person. My father stopped in shock and stared at it. It remained behind the tree, partially hidden. He noticed something swinging from it. What he had first thought was a horse’s tail now looked more like the lower part of a long coat worn by a man. The darkness and the shadows of the branches made it difficult to understand exactly what he was seeing.

He decided to ignore it and continue, telling himself that maybe his imagination was getting the better of him. But there was a problem. At the end of the trail, the path he was on and the animal's direction would eventually cross.

That realization made him panic. He decided to turn back toward the field and take the avenue instead. As he started walking back, he kept his eyes on the figure. For a moment, he even wondered if it might be a friend trying to scare him.

As he moved back toward the sports field, where the lights were now on, he could see the silhouette better. It was a massive, muscular thing with a hunched back. It appeared to be covered in thick fur and to have pointed ears.

He stopped in disbelief.

The creature continued moving toward him, no longer seeming as concerned about hiding. That was when his blood ran cold. The animal was approaching from the side, as if it was trying to cut him off or trap him.

My father tried not to run. He did not want to attract attention or appear like prey, so he fast-walked back toward the field, putting distance between himself and the trail. Then he took one last look.

The creature was still there. It was crouched low in the bushes on all fours, like a gorilla. It looked like a huge human dog.

When they were about 100 meters apart, my father finally ran toward the main entrance on the avenue. He was relieved when he realized the animal had not followed him. He returned home by the avenue, still on high alert and terrified by what had happened.

Now, every time he goes there, he makes sure he does not stay past dusk.” HG

COMMENTARY

This account is notable because of the gradual shift in the witness’s perception. The figure initially appeared to be a horse, which may suggest either low-light misidentification or a phenomenon that used partial concealment, distance, and expectation to mask its form. The witness’s interpretation changed only after the figure began moving in a way that did not match a horse, especially when it appeared to jump or shift from one tree to another with the strength and posture of a tall human.

The most disturbing part of the report is the apparent intelligence behind the behavior. The figure seemed to parallel the witness from inside the plantation, use trees for cover, and move toward a crossing point where the two paths would meet. This gives the encounter a stalking pattern rather than a random wildlife sighting.

The description also overlaps with traditional Brazilian werewolf folklore, particularly the Lobisomem, a man-wolf figure known throughout Brazil and other parts of South America. The witness’s description of a massive, fur-covered, hunched, pointed-eared, human-canine form fits the broad imagery associated with these traditions. The full-moon detail is also worth noting, although folklore varies by region and does not always require a full-moon transformation.

The eucalyptus plantation setting adds another layer to the case. São Paulo has extensive planted forest areas, and eucalyptus plantations can create long, repetitive corridors of trees, deep shadow, limited visibility, and strong acoustic distortion after dusk. These conditions can amplify fear and make distance, scale, and movement harder to judge. However, the witness was familiar with the route, which makes his reaction more significant. This was not an unfamiliar place that simply frightened him because of the darkness. It was a regular shortcut that became threatening after he observed something behaving abnormally.

Possible explanations include misidentification of a horse, a large dog, escaped livestock, or a person wearing dark clothing. Still, the witness’s description of a muscular, fur-covered, four-limbed, human-dog-like figure crouching in the brush is difficult to reconcile with an ordinary animal. The account stands as a compelling regional “Lycan” or upright canine report from Brazil, especially because the witness altered his behavior afterward and now avoids the area after dusk.

CASE NOTES

• The witness was familiar with the shortcut and had used it regularly.

• The encounter occurred near dusk, with a full moon already visible.

• The entity first appeared horse-like, then gradually resolved into a more humanoid and canine form.

• The figure seemed to move parallel to the witness from within the eucalyptus trees.

• The witness believed the creature may have been trying to intercept him near the trail crossing.

• The entity was described as massive, muscular, hunched, fur-covered, and possibly pointed-eared.

• The final visual impression was of a huge “human dog” crouched on all fours like a gorilla.

• The witness did not report an attack, vocalization, odor, or pursuit after he reached the avenue.

• The experience was frightening enough that he now avoids the area after dusk.

• The case has strong parallels to Brazilian Lobisomem folklore and modern upright canine encounter reports.

Readers interested in similar accounts should explore other Phantoms & Monsters reports involving upright canines, wolf-like humanoids, Dogman encounters, and rural trail stalking incidents. This São Paulo report shares several patterns seen in other cases, including dusk timing, wooded cover, a witness suddenly feeling watched, and an unknown creature appearing to maneuver toward an interception point. Lon

FAQ

Was this a Brazilian werewolf or Lobisomem encounter?

The description resembles the Brazilian Lobisomem tradition, particularly the human-canine form, the nighttime setting, and the full-moon detail. However, the report should be treated as an eyewitness account rather than a confirmed folklore entity.

Could the witness have mistaken a horse or dog for something paranormal?

Misidentification is possible, especially in low light. However, the witness initially thought it was a horse and changed his interpretation only after observing movement, posture, concealment behavior, and a final crouched form that did not match a horse.

Why is the eucalyptus plantation important?

Eucalyptus plantations can create deep shadows, narrow sightlines, and confusing silhouettes after dusk. At the same time, the witness knew the area well, which makes his fear response and change in routine notable.

Did the creature chase him?

No. The creature appeared to approach from the side and possibly tried to cut him off, but it did not follow once the witness ran toward the main avenue.

NOTICE: Witnesses Sought for Upcoming TV and Film Project

If you have ever seen a winged humanoid in Chicago or the surrounding region, including the O’Hare corridor, nearby suburbs, forest preserves, Lake Michigan shoreline, or northwestern Indiana, I would like to hear from you.

I am currently assisting with an upcoming television and film project focused on the ongoing Chicago Winged Humanoid phenomenon and am seeking credible eyewitnesses, both past and recent, who may be willing to share their experiences.

If you have previously contacted me or are a new witness who has not yet come forward, please consider reaching out. All serious inquiries will be treated with respect and discretion.

If you would like to discuss your sighting, you can reach me through the 'CONTACT' link at the top of the page.

Your account may help document an important part of this continuing mystery. Thanks. Lon Strickler