Today marks my last post (for the time being) on a "fearsome critter" of lumberjack myth. Tomorrow I'll tackle a proper cryptid. For now, though, I give you the Gumberoo. This creature supposedly lives on America's west coast, haunting the northwest's cedar forests. It dwells in burned trees, emerging only to hunt and breed.
Descriptions of the Gumberoo are highly variable. One source describes a resemblance to the black bear. Another claims the Gumberoo has nineteen legs, and that it likes to swing in trees. The consistent points are as follows: this monster is black in coloration, nearly hairless, and covered in thick, rubbery hide. The Gumberoo's skin can reflect any projectile, including bullets, back at its attackers.
Why, then, would anyone attack a Gumberoo? First of all, it can easily be mistaken for a bear-- and second of all, the beast is dangerous in itself. The Gumberoo has a voracious appetite, and will devour large animals in a single sitting. No amount of food will make it ill-- as the Gumberoo's stomach can stretch to accomodate its prey.
This creature has only one weakness-- fire. When exposed to flame or extreme heat, a Gumberoo will violently explode. This may explain their rarity-- cedar forests are notoriously flammable. Gumberoo detonations smell of burnt tires, which reveals an interesting fact. Gumberoos don't imitate rubber-- their bodies contain it.
Read more about the Gumberoo:
http://www.fearsomecreaturesofthelumberwoods.com/pg11.htm
http://www.lumberwoods.com/p21.htm
Image from http://www.fearsomecreaturesofthelumberwoods.com/images/gumberoo_small.png (public domain)
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