Daily Deity #237 Ahiuzotl

With the summer right around the corner it seemed appropriate to tell about a monster that could be just below the surface of the next lake you visit. The possibility of this monster being around is increased if you happen to be near a water source that's within the territory of the ancient Aztec empire. 

The Ahuizotl is one of the many water based monsters of the world. When it comes to mythology the moment that there are monsters in water it just makes them all the more unique. This Aztec monster is by no means an exception to this trend. 

For the most part, the Ahuizotl is a dog. Most sources state that this creature is like a dog crossed with a monkey or a man. So while the base is that of a dog, this monster also has hands where the paws would be on the average dog. As well, the Ahuizotl has a long tail which ends with another hand. It is said to be covered in fur, but it also said to be sleek and slippery at the same time. The color of this creature is most often said to be black. 

Like most monsters of the world the Ahuizotl's favorite prey is said to be humans. But not the whole human. The Ahuizotl's favorite parts to eat of a person are the nails, the teeth, and the eyes. Why those very small and not especially nutrient-rich parts of the body, I'm not really sure, but if you ever come across an Ahuizotl it's something to ask. The way that the Ahuizotl is said to have preyed upon people is by luring the person to the water's edge or into the water. The main way they did this is by making a cry that sounds like that of a human infant. Hopefully, any person who happens to be walking near a body of water and heard a baby's cry would go investigate to make sure that the infant is fine. That is what the Ahuizotl was counting on. And when the person came close enough to the water, the Ahuizotl would strike out and grab the human and drag them into the water where they would drown and the Ahuizotl could feed. 

Like most of mythology there are some very obvious creatures or structures or events in the world that qualify its existence in myth. In the case of the Ahuizotl, this monster sounds like the very real giant otter which lives in and along the Amazon River. An otter fits both the description of a combined dog and monkey fairly well. When wet, the entire body of the otter is sleek and, in the case of the giant otter, looks dark brown or black. Otters are animals well known for using their paws to grasp objects and their paws bear a striking resemblance to hands. The giant otter regularly meets a length of six feet, making them some of the largest animals in their habitat.If you listen to their calls, they can make a sound that sounds similar to a child crying, especially if it is a young otter calling for its mother. The only issue with the giant otter be Ahuizotl is that they exist only in the Amazon and are not located in Mexico. This doesn't mean that the Aztecs never saw these animals though, and a traveler returning to the empire probably had a good story to tell when he saw an animal like the giant otter.