NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – The swamp is green. The nutria and the otters are brown. The white alligator is white. But for the most colorful character in the Audubon Swamp Exhibit, you need to find the Loup Garou.
Twist Reporter Stephanie Oswald visited the swamp creature in honor of its 16th birthday.
“It’s living in a lair with the owls and the roaches and the lizards and the rats and the creatures of the night,” says the Loup Garou’s creator, Richie Kay.
It has seashells for teeth and neon bug lights for eyes. Human hair—purchased from a beauty shop—hangs from his elbows. His claws are actually nutria teeth!
“I remember my mom, when I was growing up, she told me to watch out for Loup Garou. I didn’t really know what that was, and most people don’t really know what that is. It’s just some kind of a monster, but this one that I built is based on some research that I did of Creole and Cajun legends of the swamp area of Louisiana. It’s basically a French werewolf,” Richie explains.
The little ones from around the world stop and stare at the creature from New Orleans folklore.
Locals, like 3-year-old Brayden Robert, know him as the “Roogaroo.” Brayden was at the zoo on Wednesday and enjoyed a piece of birthday cake with the zookeepers.
Legend says that the Loup Garou hunts children after dark, in search of human blood. But the zookeepers told little Brayden not to worry— they say this swamp monster only comes to life after dark!