In Arkansas folklore, the Howler is a

legendary creature A legendary creature is a type of extraordinary or supernatural being that is described in folklore (including myths and legends), and may be featured in historical accounts before modernity, but has not been scientifically shown to exist. In t ...

said to dwell in the

Ozarks The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, as well as a small area in the southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover ...

. According to tradition, the creature is bear-like in shape with a dark colored, shaggy coat. Local traditions and documented sightings preserve the mystique of the Ozark Howler even if some people think it is a myth or misidentified species. In December 2015, the Arkansas television station 40/29 News reported that it had received photographs purported to be images of the creature from a viewer. The station contacted the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, who responded that they had heard of no claims of sightings of the creature, and said that the images sent to the station were a hoax. Call records to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission during the fall of 2014 include a reported sighting of an animal in Benton County, Arkansas. In October 2014, a recorded emergency call received by the AGFC indicates a motorist nearly collided with an unidentified mammal at 9:45 PM. The recorded phone conversation indicates that armed state wildlife officers may have been dispatched to investigate what reports described as a bear-sized, gray, fast-running animal on Pump Station Road in Springdale.Staff. 2015
'Ozark Howler' sighting at Devils Den? Game & Fish say photos are a 'hoax'
40/29 News. Last accessed September 14, 2019.

References

Arkansas folklore 2015 in Arkansas 2015 hoaxes December 2015 in the United States American legendary creatures Ozarks Legendary bears Hoaxes in the United States {{folklore-stub