https://islanddynamics.org/conferences/supernaturalanimals/
Animals and animal-like beings are prominent in folklore around the globe, and they play an important role in how people view and know the world. Individuals may be frightened, awed, amused, killed, assisted, forewarned, or rescued through their encounters with mysterious creatures. These creatures may be ordinary animals imbued with powers beyond human comprehension, ghosts of animals, shapeshifting humans or spirits, powerful deities, or categories of supernatural beings in their own right. Stories of supernatural animals occur not just in first-person experience narratives but also in legends that help root a sense of local community and in mythical tales that contribute to constructing the nation.