The cultural reality behind this photograph (which caused almost 100 comments) has been revealed for what it must certainly be, rightfully, by a Brazilian.

For more, please see:

Bahia Photo Solved

I just would like to add some info on Porto Seguro – it’s a beautiful tourist location, but it’s also a traditional place to go when college students want to have a great time and /or get very drunk.

I mean, it’s a nice place, but it should be clear that Porto Seguro isn’t some kind of far away jungle outpost or something…

We then would know if the photo was taken before, or after the attack.

I think a liar would work this way, and have more to the story immediately.

There have been some flying witches going around farther north in Mexico lately.

I’m no expert, but from my experience with photoshop, this would be incredibly difficult to pull off correctly, with the reflections, etc.

– The image has an “aspect ratio” (longest side divided by shortest side) of 1.53 , which is very close to the film size produced in an SLR camera, 36mm x 24mm or 1.5:1 or 3:2. Single Lens Reflex cameras shooting film were standard for keen photographers in the final decades of the twentieth century. The modern digital cameras that have almost replaced them are normally set to shoot at an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, or 4:3, e.g. 640 x 480 pixels or 1600 x 1200 pixels or 2272 x 1704 pixels. Also, The image is only 54.2 KB, a small file size for a digital camera. This also does not seem consistent with the equipment which might be used ” in … 2007 … by a 15 year-old … girl”.

– The image is said to come from “Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil”. The image certainly appears to show a typical coastal swamp or “manguezal”. These are common along the coast of North East Brazil, and can be found in Porto Seguro (search manguezal porto seguro in Google). The person or statue is reminiscent of Umbanda / Candomble, also common in Brazil, but there seems to be no specific reason to link the figure with Porto Seguro. Porto Seguro is best known as the location of the “Discovery of Brazil” or the first formal landing of the Portuguese, in 1500. It is now a very popular tourist destination, known for excellent beaches and cheap accommodation.

– It is difficult to determine whether the image shows a person or a statue, or why it was taken. One possibility that comes to mind is that it could be a still photograph from a Brazilian horror or mystery film, made perhaps in the 1980s.

– The Internet Movie Database records a couple of movies produced in Porto Seguro, but none are likely sources for this shot.

– “Supposedly the temp. is 100+.” There is normally a pleasant breeze on the coast of NE Brazil, and the photo was supposed taken in July; that is equivalent of winter in the Southern hemisphere. Google gives several sources for the temperature in Porto Seguro, which is normally quoted as: lowest 20.9ºC or 69.6ºF; average 24.4ºC or 75.9ºF ; highest 30.6ºC or 87.7ºF. In fact the highest temperature recorded at Porto Seguro airport in July 2007 was 27 ºC or 82ºF.

– The airport recorded some wind most days, up to a maximum of 23 mph or 37 kph. The city has become a major tourist center because it has an excellent climate.

If it grabbed hold of this girl, and she pushed it into the water to escape, how did the photo come about? And why did she not mention he ‘thing’ it is holding?

I must admit to being intrigued by the mudsmearing that the purported creature tried. This suggests some ritual or rite of passage, which in turn suggests human. By the way, doesn’t mud and clay play a part in many creation myths, and in folklore worldwide. Thinking of the Semitic “golem,”for example.

Just tossing it into the pot, people.

Irregardless, I am more willing to believe the photo is a fake than to believe this is an actual cryptid of some sort.

A long time lurker on this site, but the discussion on this photo was so good I had to jump in!