| Creature information | |
|---|---|
| Folklore | Cryptid |
| Origin | |
| Country | United States |
| Region | Fresno, California |
The Fresno nightcrawler is a cryptid first documented in Fresno, California. [1] It is semi-humanoid, white in color, long-legged, and typically spotted in pairs. They have been compared to "walking pairs of pants". [2] [3]
The Fresno nightcrawler was first documented in CCTV footage shot in 2007 by a man in south Fresno, who then shared the footage with television network Univision. [4] The video shows a white figure like a pair of legs without a torso walking from the top left to the bottom right of the screen, followed by a second figure walking in the same direction. The Fresno nightcrawler was featured on the History Channel program The Proof Is Out There . [5]
Subsequent footage of similar creatures was shot in Yosemite Lakes Park in 2011, [6] and there have reportedly been sightings as far away as Poland. [4] The SyFy program Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files coined the name "nightcrawlers", and its attempts to investigate if the footage was a hoax proved inconclusive. [7] Claims to relate the Fresno nightcrawler to Native American legends have been debunked. [1]
The Fresno nightcrawler has become an icon of Fresno, and has spawned merchandise and fans around the world. [6] Unlike many cryptids, which can be frightening, the nightcrawler is "super simple, uncomplicated, just a pair of pants out for a walk", [4] which may account for the popularity of the creature.