Jerboa

Jerboa was a marsupial werewolf who lived in the Australian outback with her "stepfather", Thylo. Jerboa disliked being a werewolf, though she was quick to point out other people's misperceptions of what a werewolf is supposed to be. Descended from a line of evolved Tasmanian wolves, Jerboa had a pouch on her abdomen for nursing young. Because of such a clear physical abnormality, Jerboa and her ilk were careful to keep away from modern society. As late as the 1980s, the world at large were unaware of the existence of marsupial werewolves.

Her stepfather Thylo wanted her as his mate, but she ran off to Sydney where she fell in love with a move actor named Donny Martin. Donny convinced Jerboa to take part in a film that he was working on known as Shape Shifters Part 8, directed by the eccentric Jack Citron.

Jerboa and Donny fell in love and mated. After their first night together, Donny, who had been previously unaware of Jerboa's werewolf heritage, discovered her abdominal pouch, as well as an excessive amount of hair on other parts of her body. This did not alter Donny's affection towards her in the slightest.

Following a costume party hosted by Jack Citron, Jerboa was wandering the streets of Sydney whereupon she was struck by a vehicle. She was taken to a hospital where scientists Professor Harry Beckmeyer and Professor Sharp learned that she was a werewolf. They also learned that she was pregnant with Donny's child. Due to her enhanced werewolf metabolism, Jerboa conceived and would give birth at a greatly accelerated rate. Jerboa awoke from the hospital and escaped, returning to the Outback community of her people. Alone in a barn, she gave birth to a half-human/half-werewolf child. Donny tracked her down and promised to protect her and the child.

By this point, several organizations had learned about the existence of the werewolf colony including Breckmeyer's team, members of the American intelligence community and the Soviets. Thanks to the noble sacrifices of Thylo and an Aborigine named Kendi, Donny and Jerboa were able to escape back to the city.

The two of them changed their names and managed to raise their child (whom they named Zac) for many years in relative safety. During a movie awards ceremony however, Jerboa accidentally shifted into her werewolf form, exposing the truth about herself to the world. What became of Jerboa following this incident is unknown.

Notes & Trivia

 * Jerboa is a notable figure for she is the first marsupial werewolf in horror film history.


 * Actress Imogen Annesley also played a bit part in Michael Rymer's Queen of the Damned.


 * Imogen Annesley is also noted for being one of the few female leads in a werewolf film. This is a rarity, though appears to be quite common within the Howling franchise. In the original Howling, the main character, Karen White, became a werewolf at the end of the film and even made a cameo appearance in The Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf. The primary antagonist from that film was not only a female werewolf, but the queen of all werewolves -- Stirba (played by Sybil Danning). Historically, the female werewolf lineage can be traced back to June Lockhart in the 1946 film She-Wolf of London by Universal Pictures.


 * Flashing strobe lights appear to cause marsupial werewolves intense pain.


 * According to director Philippe Mora, the character's full name is Jerboa Jerboa, though she is never referred to by this name in the film.