Wikipedia
There are many Belizean Legends that roam and have made their mark in Belizean forests. The Sisimito has helped to morally impact the Belizean society in past and present days. "If you are a man and you see him, you will die within a month. If you are a woman and you see him, your life will be prolonged."
The Sisimito is best described as a large, hairy gorilla with a head much like a human's, SISIMITO is a character that spans the legends of many Belize's ethnic group, including the Garinagu, who call it SISMIDU. A Spanish word with the female form of SISIMITA, it has no English translation and appears to have come from the word Nahuatl word Tzitzimitl.
Tales of the SISIMITO were told in the camps by the mahogany cutters of earlier days and are still passes along in villages like Ranchito and Hill Bank. He is said to inhabit high forest areas and to live in caves and on rocky land. In the Toledo District, forest areas have decreased over the years because of agricultural development and the Ketchi believe that Tzultacah, the deity who protects them from wild animals, has taken SISIMITO into the few densely jungle areas remaining, so he is rarely seen today. Most accounts describe SISIMITO saying that he has no thumbs and that only four fingers on each hand. He has no feet and his feet are turned backwards. His diet consists of raw meat and fruits, and when feasting on human beings, he will tear the body into several pieces before devouring it. Though fierce and malevolent towards humans, he is afraid of water and dogs and will avoid them at all costs. He often assumes human form, lures people out of the village, and then kills them, and because of this, he is sometimes confused with XTABAI or LA LLORONA. A man who looks into SISIMITO's eyes and escapes, usually dies within a month. A woman, on the other hand, has a prolonged life as a result.
On Sundays and religious holidays, such as Good Friday, SISIMITO preys on hunters and other people who stray into the bush. He follows human footprints, with his main purpose being either to kill his victims or rip off their thumbs; he will also attack men who are killing animals needlessly or destroying the forests. He is not invincible and can be outsmarted in various ways. If you dance in a circle, he will try to follow you, but because his feet are on backwards, he will trip and fall.
The SISIMITO can, in fact, be tricked in a couple of ways because of his limited intelligence. When you walk away from him, he becomes confused, thinking that you are actually approaching him. Sometimes you can make a path of footprints that lead into the bush, and SISIMITO, unable to follow the trail any longer, will turn and begin to follow his own footsteps, thinking they are someone else's. The ultimate way to get rid of him, however, is to set fire to his long hair.
Characters & Caricatures in Belizean Folklore, Published by Belize UNESCO Commission