The Loch Ness Monster is a mysterious creature that is rumored to occupy Loch Ness which is located in the Scottish Highlands. Although its description varies from one account to the next, it is comparable to other hypothetical lake monsters said to be found in Scotland and elsewhere.
Brought to the world’s attention in 1933, interest and belief in the creature has fluctuated. Actual evidence of the creature’s existence is largely subjective and somewhat undependable. With actual documented evidence of the creature minimal and much dubious photographic material, the scientific community regards the Loch Ness Monster as a modern-day myth, and explains sightings as a mix of hoaxes and wishful thinking. [Read More …]
In the remote forests of North America lives a large bipedal creature commonly referred to as Bigfoot, he is also known by many other names including Sasquatch. This creature is between 6 and 10 feet tall, is totally covered in fur and weighs over 500 pounds. It has a low forehead with large eyes, and is often said to have a distinct unpleasant smell. Casts of footprints taken in places where the creatures have been sighted measure over 16 inches.
Tales of this animal have been found throughout native cultures in North America. Since 1900 alone, there have been well over 400 accounts of people having seen this animal or that have found evidence of its presence. One of the most famous sightings of this creature occurred in 1967. Robert Gimlin and Roger Patterson captured on film a large ape like animal walking through the woods. This film is still said to be some of the most credible pieces of evidence of the creature’s existence in the world today.
There are many theories as to what this creature actually is. One theory suggests that it is a gigantopithecus that has managed to adapt and survive. Gigantopithecus, the largest species of ape, lived more than a million years ago. Fossils of this large ape have been found all over the Asian continent. The belief is that the gigantopithecus migrated across the Bering Strait along with many other animals of the period. [Read More …]
Ogopogo is one of Canada’s most famous lake monsters, Natives referred to the creature as Naitaka. The creature’s home is Okanagan Lake in British Columbia. Natives who fished in the lake always avoided a island which is now called Rattlesnake Island. They claimed that they often saw the remains of animals lying on the island’s beach. It was a common practice for natives crossing the lake in stormy weather to toss an animal overboard to appease the creature.
The recorded sightings of this strange lake creature date back to the mid 1800’s. One tale claims that a man who was crossing the lake with a group of horses got too close to the island. The horses were pulled under and disappeared.
In 1926 the creature was sighted by people in not less than thirty cars. It was a staggering amount and the papers noted that anything seen by this many people at one time should definitely be investigated.
In the summer of 1947 the creature once again appeared to large group of people. Reports came in from a number of different boaters on the lake that day. All of them having seen the same strange animal at the same time. It doesn’t need to be said that it is unusual for so many people to see one of these creatures at the same time. Many of the witnesses were extremely credible and it is hard to doubt their accounts.
Sightings have continued throughout the years and scientists have yet to come up with an answer.
In Search Of… The Ogopogo Monster
Turkey is the sight of one of the most recent lake monsters. Van Lake is the largest lake in Turkey and is at an elevation of 1720 metres above sea level. The lake itself is full of sodium carbonate, which allows for very few varieties of fish to inhabit it.
The monster was brought to the attention of the world by a university student in 1995 who caught the creature on video. CNN bought the rights to this video. Since that time certain sources have stated that there have been well over 100 sightings of this strange creature.
The GUST ( Global Underwater Search Team) crew has been trying to get permission to investigate the lake but the area has been deemed unsafe for travel. At one point there was even talk that the famous Jacques Cousteau would travel to the area to locate this mysterious creature.
Video Footage of Lake Van Monster
An amateur lake monster-hunter has recorded the video below of a possible sea monster swimming across Lake Van, a small lake in eastern Turkey. The mediocre-quality footage, snippets of which clearly show something in the water.
Documentry About Lake Van Monster
Lake Champlain is located on the US Canada border. It is approximately 125 miles long and consists of fresh water. It is also the home of the lake monster – Champ. Local Natives refer to the creature as Tatoskok.
The first recorded sighting of this monster came in 1883 when Sherriff Nathan Mooney sighted a strange animal in the lake about fifty yards off shore. He said that this creature was at least 25 to 30 feet in length and he could see round white spots in its mouth.
One of the strangest things to occur in this lake happened in 2003. The Fauna Research Team was using echolocation as part of a Discovery Channel program. They recorded sounds, which are similar to that of a Killer Whale or a Beluga Whale, and there is no known animal in the lake that would be capable of making these strange sounds.
In the early part of the 19th century P.T. Barnum interested in the claims of Champ posted a $50 000 reward for the body of the creature.
The most famous picture of Champ was taken by Sandra Mani and is very similar to that of the “Surgeon’s Photo” which has now known to be a fake.
Unsolved Mysteries – Champ
Hundreds claim to have seen this serpent, similar to the Loch Ness monster, in Lake Champlain.
While working outside, this was spotted out in the lake. Unfortunately all the author had was a little digital camera with limited video ability. Is it Champ?
In Norway’s Lake Seljordsvatnet near Telemark lives a well-known lake monster. The locals have named this creature Selma. It is said to be between 30 and 45 feet and resembles a giant snake. There have been more than 500 different sightings of this creature dating back hundreds of years.
This creature has attracted worldwide attention including that of such organizations as GUST (Global Underwater Search Team). The team set out in 2000 on a research expedition with the hopes of capturing the creature alive since the Norwegian government has said that creatures like Selma are protected.
For the expedition they brought along a specially designed trap which they named a “Comet”. It was a professionally built monster/eel trap. Although they were not successful in capturing the monster they did get many strange sonar readings.
Therefore, the search for the elusive Selma goes on.
Pictures From The GUST Team
The Global Underwater Search Team (GUST) at lake Seljordsvannet (Photo: Arild Enger)
Selma Lake – Norway (Photo: Arild Enger)
Enlargement of what Sundberg claims to be the Seljord monster. (Photo: Jan-Ove Sundberg)
China also has its own mysterious lake monsters. However, unlike many of the North American and European creatures the one that lives in Lake Tianchi may not be there alone. Lake Tiachi is located in the mountains that border Nepal and may be the home of at least twenty monsters.
One sighting of the monster claims that it was seen coming right out of the lake whereby it attacked three people before it was shot and driven back into the lake. Others claim that they have seen cattle and sheep dragged out into the depths of the lake by some unknown creature.
Some have stated that the monsters have reached lengths of over 10 meters and there are now so many that they have been sighted even swimming in groups.
There have been numerous pictures and videos taken of these strange creatures a couple of which are below.
Six Monsters Taped At Lake Tianchi
Six monsters videotaped by a Chinese journalist at Lake Tianchi (close to Korean borders) September 2007
Loch Ness is not the only lake in Scotland that is the alleged home to some kind of creature. Lake Morar is home to Morag. And, although Lake Morar is not as big as Loch Ness it is deeper and it never actually freezes. The creature that lives in this loch has been sighted as far back as 1877 and there have been multiple sightings on a number of occasions. The creature is said to be serpentine in appearance and is between 25 and 30 feet long.
One of the most famous accounts of Morag occurred in 1969 and involves two men (Duncan McDonnel and William Simpson) who were out on the lake in a speed boat. The two men claimed that as they crossed the lake they actually hit the creature. Duncan began hitting it with a paddle while William grabbed a gun. William began to shoot at the creature and it sank out of sight.
Legends and tales about this creature go back for hundreds of years. But unlike Loch Ness, Loch Morar is still fairly inaccessible. There are very few roads in the area and far fewer people have had the chance to visit Morag’s home.