Lake Monsters

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Lake monsters are creatures that do not correspond to any living scientifically-recognized species that are reported in enclosed bodies of water. The most famous one is the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland, but lake monsters are sighted all over the world.

While popular imagination may picture a lake monster as a single individual, such as a dinosaur, inexplicably trapped in a remote location, cryptozoologists are more likely to speak about breeding populations.

The topic really became part of the international popular culture in 1933, with a wave of widely-publicized sightings at Loch Ness. However, there was already a long history of encounters at that point, and people are still seeing lake monsters today.

There may also be a connection with sea monsters, such as sea serpents.

1 Theories
2 See Also
3 External Links

Theories

Circus Elephant

During the 30s, when the most sightings took place, a circus frequently visited the area and would stop on the lakeside and allow their animals to swim. Swimming elephants are almost completely underwater, with only their trunks, the tops of their heads, and possibly their backs above water, giving the distinct impression of a long necked sea creature with a lump or two on its back.

Giant Eel

The giant eel theory may be a better fit for some marine sightings. If undulations are reported, the monsters typically go up and down, rather than side to side. This is more consistent with mammals than with fish and reptiles. However, a water-breathing animal would explain the rarity of sightings.

Long-necked Seal

The Long-necked seal was proposed by A.C. Oudemans. Seals would be comfortable in Northern latitudes (the so-called "monster belt"). If this was the case, the animals could be transitory in the lakes (perhaps travelling through rivers or even briefly overland to the sea). Rare land sightings lend support to this theory.

Paranormal Entity

Some elements of the sightings are hard to explain with a simple flesh-and-blood species. For example, cameras often seem to malfunction, and pictures tend to be out of focus. Some researchers tie famous real-life witch Aleister Crowley to the Loch Ness Monster.

Pleisiosaur

Pleisiosaurs were long-necked four-flippered marine reptiles from the age of the dinosaurs. At first glance, they seem like a good fit. However, the cold nature of many of the lakes involved might be inhospitable to a reptile. It might also be reasonable to expect them to be seen more often at the surface. Then there is that gap of tens of millions of years...

Zeuglogon

Zeuglodons were primitive whales, which had not yet evolved to the steam-lined shape we associate with the modern whale species. This theory has been championed by Roy Mackal.