Legendary Monsters

Bigfoot, also known by many other names such as Yeti and Sasquatch, is probably the best known legendary monster. There have been thousands of reported sightings of the ape-like creature all around the world. While the exact description of Bigfoot varies from place to place, it is generally considered to be a bipedal ape around seven feet tall weighing between 500 and 900 pounds. In most places Bigfoot is said to have dark brown or black hair, but the Yeti who lives in snow covered mountains is said to have white hair. Unlike other legendary monsters, there are reportedly hundreds or thousands of Bigfoots in existence around the world.

The ubiquitous nature of Bigfoot has spawned a sort of sub-culture of Bigfoot believers around the world. There are Bigfoot organizations including the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO), as well as Bigfoot merchandise such as funny Bigfoot shirts. With the advent of the internet, Bigfooters are sure to grow in number just as the number of reports of Bigfoot sightings continue to grow.

The Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, reportedly lives in Loch (lake) Ness in Scotland. The Loch Ness Monster is a dinosaur-like creature first reported to be seen in 1933. The most famous evidence of this legendary monster is known as the Surgeon's Photograph (shown here). The photo was taken by Dr. Robert Kenneth Wilson in 1933 and published in the Daily Mail in 1934. Since then, there have been numerous reports of seeing the creature in Loch Ness. While more pictures have surfaced, most are tossed aside as hoaxes. To this day the Surgeon's Photograph is the most famous piece of evidence despite many sources that dispute its authenticity.

Another version of the Loch Ness Monster is the dinosaur-like creature Champ. Champ is said to live in Lake Champlain on Vermont-New York border.

The Chupacabra is a relatively new legendary monster, with the first reported sighting occuring in 1995. The Chupacabra is smaller than most monsters reported anywhere from the size of a small bear all the way down to a small dog. In most cases the creature is reportedly reptile-like; in others it is like a dog. This has lead to a description of some type of "reptile dog". The demon-like creature is known for killing farm animals all around Latin American countries, but reports of the Chupacabra ("goat sucker") go as far north as Maine. One explanation for Chupacabras is diseased coyotes who cannot hunt in the wild, and therefore seek out easy prey such as farm animals.

While most legendary monsters are generally considered to be fictional legends, one legend has been proven to exist - the Giant Squid. For centuries there were reports of the Giant Squid around the waters of Mexico and off the coast of New Zealand, but no solid proof. In the late 19th century there were reports of Giant Squid washing up on the shores of New Zealand beaches, but it wasn't until the 2000's that researchers finally got their hands on one. The first photographs of a living Giant Squid were released in 2005. In 2006, there was the first video of a Giant Squid swimming in the ocean. The deep sea creatures are believed to grow to over 40 meters long. Giant Squids are thought to live in most major oceans, but are a rare sight because they are thought to live in depths as deep as 1,000 meters.

Believers in other legendary monsters finally got the indisputable evidence that they have been looking for. They can point to the Giant Squid and say that anything is possible.