The Loch Ness
monster is said to be a huge, long, plesiosaur or eel-like creature
that inhabits the depths of Loch Ness, a lake in the Scottish
Highlands. A line of sightings of the monster is said to stretch from
medieval to modern times. Many have claimed to have seen it, and there
are many photographs and films claimed to be of the monster.
But no body, body parts, or other physical evidence has ever been found to support these claims. A creature of the size the monster is supposed to be would not be able to feed and reproduce in an area as small as the loch. The photographs and films are not clear enough to identify the objects they depict.
The sightings are by people who have heard the stories and are thus conditioned to interpret ambiguous sights on the loch as the creature. The stories about the creature didn't actually begin until the 1930's when a hotel owner near the loch promoted the tale through the media. The alleged medieval sighting is an exaggeration of a an account of a saint's miracle. Loch Ness was visited and surveyed in the 1800's and no sightings were reported then. No expedition to Loch Ness has ever turned up any scientific evidence of the creature. Uncritical media publicity and the relative ease of travel to and accommodations at the loch for would-be sighters keeps the legend alive.
By the way, the photograph above is known to have been faked.
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