Loch Ness Monster search ends without evidence of existence
August 28, 2023
The biggest Loch Ness Monster hunt in over half a century has resulted in several reports of possible sightings but nothing conclusive. The evaluation of the data would take a lot of time, the organizers said.
Hundreds of volunteers joined in the search for the elusive "Nessie"Image: Benedikt von Imhoff/dpa/picture alliance
According to project leader Alan McKenna, he received a series of videos and tips from people following live streaming cameras aimed at the famous lake in the Scottish Highlands.
However, going through the data and separating fact from wishful thinking will take a long time, he said.
Who organized the hunt?
The Loch Ness Center has partnered with the volunteer research team Loch Ness Exploration to organize "The Quest." According to the organizers, the two-day hunt was the most systematic search since 1972 for the elusive or imaginary monster known as "Nessie."
They said they would be using surveying equipment that had not previously been tried at the lake, including thermal drones. A hydrophone was also used to detect acoustic signals under the water.
Hundreds join hunt for Loch Ness monster
03:32
This browser does not support the video element.
Volunteers from around the world were allocated 17 locations around the lake from which to monitor for any signs of "Nessie," while others took to boats. Hundreds of fans, meanwhile, watched Loch Ness via webcams.
McKenna and his team went to the loch several times and dropped an underwater microphone, called a hydrophone, in hopes of solving the mystery. During one of the tests on Friday, "strange noises" could be heard, he said. However, a check at the same location on Sunday revealed nothing.
Advertisement
What is the Loch Ness Monster?
Loch Ness, which lies in the Scottish Highlands, is the United Kingdom's largest lake by volume, at 23 miles (36 kilometers) long and with a maximum depth of 788 feet (240 meters).
Legends around a monster in the body of water emerged as early as 565 AD, when the Irish monk Saint Columba wrote an account of the creature attacking a swimmer.
In 1934, the UK's Daily Mail published a photo that purported to show the Loch Ness Monster. The famous "Surgeon's Photo" was later revealed to be a hoax, but helped popularize the image of the creature internationally.
Arguably the most famous photo of them all was debunked in 1999Image: picture alliance / Photoshot
The Loch Ness Center in the Highland village of Drumnadrochit says that there have officially been 1,100 recorded sightings of the monster.
This weekend's search is not the first time researchers have combed the lake for signs of the Loch Ness Monster. In 2018, a DNA survey conducted by a group of researchers found no evidence of any large animals in Loch Ness, only detecting the presence of numerous eels.
From Nessie to Bigfoot
Many cultures around the world have legends of mythical creatures. Here are some of the most famous fantastic beasts. But do Nessie and Co. really exist?
Image: IMAGO
Nessie, the Loch Ness monster
Every year, the curious travel by the thousands to Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands, hoping to catch a glimpse of the legendary lake monster. Nessie remains elusive, despite repeated claims of sightings over the centuries. The first such account was by a medieval Irish monk. This photo of Nessie was published by the Daily Mail in April 1934. Its authenticity has been debunked.
Image: Photoshot/picture alliance
The yeti
Yetis live in isolation in the high mountain regions of the Himalayas. No wonder only extreme mountaineers ever encounter them. Reinhold Messer is among those claiming to have seen an "Abonimable Snowman." Photos of oversized footprints of the creature keep appearing in the press, but are never conclusively proven to be real. Many of the local sherpas, however, are convinced that they exist.
Image: IMAGO
Bigfoot
Physically, Bigfoot, also called Sasquatch, looks like a close relative of the Yeti, but with brown fur instead of white. The creature is said to roam the forests of North America, but has also been spotted on other continents. It avoids humans, but in 2022, an Australian woman reported having been attacked by a Bigfoot.
Image: IMAGO
The troll
Trolls are at home in Scandinavia. The mythical creatures dwell in mountain caves, forests or in the sea. Some have only one eye, others two heads. They all have one thing in common: They only venture out of their dwellings at night, because the sun's rays turn them into stone. If you meet a troll, you should be careful — they are not sympathetic to humans.
Image: McPHOTO/Bioquatic/picture alliance
The kappa
This water demon wreaks havoc in Japan. They are humanoid. with frog or turtle features. They live in shallow water, steal fruit and sometimes drag cattle or horses into rivers. A depression on their heads, called the "dish," fills with water, increasing their powers. They like wrestling with people, so one trick is to bow to each other before the fight and the water flows out!
Image: IMAGO
The unicorn
This white horse with the horn on its head appears as far back as the Bible and is considered the noblest creature of all mythical animals. According to legend, it is tremendously strong, can cure diseases and even revive the dead. The reclusive beast should not be imprisoned, because it dies in captivity. Only a few people claim to have seen one, among them the explorer Marco Polo (1254-1324).
Image: Ohde/Bildagentur-online/picture alliance
The vampire
This vampire is from a movie, but he's based on a real person: The cruel Count Vlad III Dracula, who lived in Transylvania in the 15th century. But was he an undead man who sucked blood from his victims at night and slept in a coffin during the day? In any case, belief in vampires was widespread in southeastern Europe: Some people staked the dead to prevent them from coming back as vampires.
Image: akg-images/picture-alliance
The wolpertinger
According to German folklore, the Wolpertinger was born of the union between a rabbit and a roebuck. Soon after, other forest dwellers also mated, so no two Wolpertingers look alike. Hardly anyone has ever seen this shy inhabitant of southern German forests, but the German Hunting and Fishing Museum has some stuffed specimens on display. So maybe it's not a mythical creature after all?
