#lake-monsters — Public Fediverse posts

Dilophosaurus is disappointed in this Champ sighting.

#DailyDilophosaurus #Dilophosaurus #Champ #LakeChamplain #LakeMonsters #UrbanLegends #Dinosaurs

Pop Cryptid Spectator 14

Thanks for joining me for another edition of Pop Cryptid Spectator. This week I have some news and thoughts and we go in search of the legend of the Nahuelito, a lake monster whose popularity predated Nessie and which is a great example of a Pop Cryptid.

In this edition:

• Cryptid Check on Big Picture Science
• Update on Pueblo mystery creature
• Bigfoot museum spared from fire damage
• Faking a fake nightcrawler
• Nahuelito represents!

Cryptid Check on Big Picture Science

The Big Picture Science podcast featured cryptids this week. The episode kicked off with a flashback to the Georgia Bigfoot Hoax press conference from 2008. I remember that day. It was ridiculous. Lots of people had high hopes, and I admit I also was thinking this was going to be the big reveal. It was a big scam. Tom Biscardi spearheaded the press event that garnered worldwide attention. We watched on CNN as he referred to reporters as “yous” and showed images of a Bigfoot costume in a freezer, even a close up on the teeth. Biscardi was a Bigfoot enthusiast (not the football coach) but he will be forever remembered (not fondly) as more of a gambler and charlatan. Biscardi continues to make exaggerated and insultingly credulous Bigfoot content.

Then, the host interviews Chris Rogers, Assemblymember in the California legislature pushing the Bill to name California the state cryptid. (See PCS 8 and 10.) He gets a number of things wrong in his comments to reveal he doesn’t know much about cryptid history, but he is transparent that the goal of the bill now is a tourism ploy. No surprise there. At this point, the bill might just pass because of the public interest.

In addition, Benjamin Radford then appears to talk about Bigfoot and cryptids in popular culture. Michael Branch talks about the Jackalope (as reviewed in PCS 3), and Boris Worm discusses real life searches for new and bizarre animals. Make sure to check out this episode from a top science podcast.

Update on Pueblo mystery creature

Last week in PCS 13, I shared the news story from Colorado of an unidentified mystery animal that was captured on video in a residential area. Since then, the story expanded worldwide because people LOVE opining on what it could be. Their comments are painful to read. While ridiculous commenters said it was a chupacabra or a skinwalker (just STFU with that), wildlife officials said it may be a raccoon. I was leaning towards coati. However, a second video was posted that showed the animal outside the window eating cat food. Unfortunately, the video was obscured by the lighting and dirty glass, and not altogether clear. However, the animal has obvious injuries on its face indicating it may have escaped from a cage, been in a wildfire, or has some other misfortune. While the silhouette does resemble a raccoon, the coloring is odd, more uniformly dark brown, so the ID is still a mystery. I’ve heard nothing more about the animals being seen again, or captured. I hope the local interest does result in it’s capture so we can put this to rest.

Bigfoot museum spared from fire damage

A cabin behind the Bigfoot discovery museum in Felton, California suffered damage after a fire. The cause of the fire is unknown but did not spread to the main museum owned by Michael Rugg where the Bigfoot memorabilia was stored. The museum was recently sold.

https://www.goodtimes.sc/bigfoot-museum-property-fire/

Cryptid Event!
Washington, DC, May 5, 2025 6:00 pm-8:30 pm
Profs & Pints DC: Encountering Cryptids, featuring Joshua Barton, lecturer in English at Virginia Commonwealth University and scholar of horror. Go to Popville for more info.

Faking a fake nightcrawler

There was a bit of drama in the extremely online cryptid community this week as a budding filmmaker says he was the one who hoaxed the Yosemite video (Facebook) showing the pair of Fresno Nightcrawlers. Everyone knew this video was a hoax to play off the original FN video (that still remains mysterious as to its origin). Yet, some people are even doubting this guy was the real hoaxer. Instead, they claim he’s trying to just get attention. Personally, his YouTube channel was the original host for this video 14 years ago. He describes how he did it and where, so I think it really was him. It is interesting, though, that claiming responsibility for hoaxes is going to get noticed. It’s almost as if you can get a pass for hoaxing a cryptid because it’s already assumed to not be real. You will be recognized for your skills and how many people believed it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziB35K9shuI

The ubiquity of hoaxes weighs down the field of cryptozoology, making it difficult to take any of the creature claims that seriously. Hoaxes remain a viable explanation.

Nahuelito represents!

The city of Bariloche in Patagonia, Argentina will be getting a new tourist attraction – an iron sculpture of Nahuelito, the monster of Lake Nahuel Huapi. The large 6 x 4 meter statue will be placed near the water front and civic center so people can take a photo with it. It is expected to be in place by the town’s anniversary of May 3.

Bariloche has long embraced its local monster, first introduced to the wider world in the 1920s, even before the Loch Ness Monster. It’s most typically depicted as a plesiosaur, as is Nessie and many other lake monsters around the world. The town has used the creature as a tourism draw for decades: Nahuelito is its mascot in what they believe is an enchanted place.

Nahuelito assumed the common Nessie-shape over time (and also picks up some similar associated rumors). Like many modern cryptids, the Nahuelito’s existence is justified by relating it to a native folklore creature. But, as is almost ALWAYS the case, the historical view doesn’t match the modern view very well. Nahuelito is tied to a beast in the water known as El Cuero by the Mapuche people. However, El Cuero (the cow skin) was said to be like a “water tiger” or that looked like a piece of floating hide or leather. Except it ate people. Bizarre tales are used in all cultures to warn of dangers of the water and to be entertaining. It is hazardous to take those stories literally and use them to say that such a creature actually exists.

Culturally, legendary animals (which, as cryptids, are never clearly seen) tend to have evolving descriptions that coalesce around an iconic view for a while until the culture changes. The move from sea serpent to plesiosaur shape for lake monsters is a perfect example. (See PCS 7 for a review of A Natural History of Sea Serpents). We see other depictions of Nahuelito as a more of a thin, snakelike, loopy, sea serpent-type. But the plesiosaur shape became the default early on and has REALLY stuck, with the creature referred to as the Patagonian plesiosaur.

This doesn’t mean there are multiple animals of varying descriptions. The discrepancy suggests it isn’t a single type of animal (or two) at all; it’s a cultural interpretation of waves, logs, debris, or normal animals in the lake. The reported plesiosaur shape for lake monsters worldwide was influenced by literature and films from the early 20th century. Additionally, the land of Patagonia was commonly referred to as a sort of “lost world” where “antediluvian” (time before the Biblical flood) creatures still lived. This view also bolstered the common idea of a living plesiosaur.

Like Ogopogo, Champ, Nessie, and other lake monsters, the Nahuelito helps define the town of Bariloche. Its likeness is used in the town festivals and it has its own town park and documentary. People love their Nahuelito, particularly for the dollars it brings in for its association with the town. Its reputation is credited for the development of the town into the modern tourist location it is today.

The monster was featured on the TV show Destination Truth – an exaggerated show that promotes outlandish ideas to explain mysteries. For this cryptid, the show took up the concern by some that the creature is a result of nuclear experiments from the 1950s. Only in science fiction does a radiation event suddenly create bizarre mutant new species.

There are also claims that, like Loch Ness, geological conditions may cause some anomalies on the lake that are attributed to the monster. These natural claims also come with misinformation. For example, it is a common trope for people to believe that underwater caves connect the lake to the sea and the animals travel in and out. This is completely invalid – geology doesn’t work that way.

There have been hoax photos associated with the creature as well. Still, the creature is gaining in popularity as a pop cryptid. Some are pleased to call Nahuelito their favorite cryptid, but the dramatic sightings of old don’t occur much anymore.

For more, check out this Strange Magazine article. And here is a documentary on the town and its most famous hidden resident.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG64-e2sUe4

Thanks for reading! Send comments, questions, or suggestions to sharon(at)sharonahill.com. If you want to send some cryptid plushies or other merch, or books to review, email for my physical mailing address.

For more, click on Pop goes the Cryptid landing page. Make sure you subscribe to all the posts – it’s always free and I don’t send annoying spam. 

Pop Cryptid Spectator is also available on Substack. Please share this with cryptid fans you know!

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#BigfootMuseum #cryptid #ElCuero #FresnoNightcrawler #GeorgiaBigfootHoax #hoax #lakeMonsters #Nahuelito #PuebloMysteryCreature

https://sharonahill.com/?p=9756

The list of Cryptid Town Festivals keeps growing! More towns are celebrating their local monsters or cryptid creeps in a very public way. Summer and Fall 2024 brought us several new events to serve as evidence of the Pop Cryptid phenomenon across the US. Building on the success of the Mothman Festival, in particular, communities recognize the value of a monster mascot in their town. Cryptid-themed festivals often follow the general layout and activities made famous by Point Pleasant, with food trucks, vendors, music and speakers, attracting visitors and dollars to the town. Some cryptid attractions are more adult oriented with their beer gardens and grown-up cosplay. Others are family friendly with lots of kids events – because kids LOVE cryptids!

As shown in the examples below, the trend is very much about the storytelling and fun, and has little to do with the original aim of finding mystery animals new to science. We also see the term “cryptid” used ever more broadly and loosely to cover a wide array of weird beings.

Here are some of the latest Pop Cryptid events in small-town USA for 2024:

Green Eyes Festival

New this year is an event in honor of a Civil War era ghoul called “Green Eyes”. After being inspired by the local legend of a glow-eyed creature – more of a ghost than a mystery animal who reportedly prowls the Chickamauga, Georgia battlefield – the organizers used the template set by the world-famous Mothman Festival in West Virginia. The event caught the attention of community leaders. Very much in line with the phenomenon of Pop Cryptids, Chickamauga’s Economic Development and Events Director, Eric Pullen said, “I feel like this is going to create a new image for Chickamauga to a younger generation that primarily sees it as based on civil war history.” The first Green Eyes Festival, that honors the folklore and culture of Northwest Georgia/Southeast Tennessee, is Oct 5, 2024 and includes Green Eyes being awarded the keys to the city of Chickamauga.

Squonkapalooza

Johnstown, Pennsylvania hosted the second annual Squonkapalooza event to celebrate cryptids, particularly the ever-more popular Squonk. The squonk is a made-up creature first noted in the 1910 book Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods by William T. Cox. The squonk is dog-sized and excessively wrinkly, warty and so ugly that it cries constantly and, if caught, will dissolve into a pool of tears. The squonk has been unofficially noted as the “state cryptid of Pennsylvania”, an accolade that would be up for vigorous debate! According to the news report, visitors to the festival this year did seem to consider the squonk as some kind of mystery animal, more akin to the traditional view of cryptids. Maybe they didn’t know the silly backstory. But, more likely, they are just experiencing the Pop Cryptid wave of interest in weird creature tales just for fun.

Bigfoot and the Gateway to the Mysterious

The previous month, some 40 miles or so west of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Derry Borough mayor Grant Nicely issued a proclamation in August, 2024 to declare Bigfoot as the official cryptid of the borough. Bigfoot is a big deal to folks around Greensburg, Uniontown, and the Chestnut Ridge area. Cryptid sightings, and associated high strangeness, have been reported in the region for decades. In the past few years, thanks to social media and the increasing popularity of strange stories propagating online, the area has become a “a hub for those fascinated by the unexplained.” The proclamation now designates Derry Borough as “The Gateway to the Mysterious Chestnut Ridge” encouraging residents and visitors to explore its mysteries and drop some dough.

Flathead Lake monster sculpture

A sculpture of the Flathead Lake Monster was revealed at the Sacajawea Park in Polson, Montana in September 2024. The Polson Mayor, Eric Huffine, opened the ceremony to unveil the bronze statue, saying there are more than 100 years of stories and legends of the monster from Flathead Lake in Kalispell, also known as Flossie. They are very proud of their own beastie.

Have news of a cryptid festival or monument in your town? Contact [email protected]

https://moderncryptozoology.wordpress.com/2024/10/02/parade-of-cryptids-in-small-town-usa/

#Bigfoot #cryptidFestival #cryptids #Georgia #GreenEyes #lakeMonsters #mascots #monsterLegends #monsters #Montana #MothmanFestival #Pennsylvania #Squonk

Tessie, the legendary lake monster of Lake Tahoe, has captivated imaginations with tales of its serpent-like form. #Tessie #laketahoe #lakemonsters https://connectparanormal.net/2024/09/30/tessie-lake-tahoes-elusive-cryptid-and-its-cultural-impact/

Location and imagination equals ‘cryptid’

Today, I’m making some general observations on the subject of strange animal sightings. I recently visited Lake Champlain and am convinced that many sightings of Champ, the lake monster, were logs or other mundane objects or animals. There are no cryptids there. But there is a granite marker and a friendly-looking fiberglass Champ depiction at Perkins Pier in Burlington, Vermont. Champ is stylized as a huge dragon-like sea serpent. It’s a mascot of the lake and the local baseball team. I can’t help but love this, while at the same time be frustrated by the remaining trend to suggest Champ is a prehistoric reptile or rare animal. The legend is sustained by the location and people’s sense of imagination.

Strange animal stories have always had, primarily, a theme of wonder and amazement. Even when the animal is clearly visible, such as with clear videos or carcasses, many spectators opinionate that the creature is a “mutant” or a new species. They don’t recognize the obvious, natural, and better explanations. Or, they refuse to accept them because it is more fun to speculate.

Could our need for fantasy creatures be contributing to cryptozoology failing as a scientific field?

The area of study that was called cryptozoology gained scientific credibility with a society and a journal established in 1982. A group of scientists and people interested in animal research founded the International Society of Cryptozoology. Its mission was to investigate and analyze reports of unexpected animals with the goal of determining if they were new species that could be cataloged and scientifically known.

That didn’t work out well. The society dissolved in 1996 with no clear successes other than to document the optimistic nature of the participants. The scientific credibility declined, but some zoological hope still lingers, as several followers of the field insist that it can be a legitimate means of discovering new animals. The prospects for this goal grow weaker every year. Instead, the popular mythical and romantic view of cryptozoology has swamped the idea of cryptozoology as a scientific endeavor. The cryptid legends seem ever more immune to scientific thinking. The skin and blood of cryptids are made of human imagination and the spirit of place.

In the 2000s, there was still a strong tone of cryptozoology as a science-based endeavor. But, by then, it was almost entirely the domain of amateurs. Unlike fruitful areas of scientific investigation, the evidence never got better – there were no bodies, no DNA, no tested theories, just better hoaxes and more media circulating with enthusiastic commentary.

There also was more attention to local promotion. Festivals associated with local creatures became popular. Public displays became more prominent. New social media featuring existing legends, and creating entirely new ones, expanded the reach of cryptids to the younger online generation. This promotion, done on TV, YouTube and TikTok was done by non-scientists, even teens who knew little about the origins of cryptozoology.

Many cryptids are almost always associated with particular locations. The obvious are lake monsters because they are bounded by the water. (Almost every large lake has a story of a monster.) This is reasonable, as the legend is rooted in and grows around a cluster of reports. Land animals are naturally attributed to an area, like a forest or swamp. Here are some examples:

• Dogman – Forests of Wisconsin and Michigan
• Mothman – West Virginia and later Chicago area
• Bigfoot – Typically tied to the PNW but by the 1970s became popular in many states, often referred to by a local name [Beast of Boggy Creek (Arkansas), Momo (Missouri), Skunk Ape (Florida)]. Certain areas were associated with ape-like beings and other paranormal concepts and entities – Chestnut Ridge (Pennsylvania), the Appalachians, and Skinwalker Ranch (Utah).
• Ultra local stories include Loveland Frog, Dover Demon, Beast of Bray Road, Lizard Man of Scape Ore swamp, Goatman.

Of course, there are exceptions:

• Chupacabra – Started as a Hispanic legend and became a catch-all term for any weird animal anywhere.
• Yeti – Began as associated with the Himalayas but became iconic worldwide even though still connected to its origins in cold, mountainous regions.
• Entities that may be considered “fantasy creatures” like merfolk and fairies (and related beings) show up everywhere people have brought their culture and stories with them. The same can be said for Bigfoot (wild man) and lake monsters.

Cryptids tied to locations seems to be a product of the environment + promotion. The legend will often readily morph into a mascot for a town or area. The locals may eventually embrace their monster and make the most of it. The commodification and exploitation of the cryptid aids in the drift away from the prospect of a serious scientific endeavor to find it. It also promotes fakery for attention or fun.

The Comegato
The latest invented cryptid is the Comegato of Maine, a weasel man creature featured in a “documentary” on YouTube. While I’m sticking to the U.S. in this post, see also the British Cryptid (1974) YouTube channel for invented local cryptids.

As the depiction of cryptids turns more towards entertainment and whimsy, the thought of the “-ology” part becomes less emphasized. Many people will admit they don’t want their local creature found or identified. They love the mystery and will actively seek to preserve it. Thus, the cryptids’ value lies not in zoological discovery, but in social needs. The field of cryptozoology may be doomed to further slide towards a fictionalized, pretend idea of science.

There is nothing wrong with celebrating your local legends. I think the depictions of Champ, Bigfoot, the Fresno Nightcrawler, the Hodag, and all the other crazy critters are awesome, and I want to see the statues and swag. Celebrate your local monster for all the human reasons it exists.

#Bigfoot #ChampLakeMonster #Comegato #cryptid #Cryptozoology #Hodag #lakeMonsters #Monsters #Paranormal

https://sharonahill.com/?p=8584