There is no conclusive evidence to support the existence of the Loch Ness monster, a large marine creature said to inhabit Scotland’s Loch Ness. Reports of a mysterious monster date back to ancient times. In 1933 a couple saw an enormous animal, which they compared to a “dragon or prehistoric monster.” After crossing the road in front of their car, it disappeared into the water. The following year the so-called “surgeon’s photograph” appeared to show the monster’s small head and neck. The image sparked a global sensation, and many speculated that the creature was a plesiosaur, a marine reptile that went extinct some 65.5 million years ago.
The Loch Ness area attracted numerous monster hunters. Over the years, several sonar explorations (notably in 1987 and 2003) were undertaken to locate the creature, but none were successful. In 1994 the “surgeon’s photograph” was revealed to be a hoax: the “monster” was actually a plastic-and-wooden head attached to a toy submarine. In 2018 researchers conducted a DNA survey of Loch Ness to determine what organisms live in the waters. No signs of a plesiosaur or other such large animal were found. However, the results indicated the presence of numerous eels, leaving open the possibility that the creature is an oversized eel.