The Beast of Loch Ness

    It was April 1933. Aldie and John Mackay were driving near Scotland’s largest lake, Loch Ness. The day was bright. Even the lake’s murky water sparkled in the sunshine. 

    Then Aldie saw something strange. The water rippled. A huge creature seemed to rise out of it.

    Aldie grabbed John’s arm. “Stop!” she screamed. “The beast!”

    John stopped the car. The couple watched the lake. The creature seemed to roll and jump in the water. Then it disappeared.

    News spread about what the Mackays had seen. Some people just laughed. But others wondered. There was something mysterious about Loch Ness. For hundreds of years, people had whispered that a strange creature lived there.

    Over the next few years, others claimed to have seen the beast too.

    One man said it had a large black body.

    A woman said it had two shiny humps on its back.

    A businessman said it was at least 20 feet long.

    But what was it?

    It was a cool afternoon in April 1933. Aldie and John Mackay were driving along the shores of Scotland’s largest lake, Loch Ness. The day was bright, and even the lake’s murky water sparkled in the sunshine.

    Suddenly, Aldie saw something she would never forget. The water rippled, and a giant creature seemed to rise out of the loch.

    Aldie grabbed her husband’s arm. “Stop!” she screamed. “The beast!”

    John stopped the car, and the couple stared at the lake for several minutes. The creature seemed to roll and jump in the water. Finally, it disappeared.

    News spread about what the Mackays had seen. Some people rolled their eyes and laughed, but others were fascinated. There had always been something mysterious about Loch Ness. For centuries, people had whispered about a strange creature living there.

    Over the next few years, others claimed to have spotted the frightening beast too.

    One man said it had a large black body.

    A woman reported seeing two shiny humps on its back.

    A businessman stated that it was at least 20 feet long.

    Cryptozoologists have come up with several ideas about what the beast of Loch Ness could be. Some say it is an unknown water mammal. Others say it is a huge fish. 

    Some even believe it is an ancient creature called the plesiosaur. These large, long-necked reptiles lived alongside the dinosaurs. Plesiosaurs died out 65 million years ago. But perhaps a few survived. Maybe one of their relatives is living in Loch Ness.

    Most scientists don’t think these ideas make sense. They say that the loch’s water is too cold and dark for most plants to grow. How would such a creature survive? What would it eat?

    And one creature could not live for hundreds of years on its own. So where is this strange animal’s family? How does it breed? Is it really possible that there are several giant animals living in the loch—and almost no one has seen them?

    Cryptozoologists have some ideas about what the beast of Loch Ness could be. Some say it’s an unknown water mammal. Others say it’s a huge fish.

    Some say it’s an ancient creature called the plesiosaur. These large, long-necked reptiles lived alongside the dinosaurs. Plesiosaurs died out 65 million years ago. But what if a few survived? Maybe one of their relatives lives in Loch Ness.

    Most scientists don’t think these ideas make sense. They say the lake’s water is too cold and dark for most plants to grow. How would such a creature survive? What would it eat?

    And one creature could not live for hundreds of years on its own. So where is this animal’s family? How does it breed? Could several giant animals live in the lake and rarely be seen?

    Cryptozoologists have come up with several ideas about what the beast of Loch Ness could be. Some say it’s an unknown water mammal, while others suggest it’s an enormous fish.

    Some even believe it’s an ancient creature called the plesiosaur. These large, long-necked reptiles lived alongside the dinosaurs. Plesiosaurs died out 65 million years ago—but perhaps a few survived. Maybe one of their    relatives is living in Loch Ness.

    Most scientists don’t think these ideas make sense. They say that the loch’s water is too cold and dark for most plants to grow—so how would such a creature survive? What would it eat?

    Also, one creature could not live for hundreds of years on its own—so where is this strange animal’s family? How does it breed? Is it really possible that there are several giant animals living in the loch, and practically no one has seen them?

    Scientist Tim Dinsdale hoped to answer these questions. From 1960 to 1987, he explored Loch Ness 57 times.

    In 1960, Dinsdale and his team saw a “long oval shape” in the water. They filmed the shape for 60 seconds.

    Experts studied the film. They said the object was “probably alive” and that it was 12 to 16 feet long. Cryptozoologists cheered. But skeptics were not impressed. The blurry film only showed a large blob in the water.

    American Robert Rines was another respected Loch Ness researcher. He used equipment called sonar to get an image. It seemed to show the head and body of a large creature. But it was too blurry to be proof.

    Then in 2003, British scientists studied the lake from top to bottom. They found no sign of a giant creature. “We have covered everything in this loch,” said scientist Ian Florence. “We saw no signs of any large living animal.”

    In hopes of answering these questions, scientist Tim Dinsdale explored Loch Ness 57 times from 1960 to 1987.

    In 1960, Dinsdale and his team saw a “long oval shape” in the water and filmed the shape for 60 seconds.

    Experts studied the film and said the object was “probably alive” and that it was 12 to 16 feet long. Cryptozoologists cheered, but skeptics weren’t particularly impressed with the blurry film that showed a large blob in the water.

    American Robert Rines, another respected Loch Ness researcher, used equipment called sonar to get an image that seemed to show the head and body of a large underwater creature. Still, it was too blurry to provide clear proof.

    Then in 2003, British scientists examined the loch from top to bottom and found no sign of a giant creature. “We have covered everything in this loch,” stated scientist Ian Florence. “We saw no signs of any large living animal.”