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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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).
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.
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?