Monsters inspired by real animals

The human imagination is limitless.

The history of its existence, we have managed to invent and build for yourself a whole new world. If our minds could not cope with the explanation of a phenomenon, we connected the imagination. But sometimes people used the imagination out of boredom. So, we came up with many fantastic animals, which affects their size, abilities and beauty. Imagining some of them, it’s hard to believe they had a real prototype, but that’s it. We present you the top 10 fantastic creatures that have real prototypes.
1) the Loch Ness monster

The glory of the monster scattered throughout the world. Despite the fact that the author of the most famous photos of “Nessie” admitted that the photo is nothing but a fake, many still doubt, whether there was it actually. For example, the scientists are sure there! Only much earlier — approximately 94 million years ago, and its real name is Ichthyosaur.
2) Mermaids

Mermaid — the most popular mythical creatures in the history of mankind. This is not surprising because the legends about these mythical creatures were spread around the world together with ships plied the expanses of our planet, or rather with sailors who served on these ships. Even Christopher Columbus wrote about mermaids, though in his writings they appear ugly and musicalitee beings. Anyway, now scientists know that the mythical mermaid is a normal Manatees that are in the fog, might seem tired sailors beautiful virgins.
3) Dragon

This legendary monster is the star of many fantasy novels and movies, which is not surprising: a huge fire-breathing lizard, which, among other things, also flying is truly a frightening sight… would have to be, if dragons existed in reality. But and this incredible monster has “kinsman” among the representatives of the animal world. So, in different cultures, it is likely to have been the alligators, crocodiles, and lizards (especially good on the role of a prototype suitable Giant Indonesian monitor lizard).
4) Griffin

Fans of books about Harry Potter will immediately recognize Gryphon a symbol of one of the faculties of the school of magic Hogwarts — Gryffindor. However, the griffins have appeared in various legends long before the books about “the boy with the scar”. Near Scythia, the archaeologists found the skeleton of a dinosaur that perfectly fit the description of a Griffin. Probably, the ancient people discovered the remains of such a dinosaur and began to write a legend about this incredible creature.
5) Cyclops

Cyclops often occur in Greek mythology. So, in Homer’s Odyssey Cyclops were described as giants with one eye, which is located in the middle of the head. Today we know that the prototype of these creatures was likely Dinotherium — a kind of ancient elephant that lived once on the island kirit. The fossilized skull of these creatures really look like they only had one eye.
6) Chupacabra

Chupacabra, of course, not so ancient mythical creature, such as mermaids or dragons. They first “appeared” in the 90-ies of the 20th century in Puerto Rico. Then these animals were seen in the vicinity of Mexico, in southwest United States and even in China. In the end, it turned out that these unseen beings is just a coyote suffering from mange. It is because of this disease in animals fell out of the coat and the skin had acquired a wrinkled and eerie look.
7) Yeti

For centuries, the people of Nepal and Tibet passed from mouth to mouth the Legend of Bigfoot is a humanoid beast that lived in the Himalayas. Witnesses claimed to have heard the roar of a beast, and some even saw it from a distance. Scientists came to the conclusion that about any humanoid monster of the question, and the wool found in the ground “habitat” Yeti is likely to belong to a special kind of bear.
8) Giant squid

Sea monster-sized vehicle resembling a giant squid with a dozen tentacles, well known in many cultures from Greece to Norway. Despite the truly world-famous, no-one believed that this creature really exists. Until one day, a Japanese sailor from Tokyo Tsunami of Kubodera not descended in a submarine to the ocean floor, and found that a giant squid: long one of his tentacles was five and a half feet.
9) Unicorn

Prototypes of this beautiful mythical animal, several animals, including the extinct Woolly rhinoceros, the narwhal, and horned goats.

10) Huge earthworms and the old serpent

How many horror movies have already graced us with creepy huge earthworms, which length can reach tens of meters. Now, these monsters were invented long before Hollywood glorified them all over the world.

Very often the mention of a huge (about 25 feet in length and about a meter wide) earthen worms comes across in the legends of South America. As scientists believe, the prototype of this critter was, now extinct, prehistoric snake.

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