Mythical animals, do they really exist

Dempster recently asked whether the Loch Ness monster really existed. The question got us at The AnswerBank thinking about mythical creatures from the natural world. Is there any evidence that they really exist or are there more logical explanations to account for them

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Q. Where does the Loch Ness Monster legend come from

A. Nessie, as the creature is affectionately known, has a long history. An old Highland belief states that a water horse or 'kelpie' inhabited nearly every lake in Scotland.

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The first known documented 'sighting' was in 565 AD when St Columba scared Nessie off as it went to attack a fellow monk swimming in the loch.

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If you're keen to do some spotting you no longer have to endure the elements, as there are now four webcams watching the loch. Recently a couple in Texas claimed to have spotted Nessie via the Internet. See if you can see him here.

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Q. Is there any basis for believing Nessie exists

A. Operation Deepscan, the 1987 expedition, failed to find conclusive proof of Nessie's existence. It involved 24 boats packed with state of the art electronics and under water television cameras.

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Q. What is the logical explanation for Nessie

A. Seals swim up the River Ness to the loch and are a prime candidate. Other possibilities are floating logs.

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Q. What were Cyclops

A. Cyclops were monsters in Homer's Odyssey. They were giants, with one enormous eye in the centre of their forehead.

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Q. What is the logical explanation of the Cyclops myth

A. Prehistoric humans were probably as interested in fossils as we are. Extinct dwarf elephant bones and skulls are common in caves on Sicily, the island interpreted as the one the Cyclops lived on.

The single large opening of an elephant skull, for the trunk, could have been mistaken as the eye socket of a giant. Many other tales of giants are based on Pleistocene elephant bones.

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Q. What is the legend of the yeti

A. The yeti is supposed to live in the Himalayas, the highest mountain range in the world. There have been many sightings of the yeti, a hairy beast walking on two legs, however, none of them have been documented with evidence.

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Q. What is the most likely explanation of the yeti

A. After a sighting in 1986, it seems that a Tibetan bear is the most likely candidate. Tibetan bears are similar to grizzlies, but with longer hair. They can grow up to 3m, rear up onto their back legs and live at heights of between 4,000m and 6,000m.

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