Lake/River/Loch Monsters
A Lake/River/Loch is a purported form of fresh-water-dwelling megafauna. There are several examples of these possible cryptids all over the globe but the some of the most notable are Champ, Mokele-mbembe, Caddy, and the Loch Ness Monster.
Champ
Lake Champlain borders Vermont and New York on the American side and Quebec on the Canadian side. Stretching 109 miles in length and up to 11 miles in width, the lake has impressive depths to 400 feet and a water area of 440 square miles. Early history of the area in relation to the creature now given the moniker of Champ, can be traced back to the original inhabitants, the Native Americans. At least three bands of Native Americans lived in the area, the Iroquois on the western side, the Abnaki, and Algonquin. These groups of Native Americans had stories associated with a horned serpent.Whether Champ turns out to be a primitive whale called a zeuglodon, or a some form of long necked reptile similar to a plesiosaur the fact remains that there is a mystery present within the lake, that stretches back hundred of years and through hundred if not thousands of people.
Mokele-mbembe
Mokèlé-mbèmbé, meaning "one who stops the flow of rivers" is legendary water-dwelling creature of the Congo River basin. Most witnesses report a massive creature with a long neck and tail with thick legs resembling an extinct sauropod. Reports of the creature have surfaced from as far back as the 1700's leading to several expeditions to the area. Possible glimpses of the creature and many reports of locals have been recorded but the most intriguing evidence came from a Japanese television crew in 1992. While shooting a documentary above Lake Tele they saw something moving in the lake. The cameraman was able to focus and got some extraordinary footage before the object plunged back down into the lake. The object was moving at a rapid pace leaving a V-shaped wake behind it. Protuberances that could be interpreted as a neck and tail can also be seen. Could this be an unknown or previously thought extinct animal, or just a misidentification of a large herbivore such as an elephant or rhinoceros?
Caddy
The British Colombian coast of Cadboro Bay is the supposed home of Caddy or Cadborosaurus. Caddy is normally described as a snake like creature with flippers, possible hair on its neck, and a camel or horse like head. Witnesses have described the creature being anywhere from 40 to 70 feet in length. The first reported sighting of Caddy was in 1933 by a Victoria lawyer and his wife. They described a "horrible serpent with the head of a camel." This is the general description from most witnesses. These details possibly link Caddy zoologically to a relative of a Zeuglodon, an extinct ancient type of whale.
Loch Ness Monster
Probably the most famous water monster is Nessie, the creature said to live in the depths of Scotland’s Loch Ness. Sightings of the creature date back to 565 AD and still continue today. An interesting aspect of the Loch Ness Monster is that it has been sighted on land as well as in the water. Most land sightings describe a large-bodied creature with a long neck and tail, humped back, and flippers. Sighting in the water are usually less detailed and generally describe a long creature with a head and one to two humps. Most witnesses estimate the length from 20-60 feet.
There are a few theories as to what Nessie may be. The most common theory is that the creature is a type of previously thought extinct Plesiosaur. This creature most easily fits the witness descriptions of Nessie, but Plesiosaurs are thought to have become extinct over 70 million years ago. Other possible zoological candidates for Nessie are a species of undiscovered giant eel or possibly a previously thought extinct species of ancient whale called a Zeuglodon.