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Ferocious
monsters from the deep.
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Hellish hounds
that prowl the night.
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And ancient dragons
that rule the skies.
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Since the dawn of time,
there have been tales
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of monsters that live among us.
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Creatures of myth and legend
that lurk in the shadows
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and hunt us like prey.
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But are these fantastic beasts
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merely figments
of our imagination?
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Or could they actually be real?
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Well, that is what
we'll try and find out.
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For centuries,
mankind has told stories
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about fearsome monsters
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that inhabit our world
and can strike without warning.
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What is it about these strange
creatures that terrifies us?
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Monsters are found everywhere,
in all cultures,
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in all, uh,
locales around the world.
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If you look at monsters
from an anthropological sense,
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they are very often wild
and dangerous and aggressive.
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And very often inescapably evil.
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They have humanlike motivations
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and humanlike
or even godlike abilities.
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And this reflects a lot
of real, um, issues, fears.
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And as well as encounters
of the most fantastical kind.
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Monsters have
been with us a long time.
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In Australia,
the ancient aboriginals would
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talk about the Bunyip, which
was a swamp-dwelling creature
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that would rise in the moonlight
to slaughter its victims.
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The Native Americans
talked about horned serpents
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and thunder beings with wings
that would roam the skies.
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In Norse or Viking mythology,
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there were
a number of monsters as well.
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You had trolls, elves, ogres.
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So we have
all manner of horrible,
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strange monsters
lurking the planet.
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They are the embodiment of evil.
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They represent the mystery
in our world, the unknown.
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What a lot of people
don't realize is
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that at least some of
these monsters have stepped
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from beyond
the veil of mythology
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into our reality.
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Is it possible
that some monsters are
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not merely fictional characters
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but, rather,
flesh and blood creatures?
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There are those who
believe the answer is yes.
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And as evidence,
they point to a beast
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that has been reported
in England for centuries.
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As thunder and rain pounds
St. Mary's Church,
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the worshippers inside
gather in silent prayer.
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Suddenly,
a monstrous doglike creature
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with glowing red eyes crashes
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through the church doors
and attacks the people inside.
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Dozens are wounded,
and two parishioners
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are killed
in the unexpected rampage
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caused by one of England's
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most feared monsters...
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the hellhound.
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The hellhound of Bungay is one
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of the best known
of the monster stories
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in the U.K.
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It kills two
parishioners in the church
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as it makes its way through.
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It then goes off to the town
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of Blythburgh,
which is about 12 miles away.
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And it kills two more
parishioners
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and a young boy, as well,
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before scrambling to get out
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of the church and leaving its
claw marks in the church door,
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which you can still see as
black scorch marks to this day.
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It's a really important story,
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especially for the local area.
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The black dog is seen
on the weathervane in the town.
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It's on the coat of arms.
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Hellhounds are
abnormally huge black dogs.
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They are thought to be
an omen of death or a harbinger
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of ill fate, mishap,
misfortune, and death.
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Sometimes they're as large
as a full grown cow,
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heavily muscled,
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with glowing red eyes,
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as though embers of hell
are emanating
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from the creature.
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These traditions
and stories of hellhounds
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date back centuries in England,
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all the way
back to the 12th century.
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All over England,
you have different regional
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aspects of these black
dogs that are considered
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to be the manifestation
of the devil himself.
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They're known by a variety
of different names,
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the most popular being the
Black Shuck and the Hairy Jack.
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There are still people even to
this day that report encounters
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with these strange,
ghostly dogs.
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Whatever they represent,
we can't deny
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that the black dogs are
here to stay.
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The hellhound
has clearly frightened
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the people
of England for centuries.
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But there's
another monster that's
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believed to dwell in the country
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that has inspired even
greater fascination and fear.
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It's known
as the Beast of Exmoor.
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While trekking through a field
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in a former
royal hunting preserve,
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two hikers capture video footage
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of something
no one would ever expect
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to see in the backwoods
of South West England.
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The video shows
a large black animal
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slinking through the grass.
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There was a video
filmed of a mysterious
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catlike creature
roaming the moors of Exmoor.
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It's about seven feet long,
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two and a half feet high
at the shoulders.
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Coal black in color,
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green eyes.
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It's very strange.
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The people
who took the video seem
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to be low to the ground,
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And it's so difficult
to judge the perspective.
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But the interesting thing
about this video, I think,
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is, this cat was seemingly
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a big black panther-like animal
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and it was walking
through a field
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and looking confident.
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A black panther?
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In England?
According to the U.K.
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government's organization
for rural affairs,
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there is no cat species
native to England
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that resembles a black panther.
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But some researchers
believe it's possible that
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the enigmatic creature was,
in fact...
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the Beast of Exmoor.
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The Beast of Exmoor
is a supernatural
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or phantom cat that lives,
according to legend,
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around the Exmoor area,
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a national park in Devon.
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The Beast of Exmoor
is described as a very large,
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powerfully built cat.
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There have been
hundreds of sightings
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dating back centuries,
but it didn't really
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become ingrained in
the local fabric of the culture
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and folklore until there were
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a number of mysterious
livestock attacks and killings
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in Southern England that
hit the newspapers in 1983,
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when a sheep farmer
named Eric Ley
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reported up to a hundred sheep
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had been killed
in a very violent way.
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Typically the throats
were ripped out,
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they were eviscerated,
disemboweled.
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So it certainly
has really become sort of
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the local monster, if you will.
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After the attack
on Eric Ley's sheep, the British
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tabloid The Daily Express
picked up the story
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and offered a substantial
reward for anyone
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who brought in the notorious
beast, dead or alive.
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Many reward-seeking amateur
hunters staked out the hills
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of Exmoor
in search of the monster.
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As reports of livestock deaths
and sightings of the beast
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reached a fever pitch,
the British government decided
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to send military troops
to investigate the matter.
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In North Devon the Royal Marines
are on the trail of a mystery
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black beast that's killed
60 sheep in the past month.
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People just
don't know what it is.
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Rogue dog, wild cat,
or indeed something else.
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The Royal Marines are
dispatched onto Exmoor
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to search
for this animal to avoid
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any more killings
taking place if possible.
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Some of the Marines
report possibly seeing
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something through
night vision equipment.
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But ultimately they stood down
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because there's a danger
that if they do
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see anything and shoot at it,
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the chances are, it's going
to be one of the many amateur
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photographers who
are also out on the moor,
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trying to capture
evidence of this beast.
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And so that hunt
really comes to nothing
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at the end of the day.
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The evidence is inconclusive.
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It's very hard
to pin down for certain
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what a lot of these
sightings actually are.
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And therein
lies the mystery behind it.
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If it's true that
phantom cats and hellhounds do,
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in fact, exist,
then it begs the question...
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could there be
other monsters from myth
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and legend that are also real?
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Well, if a recent discovery
in China is to be believed,
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then it could be
that we share our world...
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with dragons.
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In a rural community
120 miles from Beijing,
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residents make
an extraordinary discovery
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in a local field.
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They find
a 60-foot-long set of bones
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belonging to
a highly unusual animal.
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The remains unearthed
in Zhangjiakou had antlers.
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It had prominent claws.
It had a long serpentine body.
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So this created a huge buzz
and a lot of fascination.
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A video of
the strange bones went
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viral on the Internet,
and researchers were
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baffled as they attempted to
identify the bizarre creature.
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But many local villagers
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insisted that
the bones were the remains...
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of a dragon.
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Dragons are a huge part
of a lot of Asian culture,
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particularly Chinese culture.
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They are a tremendously
important symbol
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for many, many people
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Dragons are perhaps one
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of the most defining elements
of Chinese cultural lore.
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And they have been
for thousands of years.
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Dragons symbolize knowledge,
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wisdom, uh...
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otherworldly power even.
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A lot of the early
imperial families
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drew their authority
from associating themselves
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with dragon blood
or portraying themselves
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as descendants of dragons.
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00:11:19,917 --> 00:11:21,958
So dragons are a very, um...
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00:11:22,042 --> 00:11:26,417
present creature in
Chinese cultural imagination.
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Mainstream scientists
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00:11:29,042 --> 00:11:30,934
remain skeptical as
to whether or not the skeleton
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that was discovered in 2017
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belonged to a real dragon.
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But the media frenzy
sparked by its discovery
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suggested that many people,
not only in China
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but throughout the world,
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believe in
the existence of dragons.
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We have dragons everywhere
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in time
and in different cultures.
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And it is fascinating,
because some of these
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cultures never met, they never
had contact within history.
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So the pervasiveness
of dragon myths in cultures
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00:12:06,583 --> 00:12:12,500
across many folkloric contexts
is probably no accident.
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Dragons are
one of the more fantastic
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creatures to study in mythology
and folklore and legends
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because they're so widespread.
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They're a big part
of our Western culture.
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Satan is described
as a dragon in some
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passages in the Bible.
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They're one
of the most powerful animal
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gods in Aboriginal mythology.
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00:12:34,875 --> 00:12:38,583
We have dragons
in Ethiopian iconography.
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00:12:38,708 --> 00:12:40,167
And one of
the fascinating things is,
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00:12:40,333 --> 00:12:42,667
representations
of what a dragon is supposed
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00:12:42,792 --> 00:12:46,917
to look like remains
remarkably consistent over time.
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00:12:47,042 --> 00:12:50,833
What's really remarkable
is that, if we consider
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00:12:50,917 --> 00:12:52,726
all of these different
influences that may have
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00:12:52,750 --> 00:12:54,375
contributed
to the dragon legends,
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00:12:54,542 --> 00:12:58,125
they're all typically
portrayed as being reptilian
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00:12:58,208 --> 00:13:03,000
in nature, having scales
and claws, often wings that are
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00:13:03,083 --> 00:13:07,292
very bat-like or membranous
in nature, a long reptilian tail
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00:13:07,417 --> 00:13:11,083
with a strange structure or
a spike or a stinger on the end,
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00:13:11,208 --> 00:13:15,667
very sharp teeth,
the ability to breathe fire.
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00:13:15,792 --> 00:13:19,375
And so we have
to consider the possibility
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00:13:19,500 --> 00:13:23,417
that at least some of these
dragon legends could be based on
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00:13:23,542 --> 00:13:27,167
some type of extraordinary
and perhaps unknown animal.
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00:13:27,250 --> 00:13:30,917
Is it possible that
the many dragons described
254
00:13:31,042 --> 00:13:33,708
in legends
throughout the world weren't
255
00:13:33,833 --> 00:13:36,917
just fictional
but were actually real?
256
00:13:38,125 --> 00:13:40,375
Perhaps the answer lies
in examining some
257
00:13:40,542 --> 00:13:43,083
of the historical accounts
in which people have
258
00:13:43,208 --> 00:13:47,042
claimed to have had
encounters with actual dragons.
259
00:13:48,375 --> 00:13:51,667
In bygone centuries,
encounters with dragons
260
00:13:51,750 --> 00:13:55,042
were not considered to
be fables or tall tales.
261
00:13:56,125 --> 00:13:57,667
They were
written down and documented
262
00:13:57,750 --> 00:13:59,292
as historical fact.
263
00:13:59,417 --> 00:14:02,083
They were told as real
stories of encounters
264
00:14:02,208 --> 00:14:05,292
with mysterious
flesh and blood animals.
265
00:14:05,375 --> 00:14:08,000
In the eighth century,
there's an example
266
00:14:08,083 --> 00:14:11,958
recorded
by, uh, St. John of Damascus...
267
00:14:13,125 --> 00:14:16,792
where the Roman army is
immensely surprised
268
00:14:16,875 --> 00:14:20,542
when a large creature
described as a dragon
269
00:14:20,667 --> 00:14:23,125
rises up behind them.
270
00:14:23,250 --> 00:14:26,625
They fight and ultimately
slay the creature.
271
00:14:26,750 --> 00:14:30,500
And they skin it and they
send the skin back to Rome.
272
00:14:31,875 --> 00:14:34,542
People took
this extremely seriously
273
00:14:34,667 --> 00:14:36,500
up to the early modern period.
274
00:14:37,875 --> 00:14:40,333
A city in Germany called Worms
275
00:14:40,417 --> 00:14:43,167
is famous
for its dragon fighter.
276
00:14:43,333 --> 00:14:46,667
In the 16th,
17th, and 18th century,
277
00:14:46,792 --> 00:14:51,750
they hung up dragon bones
all across the city
278
00:14:51,875 --> 00:14:55,083
to prove that dragons are real.
279
00:14:57,458 --> 00:14:59,917
Do the many historical
reports of dragons prove
280
00:15:00,042 --> 00:15:04,083
that these legendary beasts
were, in fact, real?
281
00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:07,208
Perhaps, but if so,
282
00:15:07,333 --> 00:15:09,167
then it naturally
begs the question...
283
00:15:09,292 --> 00:15:12,500
could giant, winged serpents
284
00:15:12,583 --> 00:15:15,083
still exist today?
285
00:15:15,208 --> 00:15:18,542
According to some researchers,
the answer is yes.
286
00:15:20,083 --> 00:15:22,833
And as evidence,
they point to numerous sightings
287
00:15:22,958 --> 00:15:26,792
in the early 20th century
of a flying creature
288
00:15:26,875 --> 00:15:29,542
that was known as
the Van Meter Visitor.
289
00:15:31,167 --> 00:15:34,667
In the early 1900s,
a town in Iowa,
290
00:15:34,833 --> 00:15:36,667
the small town
of Van Meter, Iowa,
291
00:15:36,792 --> 00:15:41,708
was plagued by a giant
eight-foot, bat-like creature
292
00:15:41,833 --> 00:15:45,000
with huge leather
bat-like wings,
293
00:15:45,167 --> 00:15:49,208
and it had a horn on its head
that could project light.
294
00:15:49,333 --> 00:15:52,208
For five nights,
it terrorized this small town.
295
00:15:52,333 --> 00:15:55,167
And on the fifth night,
during thunderstorms,
296
00:15:55,292 --> 00:15:58,708
it appeared with
a smaller version of itself,
297
00:15:58,875 --> 00:16:01,708
perhaps the female gender
or the offspring,
298
00:16:01,875 --> 00:16:06,375
before descending back into
the coal mine and disappearing,
299
00:16:06,542 --> 00:16:09,333
never to be seen
in Van Meter again.
300
00:16:11,667 --> 00:16:14,333
What was the mysterious
dragon-like creature
301
00:16:14,417 --> 00:16:17,875
that terrorized the residents
of Van Meter, Iowa?
302
00:16:18,042 --> 00:16:19,917
Some researchers believe
a clue can be found
303
00:16:20,042 --> 00:16:22,292
in the fossil record.
304
00:16:22,375 --> 00:16:26,542
Beginning in the Triassic period
220 million years ago,
305
00:16:26,667 --> 00:16:28,750
there was an animal
out there that actually
306
00:16:28,875 --> 00:16:30,625
looked like a dragon.
307
00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,167
So-called pterosaurs,
which were these winged
308
00:16:34,292 --> 00:16:37,292
reptiles that endured
for 150 million years
309
00:16:37,417 --> 00:16:40,125
and ruled
the skies of our planet
310
00:16:40,208 --> 00:16:43,125
and then went extinct
at the end of the Cretaceous.
311
00:16:43,208 --> 00:16:46,125
But isn't it interesting
that we have modern accounts
312
00:16:46,208 --> 00:16:50,042
and sightings of something
that looks like a living dragon?
313
00:16:50,167 --> 00:16:53,000
A reptilian
creature with a long tail,
314
00:16:53,125 --> 00:16:56,208
presumably scales,
leathery wings,
315
00:16:56,375 --> 00:16:58,417
sharp teeth.
316
00:16:58,542 --> 00:17:01,208
As improbable as it seems,
if, in fact,
317
00:17:01,333 --> 00:17:03,833
pterosaurs had managed to endure
318
00:17:03,917 --> 00:17:06,333
throughout history
up until modern times,
319
00:17:06,458 --> 00:17:08,875
their existence
would most certainly explain
320
00:17:09,042 --> 00:17:12,000
the dragon legends of the world.
321
00:17:13,167 --> 00:17:16,333
Is it possible that
the numerous accounts of dragons
322
00:17:16,458 --> 00:17:19,333
throughout history
were actually encounters
323
00:17:19,458 --> 00:17:23,958
with dinosaurs that
somehow survived extinction?
324
00:17:24,042 --> 00:17:26,708
It's an incredible notion.
325
00:17:26,875 --> 00:17:29,167
But no more extraordinary
326
00:17:29,250 --> 00:17:32,292
than new evidence which suggests
327
00:17:32,417 --> 00:17:36,500
that a fearsome monster
might be lurking in the ocean.
328
00:17:36,625 --> 00:17:38,958
A beast known as...
329
00:17:39,042 --> 00:17:41,250
the kraken.
330
00:17:46,292 --> 00:17:48,750
Deep in these
cold, turbulent waters,
331
00:17:48,875 --> 00:17:50,833
located south of Japan,
332
00:17:50,917 --> 00:17:56,167
live some of the most mysterious
marine species on Earth.
333
00:17:57,375 --> 00:18:02,083
And at approximately 9:15 a.m.
on September 30, 2004,
334
00:18:02,208 --> 00:18:05,083
scientists monitoring a digital
camera more than a half
335
00:18:05,208 --> 00:18:07,250
a mile below the ocean's surface
336
00:18:07,375 --> 00:18:09,542
captured images of a creature
337
00:18:09,667 --> 00:18:13,458
that had never been
photographed underwater before.
338
00:18:14,583 --> 00:18:16,333
The giant squid.
339
00:18:18,833 --> 00:18:22,500
When the picture came out, we,
we as a scientific community
340
00:18:22,667 --> 00:18:25,917
were very excited
because we've only had
341
00:18:26,042 --> 00:18:29,083
all these myths and legends
and sea stories before this.
342
00:18:29,208 --> 00:18:32,292
So, to get photographs
was really exciting
343
00:18:32,375 --> 00:18:34,167
because that was
actually the first time
344
00:18:34,292 --> 00:18:36,792
that we have seen images
of a live giant squid
345
00:18:36,875 --> 00:18:38,833
in its natural environment.
346
00:18:38,958 --> 00:18:40,125
It was a big deal.
347
00:18:40,208 --> 00:18:42,292
In 2019,
348
00:18:42,375 --> 00:18:44,167
another team
of marine biologists
349
00:18:44,250 --> 00:18:47,167
recorded stunning video
of a giant squid
350
00:18:47,292 --> 00:18:49,750
for only the second time
in history.
351
00:18:51,167 --> 00:18:54,333
The footage,
filmed at a depth of 2,500 feet,
352
00:18:54,417 --> 00:18:57,417
shows a 12-foot long giant squid
353
00:18:57,542 --> 00:19:01,583
attempting to devour a lure
shaped like a jellyfish.
354
00:19:01,708 --> 00:19:05,167
It was the best insight
thus far into the behavior
355
00:19:05,250 --> 00:19:09,625
of these elusive creatures
that remain shrouded in mystery.
356
00:19:11,875 --> 00:19:16,083
Because we have such
little information about them,
357
00:19:16,208 --> 00:19:18,458
one of the major ways
they were finding
358
00:19:18,542 --> 00:19:20,684
evidence of the giant squid
out in the oceans is actually
359
00:19:20,708 --> 00:19:22,667
from the stomach contents
of whales.
360
00:19:23,708 --> 00:19:27,292
Giant squid have eight arms,
two tentacles,
361
00:19:27,375 --> 00:19:30,333
and at the end of those
tentacles, there are clubs,
362
00:19:30,417 --> 00:19:33,958
and those clubs will bring in
prey towards the mouth,
363
00:19:34,042 --> 00:19:35,667
which is this
beak-like structure
364
00:19:35,792 --> 00:19:37,583
that has these little
rasping little
365
00:19:37,708 --> 00:19:40,500
teeth-like structures inside,
called the radula, that help
366
00:19:40,583 --> 00:19:43,375
break food down that the squid
is bringing in to digest.
367
00:19:44,500 --> 00:19:47,792
We believe they get to be
about 40 to 45 feet long,
368
00:19:47,875 --> 00:19:51,417
about the size of the
traditional yellow school buses.
369
00:19:52,500 --> 00:19:54,542
Modern scientists
continue to search
370
00:19:54,667 --> 00:19:56,750
for giant squid
lurking in the depths,
371
00:19:56,875 --> 00:20:01,417
in hopes of learning more
about these massive predators.
372
00:20:02,625 --> 00:20:05,083
But for centuries,
sailors from around the world
373
00:20:05,208 --> 00:20:08,583
told stories of a mysterious
squid-like monster
374
00:20:08,708 --> 00:20:12,708
that was much larger
and more ferocious.
375
00:20:12,833 --> 00:20:16,542
It was known as the kraken.
376
00:20:19,208 --> 00:20:23,708
If you've ever seen old sailing
maps, and you see the monsters,
377
00:20:23,833 --> 00:20:26,917
you would see a representation
of the kraken,
378
00:20:27,042 --> 00:20:32,333
a giant squid-like creature
that would not only capsize
379
00:20:32,458 --> 00:20:36,167
and sink boats but would
devour the crew
380
00:20:36,250 --> 00:20:39,167
and had an insatiable hunger
for human flesh.
381
00:20:39,250 --> 00:20:42,208
The kraken was believed
to be the most diabolical
382
00:20:42,375 --> 00:20:44,375
and evil of all
the sea monsters.
383
00:20:44,500 --> 00:20:48,667
In 1555,
the Swedish cartographer
384
00:20:48,750 --> 00:20:51,500
Olaus Magnus first began
to write about a multiarmed
385
00:20:51,583 --> 00:20:53,875
sea monster that lived
off the coast of Norway,
386
00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,917
and would often attack boats,
387
00:20:57,042 --> 00:20:59,500
pulling sailors off of ships.
388
00:20:59,583 --> 00:21:01,417
And it was even described
as creating
389
00:21:01,542 --> 00:21:03,458
such a massive whirlpool
390
00:21:03,583 --> 00:21:07,167
that it would actually
suck ships deep into the ocean.
391
00:21:07,250 --> 00:21:09,333
We have some accounts
from whalemen
392
00:21:09,458 --> 00:21:12,333
from the 1840s and 1850s
reporting things
393
00:21:12,417 --> 00:21:15,417
floating by that were over
100, 150 feet long.
394
00:21:15,542 --> 00:21:19,458
And then, in 1861,
a French Navy vessel,
395
00:21:19,542 --> 00:21:22,000
the Alecton, actually spotted
396
00:21:22,083 --> 00:21:24,917
a large kraken,
397
00:21:25,042 --> 00:21:28,667
or what they believed to be a
kraken, floating at the surface.
398
00:21:28,792 --> 00:21:31,125
They didn't want to launch
a small boat because
399
00:21:31,208 --> 00:21:32,833
they were afraid
that the tentacles
400
00:21:32,917 --> 00:21:34,167
would endanger the sailors.
401
00:21:34,333 --> 00:21:37,000
And so, they got
as close as they could.
402
00:21:37,125 --> 00:21:38,583
They started
to shoot the animal.
403
00:21:38,708 --> 00:21:40,500
They harpooned the animal.
404
00:21:40,583 --> 00:21:42,983
They got a noose, and they tried
to lift it out of the water.
405
00:21:44,250 --> 00:21:46,667
But then the animal just sunk.
406
00:21:48,750 --> 00:21:51,667
If we consider that these
kraken accounts from
407
00:21:51,792 --> 00:21:55,042
centuries past
were taken as historical fact,
408
00:21:55,208 --> 00:21:57,375
what could
these animals represent?
409
00:21:57,542 --> 00:22:00,583
And, although we've
scientifically documented that
410
00:22:00,708 --> 00:22:04,083
these giant squids can obtain
lengths of up to 50 feet,
411
00:22:04,208 --> 00:22:06,667
it is not beyond
scientific possibility
412
00:22:06,792 --> 00:22:09,167
that they could get
much, much larger.
413
00:22:09,250 --> 00:22:13,625
So, it's certainly possible
that somewhere out there exists
414
00:22:13,708 --> 00:22:16,917
a squid of kraken-type
proportions.
415
00:22:18,625 --> 00:22:21,583
Is it possible that
the kraken does, in fact, exist?
416
00:22:21,708 --> 00:22:25,167
And if so, could it be
a bigger and more monstrous
417
00:22:25,292 --> 00:22:29,083
relative of the giant squid,
as some believe?
418
00:22:29,208 --> 00:22:31,500
Perhaps the answer
may be found by examining
419
00:22:31,625 --> 00:22:35,375
a modern encounter
with what may have been
420
00:22:35,500 --> 00:22:37,708
a real-life kraken.
421
00:22:39,958 --> 00:22:42,833
The Pacific Ocean. 1978.
422
00:22:42,917 --> 00:22:47,542
The United States naval frigate
the USS Stein is on patrol,
423
00:22:47,708 --> 00:22:51,458
when it is suddenly attacked
from beneath the waves.
424
00:22:54,250 --> 00:22:57,542
In 1978,
the U.S. vessel the USS Stein
425
00:22:57,667 --> 00:22:59,583
was out patrolling the waters...
426
00:23:01,167 --> 00:23:05,833
when some unknown creature
disabled its sonar dome.
427
00:23:05,958 --> 00:23:09,417
They had to go into port,
and they discovered
428
00:23:09,542 --> 00:23:12,292
that the heavy rubber coating
429
00:23:12,375 --> 00:23:14,833
of the sonar dome
was torn to shreds.
430
00:23:14,958 --> 00:23:19,625
There were giant claw marks
on the rubber,
431
00:23:19,708 --> 00:23:22,750
the longest of which
was over four feet in length.
432
00:23:22,875 --> 00:23:26,333
Even more puzzling,
researchers found
433
00:23:26,417 --> 00:23:28,125
hooked sharp claws
434
00:23:28,208 --> 00:23:30,625
embedded into
the rubber coating.
435
00:23:32,125 --> 00:23:34,833
We know that squids actually
have these types of teeth,
436
00:23:34,958 --> 00:23:38,792
or claws if you will,
lining their suckers.
437
00:23:38,875 --> 00:23:41,000
And so, for a squid claw
of this size,
438
00:23:41,125 --> 00:23:43,500
we could imagine that
the squid that created
439
00:23:43,583 --> 00:23:45,375
this damage on this sonar dome
440
00:23:45,500 --> 00:23:47,333
must have been monstrous
in proportion.
441
00:23:47,500 --> 00:23:49,917
So, they took it to
the naval biologist
442
00:23:50,042 --> 00:23:52,833
and they tried to identify
what this could be.
443
00:23:52,917 --> 00:23:56,333
But this was a much
larger claw and
444
00:23:56,458 --> 00:23:58,917
not easily connected
to a current known species.
445
00:24:00,167 --> 00:24:02,667
Biologists don't know for sure,
but they do believe
446
00:24:02,833 --> 00:24:05,250
that it's quite possible that
there are large squid species
447
00:24:05,375 --> 00:24:06,833
that we have yet to identify.
448
00:24:06,917 --> 00:24:09,375
Could there be
giant squid that are
449
00:24:09,500 --> 00:24:11,958
100, 150 feet long?
450
00:24:12,042 --> 00:24:15,375
We just really don't know.
451
00:24:15,500 --> 00:24:19,542
Could colossal,
150-foot-long squid
452
00:24:19,667 --> 00:24:22,083
actually be lurking
in the depths?
453
00:24:23,458 --> 00:24:26,333
Perhaps. And it turns out
there may be
454
00:24:26,417 --> 00:24:28,458
an even more powerful creature
455
00:24:28,542 --> 00:24:30,375
dwelling in our oceans.
456
00:24:30,542 --> 00:24:31,875
A giant whale
457
00:24:32,042 --> 00:24:38,708
with a taste for revenge.
458
00:24:38,833 --> 00:24:40,184
In the middle
of the Atlantic Ocean,
459
00:24:40,208 --> 00:24:42,750
about 850 miles
from the coast of Portugal,
460
00:24:42,875 --> 00:24:47,125
lies a tiny chain of islands
known as the Azores.
461
00:24:47,250 --> 00:24:51,333
The Azores are famous for being
one of the best places in
462
00:24:51,417 --> 00:24:53,375
the world to witness
the breathtaking sight
463
00:24:53,542 --> 00:24:56,500
of massive sperm whales
leaping out of the sea
464
00:24:56,667 --> 00:25:00,417
and crashing back
beneath the waves.
465
00:25:00,542 --> 00:25:03,208
Sperm whales are just
extraordinary animals.
466
00:25:04,917 --> 00:25:08,458
They can get up to 65,
70 feet long.
467
00:25:08,542 --> 00:25:10,833
They're the largest predator
on Earth.
468
00:25:10,958 --> 00:25:13,125
They can make the loudest sound
469
00:25:13,250 --> 00:25:16,333
of any living organism on Earth,
470
00:25:16,500 --> 00:25:18,458
this clang that they make
471
00:25:18,542 --> 00:25:21,875
that can be heard
over 12 miles away.
472
00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,542
They can go
over a thousand feet deep.
473
00:25:25,708 --> 00:25:29,125
They can stay underwater
more than two hours.
474
00:25:29,250 --> 00:25:33,792
Most of their life is spent
in the dark, underwater,
475
00:25:33,875 --> 00:25:37,500
and yet they're breathing,
warm-blooded mammals.
476
00:25:39,250 --> 00:25:41,375
The largest sperm whales
are estimated
477
00:25:41,542 --> 00:25:43,625
to weigh an astonishing 80 tons.
478
00:25:43,708 --> 00:25:46,333
And while these
massive creatures
479
00:25:46,458 --> 00:25:48,708
may seem quite passive today,
480
00:25:48,875 --> 00:25:52,375
in the 19th century,
sperm whales were actually
481
00:25:52,542 --> 00:25:54,583
hunted all over the world,
482
00:25:54,708 --> 00:25:58,167
and sailors considered them
to be powerful
483
00:25:58,292 --> 00:26:00,500
and deadly monsters.
484
00:26:01,708 --> 00:26:03,833
The whaling industry,
uh, for a while,
485
00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:05,792
was the big industry
in the world,
486
00:26:05,875 --> 00:26:09,792
sort of like the petrochemical
industry of its day,
487
00:26:09,875 --> 00:26:12,667
because streetlamps
ran on whale oil.
488
00:26:12,833 --> 00:26:15,333
And so, the whaling industry had
489
00:26:15,458 --> 00:26:17,792
a huge impact in global history.
490
00:26:18,833 --> 00:26:20,500
In the mid-1800s,
491
00:26:20,667 --> 00:26:24,083
there were over 650
American whaling ships sailing
492
00:26:24,208 --> 00:26:26,250
all around the world
in every single ocean
493
00:26:26,375 --> 00:26:29,750
to hunt sperm whales
and burning the blubber out
494
00:26:29,875 --> 00:26:32,083
into oil to put into barrels,
495
00:26:32,208 --> 00:26:35,250
and then bringing it home
to light lamps,
496
00:26:35,375 --> 00:26:39,833
to lubricate small machinery,
to create candles.
497
00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:42,458
It was a very bloody operation
to be a whaler,
498
00:26:42,583 --> 00:26:44,208
to be chasing these things.
499
00:26:44,375 --> 00:26:47,042
And during that time period,
we have various legends
500
00:26:47,167 --> 00:26:50,792
throughout the world as sailors
and shipmen would come across
501
00:26:50,917 --> 00:26:52,625
these fantastically
large creatures
502
00:26:52,750 --> 00:26:55,833
that sometimes
would destroy boats.
503
00:26:55,958 --> 00:26:57,333
They would swallow people.
504
00:26:57,500 --> 00:26:59,958
They could become
wild and dangerous
505
00:27:00,042 --> 00:27:02,708
and aggressive.
506
00:27:02,833 --> 00:27:04,708
Perhaps the most famous story
507
00:27:04,833 --> 00:27:06,667
inspired by legends
of monster whales
508
00:27:06,792 --> 00:27:10,042
is the classic
American novel Moby-Dick.
509
00:27:10,167 --> 00:27:13,375
Written by Herman Melville
in 1851,
510
00:27:13,542 --> 00:27:16,750
the novel told the story
of Captain Ahab,
511
00:27:16,875 --> 00:27:19,500
a maimed whaler
obsessed with hunting down
512
00:27:19,625 --> 00:27:21,208
and killing his nemesis,
513
00:27:21,375 --> 00:27:23,500
a giant white sperm whale
514
00:27:23,625 --> 00:27:26,125
known as Moby Dick.
515
00:27:27,875 --> 00:27:32,417
Moby Dick is possessed with
human intelligence and cunning.
516
00:27:32,542 --> 00:27:33,833
It's vengeful.
517
00:27:33,958 --> 00:27:36,667
It wants revenge at the whalers
518
00:27:36,750 --> 00:27:39,542
and Captain Ahab that went out
looking to hunt
519
00:27:39,667 --> 00:27:42,167
and kill this monster.
520
00:27:42,250 --> 00:27:45,750
In the novel,
Melville makes it clear that
521
00:27:45,875 --> 00:27:47,667
Moby Dick is intelligent,
522
00:27:47,750 --> 00:27:50,375
he's malicious,
523
00:27:50,542 --> 00:27:54,083
he's devious, he's malignant.
524
00:27:54,208 --> 00:27:57,083
Moby Dick will sort of
lure sailors along
525
00:27:57,208 --> 00:28:00,333
and then quickly turn around
and smash their boat.
526
00:28:00,458 --> 00:28:03,667
As one of the great
American novels, Moby-Dick,
527
00:28:03,833 --> 00:28:06,292
uh, has received
a lot of attention
528
00:28:06,417 --> 00:28:07,875
about the great white whale.
529
00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:11,333
Most people see this
as an allegory,
530
00:28:11,458 --> 00:28:16,000
but it demonstrates the fear
that people had of whales,
531
00:28:16,083 --> 00:28:20,875
and many believe it was
based on actual sightings.
532
00:28:22,542 --> 00:28:26,917
Is it possible that Moby Dick
was based on a real whale
533
00:28:27,042 --> 00:28:29,458
that would attack
19th century whaling ships
534
00:28:29,542 --> 00:28:32,375
in an act of revenge?
535
00:28:32,500 --> 00:28:35,958
Perhaps the answer can be found
by examining actual
536
00:28:36,083 --> 00:28:40,000
historical accounts from the
19th century which suggest that,
537
00:28:40,167 --> 00:28:44,083
during this period of time,
monstrous whales
538
00:28:44,208 --> 00:28:47,083
were more than just
fictional characters.
539
00:28:47,208 --> 00:28:50,167
In 1819,
the whaleship Essex leaves
540
00:28:50,333 --> 00:28:53,292
out of Nantucket Island
with about 20 people on board.
541
00:28:53,417 --> 00:28:56,083
One day, the first mate
542
00:28:56,208 --> 00:28:58,833
sees an exceptionally
large male sperm whale
543
00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:01,667
actually coming
towards his ship.
544
00:29:01,792 --> 00:29:04,208
He estimates this whale
to be over 80 feet long.
545
00:29:04,333 --> 00:29:07,625
And the whale
actually comes and hits
546
00:29:07,708 --> 00:29:09,250
the hull of the whaleship.
547
00:29:09,375 --> 00:29:13,250
It goes underneath and aims
for the ship a second time
548
00:29:13,375 --> 00:29:17,583
and this time rams
the Essex so hard
549
00:29:17,708 --> 00:29:19,792
that it actually puts
a hole in the hull,
550
00:29:19,917 --> 00:29:22,833
and they watch
their ship go down.
551
00:29:24,667 --> 00:29:27,083
At the time, there was
another real story
552
00:29:27,208 --> 00:29:29,125
of a whale called Mocha Dick,
553
00:29:29,250 --> 00:29:31,875
that Herman Melville was
certainly well acquainted with
554
00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:34,500
and was the inspiration
for the name Moby Dick.
555
00:29:34,625 --> 00:29:36,958
Mocha Dick was another whale
556
00:29:37,042 --> 00:29:39,667
that, uh, supposedly
had turned on humans,
557
00:29:39,792 --> 00:29:42,125
attacking them
and destroying several ships.
558
00:29:42,208 --> 00:29:44,250
There was a belief
that this one whale
559
00:29:44,375 --> 00:29:47,875
took it upon itself to attack
these whaling ships.
560
00:29:49,292 --> 00:29:52,042
Whalemen were recognizing
that sperm whales were adjusting
561
00:29:52,208 --> 00:29:53,792
their behavior based on hunting.
562
00:29:53,917 --> 00:29:57,792
The whales got harpooned,
they were afraid,
563
00:29:57,917 --> 00:30:00,667
they were terrified,
they responded, and they
564
00:30:00,792 --> 00:30:02,292
smashed these
whaleboats to bits.
565
00:30:03,708 --> 00:30:06,228
It certainly makes sense
that whales defended themselves
566
00:30:06,292 --> 00:30:09,042
when they were hunted by humans
trying to kill them.
567
00:30:10,208 --> 00:30:13,167
But is it possible that,
in the 19th century,
568
00:30:13,250 --> 00:30:16,375
there was a whale that actually
possessed the intelligence
569
00:30:16,542 --> 00:30:20,417
to methodically stalk
and attack whaling ships
570
00:30:20,542 --> 00:30:22,458
in a premeditated fashion,
571
00:30:22,542 --> 00:30:25,500
like in the story of Moby Dick?
572
00:30:25,583 --> 00:30:29,167
There's no question that sperm
whales are intelligent animals.
573
00:30:30,875 --> 00:30:32,833
We've observed them
teaching their young.
574
00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:35,000
We've observed them
learning things
575
00:30:35,125 --> 00:30:36,833
over the course
of their lifetime.
576
00:30:36,917 --> 00:30:39,500
They can communicate
with each other.
577
00:30:39,625 --> 00:30:41,667
They can recognize individuals.
578
00:30:41,750 --> 00:30:45,292
About a third of their body
is their head.
579
00:30:45,375 --> 00:30:47,667
They've got the
largest brain on Earth,
580
00:30:47,792 --> 00:30:50,542
17 pounds of brain.
581
00:30:50,708 --> 00:30:53,083
Now, whether a sperm whale
582
00:30:53,208 --> 00:30:55,667
can feel emotions
like hate or vengeance,
583
00:30:55,792 --> 00:30:59,542
it's certainly something that
Melville explores in Moby-Dick,
584
00:30:59,667 --> 00:31:03,417
and it's a question that will
continue to fascinate people
585
00:31:03,542 --> 00:31:06,458
as we're learning
about animal behaviors.
586
00:31:06,583 --> 00:31:10,083
The notion that an 80-ton whale
could suddenly decide
587
00:31:10,208 --> 00:31:13,000
to attack a ship
is certainly terrifying,
588
00:31:13,167 --> 00:31:16,625
but there is another
elusive beast
589
00:31:16,750 --> 00:31:18,667
who lurks beneath the water.
590
00:31:18,792 --> 00:31:21,958
Not in the ocean
but in a quiet lake
591
00:31:22,083 --> 00:31:25,375
in the Scottish Highlands,
and it's known as
592
00:31:25,500 --> 00:31:33,500
the Loch Ness Monster.
593
00:31:35,458 --> 00:31:38,667
On a blustery winter afternoon,
594
00:31:38,792 --> 00:31:41,000
military historian
Ricky Phillips
595
00:31:41,167 --> 00:31:44,333
is walking his dogs along the
misty shoreline of Loch Ness,
596
00:31:44,458 --> 00:31:47,708
when he spots
a strange disturbance
597
00:31:47,875 --> 00:31:50,333
in the murky waters.
598
00:31:50,500 --> 00:31:52,958
I was walking along
the line of the River Oich.
599
00:31:53,083 --> 00:31:55,333
The River Oich runs down
into Loch Ness.
600
00:31:55,500 --> 00:31:58,667
It was absolutely lovely,
and I went and I stopped
601
00:31:58,792 --> 00:32:00,375
and I took a photograph over it.
602
00:32:00,500 --> 00:32:04,167
I was sort of one eye on
the phone, one eye on the dog.
603
00:32:04,250 --> 00:32:07,167
There was a strange noise,
and my dogs went crazy.
604
00:32:07,292 --> 00:32:09,492
As I looked down, there was
something in the photograph.
605
00:32:11,250 --> 00:32:14,208
The grainy image
appears to show a sinuous figure
606
00:32:14,333 --> 00:32:16,917
rising from the dark
gray waters of the loch.
607
00:32:17,042 --> 00:32:20,917
It's unclear what type of animal
the photograph reveals.
608
00:32:21,042 --> 00:32:24,167
But many researchers
analyzing the photo believe
609
00:32:24,250 --> 00:32:27,167
it could be the latest
evidence that confirms
610
00:32:27,333 --> 00:32:29,833
the existence
of an infamous creature
611
00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:34,000
from lore and legend
that is known as
612
00:32:34,167 --> 00:32:36,958
the Loch Ness Monster.
613
00:32:37,083 --> 00:32:38,958
The Loch Ness Monster,
or Nessie,
614
00:32:39,042 --> 00:32:42,375
is without a doubt the most
famous or iconic monster
615
00:32:42,542 --> 00:32:46,125
that has been reported
around the world.
616
00:32:46,250 --> 00:32:49,375
Stories go back decades,
there have been
617
00:32:49,500 --> 00:32:51,500
thousands
of eyewitness accounts.
618
00:32:51,583 --> 00:32:54,083
We have compelling
photographic evidence,
619
00:32:54,208 --> 00:32:56,958
so it certainly has built
620
00:32:57,083 --> 00:32:59,000
a strong reputation
621
00:32:59,167 --> 00:33:02,625
in the world of fabulous
monsters and creatures.
622
00:33:22,708 --> 00:33:25,000
Through the years, there have
been hundreds of sightings.
623
00:33:25,125 --> 00:33:27,083
For example,
624
00:33:27,208 --> 00:33:30,708
on July 15, 1965,
625
00:33:30,875 --> 00:33:33,625
nine eyewitnesses
observed the animal
626
00:33:33,750 --> 00:33:36,125
moving around for up to an hour.
627
00:33:36,208 --> 00:33:39,208
This involved a veteran
Loch Ness investigator,
628
00:33:39,333 --> 00:33:41,833
as well as a local
police sergeant
629
00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:43,625
and the local county surveyor
630
00:33:43,708 --> 00:33:45,625
and six other eyewitnesses.
631
00:33:45,708 --> 00:33:47,625
And what they all described
was identical
632
00:33:47,750 --> 00:33:49,667
from different vantage points
around the loch.
633
00:34:07,208 --> 00:34:09,875
Since that mass sighting
in 1965,
634
00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:12,333
researchers, scientists,
and even ordinary people
635
00:34:12,417 --> 00:34:14,708
have journeyed to Loch Ness
636
00:34:14,875 --> 00:34:17,542
in search of the famed monster.
637
00:34:40,958 --> 00:34:43,833
Could there really be a monster
638
00:34:43,958 --> 00:34:47,208
living in the waters
of Loch Ness?
639
00:34:47,375 --> 00:34:49,375
Many researchers
believe it's possible.
640
00:34:49,542 --> 00:34:54,125
And, as evidence,
they point to recent sonar scans
641
00:34:54,208 --> 00:34:56,833
which reveal something enormous
642
00:34:56,958 --> 00:35:00,333
moving beneath
the waters of the loch.
643
00:35:01,542 --> 00:35:04,500
The best evidence we've
ever had from Loch Ness
644
00:35:04,667 --> 00:35:06,583
was a sonar contact
645
00:35:06,708 --> 00:35:08,625
taken by Ronald Mackenzie,
646
00:35:08,708 --> 00:35:12,000
who operates a boat called
the Spirit of Loch Ness,
647
00:35:12,125 --> 00:35:15,875
and three years ago,
he got a sonar contact,
648
00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:17,833
crystal clear sonar contact
649
00:35:17,958 --> 00:35:20,625
about 600 feet down,
650
00:35:20,708 --> 00:35:23,458
and it's there. You know,
it wasn't there an hour earlier
651
00:35:23,542 --> 00:35:25,125
when he went past it
on the boat,
652
00:35:25,208 --> 00:35:27,333
it wasn't there an hour later.
It was there,
653
00:35:27,458 --> 00:35:31,208
then it wasn't.
It's one solid object,
654
00:35:31,375 --> 00:35:33,000
the size of a transit van.
655
00:35:33,083 --> 00:35:35,875
Photographic experts
came back and said,
656
00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:39,083
that is probably
an animate object.
657
00:35:40,375 --> 00:35:42,535
If it's true that there's
something moving deep
658
00:35:42,583 --> 00:35:46,458
within the waters of Loch Ness,
then what could it be?
659
00:35:47,625 --> 00:35:50,292
Over the years,
researchers have put forward
660
00:35:50,417 --> 00:35:53,708
many theories,
from shapeshifting spirits
661
00:35:53,833 --> 00:35:56,792
known as kelpie found
in Scottish folklore,
662
00:35:56,875 --> 00:36:00,500
to a giant, mutated eel,
663
00:36:00,667 --> 00:36:05,167
to a surviving prehistoric
snake known as a Basilosaur.
664
00:36:05,333 --> 00:36:08,333
But perhaps
what's most fascinating
665
00:36:08,458 --> 00:36:10,583
about the legend
of the Loch Ness Monster
666
00:36:10,708 --> 00:36:13,292
is that there are reports
of similar creatures
667
00:36:13,417 --> 00:36:16,125
all over the world.
668
00:36:16,208 --> 00:36:18,625
The lake monster
phenomenon is not just
669
00:36:18,708 --> 00:36:20,125
relegated to Loch Ness.
670
00:36:20,208 --> 00:36:22,125
There are, in fact,
similar lake monsters
671
00:36:22,208 --> 00:36:24,125
that have been reported
around the world.
672
00:36:25,250 --> 00:36:28,292
Something known as
the lake monster belt,
673
00:36:28,417 --> 00:36:32,042
which is lines of latitude
between 40 to 60 degrees north
674
00:36:32,167 --> 00:36:33,583
in the northern hemisphere.
675
00:36:33,708 --> 00:36:36,042
And if you plot these
across a map of the world,
676
00:36:36,208 --> 00:36:37,792
you'll find famous lake monsters
677
00:36:37,917 --> 00:36:40,458
all fall within
these same lines of latitude.
678
00:36:40,583 --> 00:36:42,542
That is very
compelling evidence.
679
00:36:43,708 --> 00:36:45,625
What we're finding
is, these different
680
00:36:45,750 --> 00:36:47,500
lakes are very similar.
681
00:36:47,667 --> 00:36:50,708
Many of them are very long,
relatively narrow.
682
00:36:52,042 --> 00:36:55,125
You have Champ
of Lake Champlain,
683
00:36:55,250 --> 00:36:58,000
the Ogopogo monster
of Okanagan Lake
684
00:36:58,167 --> 00:37:00,375
in British Columbia,
685
00:37:00,542 --> 00:37:04,333
you have the Lake Brosno
creature of Russia.
686
00:37:04,417 --> 00:37:06,542
So, it's led researchers
to believe
687
00:37:06,708 --> 00:37:09,542
that maybe there's something
with that latitude
688
00:37:09,667 --> 00:37:12,500
that has the perfect conditions
689
00:37:12,625 --> 00:37:15,542
for such lake monsters to exist.
690
00:37:16,667 --> 00:37:20,542
The idea that there are monsters
living in lakes
691
00:37:20,708 --> 00:37:25,250
all across the northern
hemisphere is unsettling,
692
00:37:25,375 --> 00:37:28,625
but what's even more chilling
is that some believe
693
00:37:28,708 --> 00:37:31,333
there is a monster that
walks on two legs right here
694
00:37:31,417 --> 00:37:32,833
in North America.
695
00:37:32,958 --> 00:37:35,208
It's a terrifying creature
696
00:37:35,333 --> 00:37:43,333
that is known as the Dogman.
697
00:37:48,708 --> 00:37:51,833
Late one night,
16-year-old James West
698
00:37:51,958 --> 00:37:53,667
heads out to the snowy woods
699
00:37:53,750 --> 00:37:56,917
behind his property
to hunt coyotes.
700
00:37:57,958 --> 00:38:00,208
He settles in beside
a mound of gravel to wait
701
00:38:00,333 --> 00:38:04,875
when he sees
something terrifying.
702
00:38:05,042 --> 00:38:09,167
I turned the light on,
and approximately ten feet away
703
00:38:09,250 --> 00:38:12,042
is this thing on all fours,
704
00:38:12,167 --> 00:38:13,667
sniffing the ground.
705
00:38:15,042 --> 00:38:17,917
My first reaction was,
"Man, that is the biggest coyote
706
00:38:18,042 --> 00:38:19,917
I have ever seen in my life."
707
00:38:20,042 --> 00:38:22,042
I mean, huge, massive head
708
00:38:22,167 --> 00:38:24,292
and long body.
709
00:38:24,375 --> 00:38:27,042
And then it looked up at me.
710
00:38:28,333 --> 00:38:30,833
And it lifted itself up
onto its hind quarters.
711
00:38:30,958 --> 00:38:34,833
It was between seven foot,
ten inches tall and eight foot.
712
00:38:34,958 --> 00:38:38,542
The snout was, I would say,
a good six to eight inches long.
713
00:38:38,667 --> 00:38:43,000
But also massive upper arms,
714
00:38:43,083 --> 00:38:45,833
huge pectorals, like a werewolf.
715
00:38:47,250 --> 00:38:51,667
It took one step towards me,
and I shot it in the chest.
716
00:38:51,750 --> 00:38:55,417
It let out a yelping sound
and took off.
717
00:38:57,125 --> 00:38:59,833
And at that point I just said,
"I'm out of here."
718
00:39:01,125 --> 00:39:04,667
It's been approximately 20 years
since I had my encounter.
719
00:39:04,792 --> 00:39:08,042
I still have flashbacks,
even though it's been 20 years.
720
00:39:08,208 --> 00:39:11,167
It made me more aware that
721
00:39:11,292 --> 00:39:14,708
there are things out there
that we don't understand yet.
722
00:39:16,042 --> 00:39:19,333
James West is just one
of hundreds of people
723
00:39:19,417 --> 00:39:21,417
who have reported
seeing the monster
724
00:39:21,542 --> 00:39:26,000
that has come to be known
as the Dogman.
725
00:39:27,333 --> 00:39:28,833
Dogman, or Dogmen,
726
00:39:28,917 --> 00:39:30,757
they're a little bit different
than a werewolf.
727
00:39:30,833 --> 00:39:32,750
Usually, the idea
of the werewolf is
728
00:39:32,875 --> 00:39:35,833
that they transform, um,
maybe with a full Moon,
729
00:39:35,917 --> 00:39:39,042
uh, between human form
and, uh, the wolf form,
730
00:39:39,167 --> 00:39:43,417
at which point they become wild
and dangerous and aggressive.
731
00:39:43,542 --> 00:39:46,167
Well, Dogmen, they are Dogmen
their entire lives,
732
00:39:46,250 --> 00:39:48,333
uh, so this is
just who they are.
733
00:39:49,792 --> 00:39:52,042
Dogman really burst
onto the scene
734
00:39:52,167 --> 00:39:54,958
in the late 1980s, early 1990s,
735
00:39:55,042 --> 00:39:58,958
when a creature from Wisconsin
was seen feasting
736
00:39:59,042 --> 00:40:02,875
on roadkill and chasing cars
on a lonely country road.
737
00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:05,500
Since that time,
the Dogman phenomenon
738
00:40:05,583 --> 00:40:07,917
has blown up around the world.
739
00:40:09,500 --> 00:40:12,458
Is it really possible there's
a half-man, half-dog monster
740
00:40:12,542 --> 00:40:14,875
roaming the wilds
of North America?
741
00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:17,792
Many researchers say
the answer is yes.
742
00:40:19,042 --> 00:40:21,333
And as evidence, they point
to the fact that similar
743
00:40:21,458 --> 00:40:23,417
monsters have been reported
744
00:40:23,542 --> 00:40:26,792
all over the world
for centuries.
745
00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:30,125
We have many reports
of Dogman going back
746
00:40:30,208 --> 00:40:32,667
to European folklore.
747
00:40:32,750 --> 00:40:34,833
A really important thing
to understand
748
00:40:34,917 --> 00:40:36,625
about why people
believe in monsters,
749
00:40:36,708 --> 00:40:39,083
um, is that people see them.
750
00:40:39,208 --> 00:40:42,625
And I have talked to many, many
people who have affirmed
751
00:40:42,708 --> 00:40:44,792
that they have seen the Dogman.
752
00:40:44,875 --> 00:40:48,417
So far, there's been
no indisputable evidence
753
00:40:48,542 --> 00:40:51,875
found that proves
the Dogman's existence,
754
00:40:52,042 --> 00:40:55,083
which is also the case
with many other monsters
755
00:40:55,208 --> 00:40:56,875
of myth and legend.
756
00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:59,500
But for people who claim
to have witnessed
757
00:40:59,583 --> 00:41:01,500
one of these creatures
firsthand,
758
00:41:01,583 --> 00:41:04,542
seeing is believing.
759
00:41:05,917 --> 00:41:07,792
People have experiences
760
00:41:07,875 --> 00:41:09,667
that can be very, very powerful
761
00:41:09,792 --> 00:41:12,500
and can completely change
their own belief systems.
762
00:41:12,625 --> 00:41:14,875
This brings to the front
763
00:41:15,042 --> 00:41:16,833
a really important fact
about folklore.
764
00:41:16,917 --> 00:41:20,625
Saying something is a legend
does not mean it's not true.
765
00:41:20,750 --> 00:41:22,958
What it means is,
it hasn't been accepted
766
00:41:23,042 --> 00:41:24,292
by scientific discourse.
767
00:41:24,375 --> 00:41:26,667
So, saying something
is a monster
768
00:41:26,792 --> 00:41:28,958
doesn't mean it's not real.
769
00:41:31,708 --> 00:41:34,375
Is our world full
of monsters lurking
770
00:41:34,500 --> 00:41:36,792
in the shadows,
waiting to be discovered?
771
00:41:36,875 --> 00:41:39,917
It may seem far-fetched,
but consider this.
772
00:41:40,042 --> 00:41:42,625
We once thought creatures
like the giant squid
773
00:41:42,708 --> 00:41:44,750
were mere legends, too.
774
00:41:44,875 --> 00:41:49,000
So, for the moment,
we have no choice but to accept
775
00:41:49,125 --> 00:41:52,417
that the truth about Dogmen
776
00:41:52,542 --> 00:41:54,208
and lake monsters
777
00:41:54,333 --> 00:41:57,417
and dragons will remain unknown
778
00:41:57,542 --> 00:42:00,167
and unexplained.
779
00:42:00,292 --> 00:42:02,625
>>>>oakislandtk<<<<<