Selma
A serpent-like cryptid said to live in Lake Seljord in southern Norway. Sightings have been told since the 18th century, and international expeditions searched for it at the end of the 20th century.
Mystery Timeline｜1603–1867
Mysteries of the Edo Period
The era when Toriyama Sekien's yokai paintings and ghost stories such as Yotsuya Kaidan flourished, and countless yokai were depicted in art and tales.
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18th century onward
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18th century (records)
Kraken
A gigantic sea monster said to appear in Scandinavian waters and sink ships, so large it could be mistaken for an island. The leading theory identifies it as the real giant squid.
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Ancient times to the 19th century
Sea Serpent
A giant, snake-like sea monster sighted in oceans around the world since ancient times. Sighting reports by warship crews survive from the 19th century. Theories about its true identity include the oarfish.
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19th century onward
Champ
A plesiosaur-like cryptid said to live in Lake Champlain, which straddles the border of the United States and Canada. A photo taken in 1977 is famous, and it is called "America's Nessie."
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19th century (records)
Minhocao
A cryptid like a giant earthworm tens of meters long, said to live underground and in rivers in Brazil and elsewhere in South America. It is said to leave deep trenches in the ground and drag livestock under.
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19th century onward
Yowie
A hairy hominid-type cryptid said to live in the mountains and forests of eastern Australia. It derives from Aboriginal folklore, and sightings have been reported since the 19th century. It is Australia's Bigfoot.
