Erik Pontoppidan was a Danish clergyman who served as bishop of Bergen in Norway. He was also a keen naturalist and recorded the nature and wildlife of the places he knew.
In The Natural History of Norway (1752–1753), he described in detail the kraken, a monster of the northern seas as big as an island, based on the accounts of fishermen. His description made the kraken known throughout Europe. He also wrote about the sea serpent.
