We all know that the seas and oceans of the world are full of beautiful, weird and wacky creatures that are uniquely adapted to survive in the environments that they call home.
However, the human imagination can sometimes be more fascinating than the reality of the world, if we can truly say these creatures come from the imaginations of men and women throughout history and not simply creatures that have been lost to time.
In this blog, we’re going to dive deep beneath the waves to uncover the greatest mythical creatures from across the seven seas, their origins, real life inspirations and if we think it could be real!
What is a Mythical Creature?
A mythical creature is a creature that there is very little or no scientific evidence to prove its existence. These creatures usually have grand stories associated with them, cementing themselves as culturally significant animals, even if they’re not proven to be real.
Like with most myths, these creatures were usually invented to explain the unexplainable such as strange shapes or phenomenon that has been sighted by one or many individuals. As time goes on, the story develops, making for even taller tales.
Here’s our list of mythical sea creatures that might still call the oceans their homes…
Kraken
What is it?
The Kraken is a creature from Norse mythology that takes the form of a giant squid or octopus, having many tentacled arms.
What’s the history behind this mythical creature?
The Kraken was said to drag ships down to the depths between Norway and Iceland, making for a great story to tell if a ship didn’t make it back home.
Was it ever seen?
Historians believe that an actual Kraken probably never existed, but it wasn’t until 1925 that the Colossal Squid was finally discovered, shining some light on what ancient Norse seamen mistook for a Kraken.
What is the real animal?
The Kraken is thought to be based on the legend of the Colossal Squid, an animal that was thought to be a myth until the early 20th Century.
Any characteristics from the real animal?
The Kraken takes the form of a huge squid, capable of dragging a ship under the water with its many tentacled appendages. We believe that the size has been exaggerated, however sightings of very large squids may have been based in reality. Many real animals make their homes in the skeletons of ships that have fallen beneath the waves, which you can explore in our Sunken Shipwreck exhibit.
Siren
What is it?
A siren is said to be a half woman, half bird creature that traces its origins back to Ancient Greek mythology. In ancient times, the Greeks thought of mermaids as the same as sirens, although modern retellings of the myths have separated the two creatures.
Over time, the tale of the sirens changed from half bird to half fish, with translations and contradictions becoming rife. Around the 7-8th century, an author proposes that a siren is like a sea-girl, while in the 9th century, a confused illustrator created an image that was half serpent, despite the text mentioning an avian being. Illustrations began to emerge that showed sirens with fish tails as well as wings, and by the 14th century their identity was standardised as having the lower body of a fish, and the names siren and mermaid were interchangeable.
What’s the history behind this mythical creature?
Sirens were originally friends of Persephone who failed to protect her from Hades when he tried to abduct her. They prayed to be granted wings so they could search for her across land and sea, but failing in their mission they were cursed to remain in their half-human, half-bird form.
Was it ever seen?
The siren is unlikely to be a real creature, with its origins planted firmly in myth. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus is said to have encountered the sirens during his journey, but The Odyssey is believed to be largely fictional.
What is the real animal?
The siren is probably not based on any real animal. At a stretch, historians have speculated that the modern interpretation of a mermaid may be based on the dugong, although it is hard to see how this animal was mistaken for a beautiful woman.
Any characteristics from the real animal?
In the pitch darkness of the sea, seagoing men could be forgiven for mistaking the shape of a dugong for some form of human-like creature.
Loch Ness Monster
What is it?
The Loch Ness Monster is described as being round-bodied, flippered sea creature with a long neck that extends above the water in popular “sightings”. Archaeological evidence suggests that an animal called the Plesiosaur existed millions of years ago, although evidence has never been discovered in Scotland.
What’s the history behind the mythical creature?
The history behind Nessie is somewhat hazy, with depictions carved into stones dating back 1500 years. Since then, there have been numerous alleged sightings, with a headline from the Daily Mail declaring: MONSTER OF LOCH NESS IS NOT LEGEND BUT A FACT.
Modern zoologists think that the Loch Ness Monster is, in fact, a legend, but there are some determined to prove those people wrong.
Was it ever seen?
Many people over the past couple of hundred years claim to have seen the Loch Ness Monster, with very few sightings dating to before then, suggesting that people are claiming to have seen the animal because of its newfound fame.
What is the real animal?
It’s difficult to determine which animal the legend comes from, but similar-looking fossils dating back to prehistoric times have been discovered in Africa since. How, or if, the animal found itself in the Highlands of Scotland is debated.
Any characteristics from the real animal?
Nessie bares a striking resemblance to the Plesiosaur, however it is thought that this dinosaur would have been quite an aggressive predator, something that isn’t thought to be a characteristic of the Loch Ness Monster. Judging from the beautiful array of creatures at Bristol Aquarium, it’s no wonder that such incredible myths and legends can develop. By paying a visit to our aquarium you might come up with your own tall tales about our incredible sea animals. Book your tickets now to make sure you don’t miss out!