Dead Monster Montauk
On July 29, 2008, a photo posted on the popular blog Gawker appeared to depict the dead carcass of a supernatural creature, with the body of a hippopotamus and the head of a reptile. The photo was allegedly shot on the beach in Montauk, New York. On August 5, a man named Eric Olsen, who claimed to have been keeping the carcass of the Montauk monster in the woods near his house, reported that the creature's body had been stolen.1
Fast Facts
- Found in: Montauk, New York
- Plum Island is 1.5 miles off the coast of New York's Long Island
- The Plum Island Animal Disease Center is tasked with preventing the spread of infectious diseases among American livestock
- The Triassic-era Cynodont may be a link between mammals and reptiles2
- Photographed by Jenna Hewitt3
Viral Marketing Theory
It has been suggested the monster may be part of an unknown viral marketing campaign, possibly for Cryptids Are Real a website connected to the forthcoming Cartoon Network series, The Secret Saturdays.4
Raccoon Theory
In an interview with FOX News, Jeff Corwin, host of the the Animal Planet channel television show, Corwin's Quest, claims that beast is a dead raccoon. He said, "What you think is a beak is actually the canine teeth...What we have is an incredibly rare — raccoon."5
Plum Island Theory
Another theory postulates that the creature escaped from nearby Plum Island, location of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center.6
Montauk was home to the alleged "Montauk Project," a government operation developing methods and techniques for psychological warfare.7 During a conversation about the Gawker image on FriendFeed, it was suggested there may be a connection between the Montauk dead monster and this research, which is sometimes thought to be a continuation of the infamous Philadelphia Experiment.8 7
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