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Within Loch Ness

Could Nessie Be a Giant Eel?

Large eels remain one of the few animal ideas compatible with the DNA results, but they fit only some Loch Ness reports.

On this page

  • Why eel DNA changed the debate
  • What eel size can and cannot explain
  • Why the biggest monster reports remain a problem
Preview for Could Nessie Be a Giant Eel?

Introduction

DNA Evidence Reveals The Loch Ness Monster Could Be A Giant Eel | Loch Ness The New Evidence

Channel: Discovery UK

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Why eel DNA changed the debate

Loch Ness monster might just be a giant eel

Channel: KiniTV

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What eel size can and cannot explain

The strongest argument for the eel hypothesis is not that giant eels are common, but that even a moderately large eel can look surprisingly strange in dark water.

European eels have long, flexible bodies and swim with an undulating motion. Seen briefly at the surface, an eel can create the impression of a neck, hump or serpentine animal. Researchers and Loch Ness investigators have noted that some eyewitness descriptions—particularly those involving dark, elongated shapes—are broadly consistent with large eels.[ResearchGate]researchgate.netResearchGate(PDF) The Loch Ness Monster: If It's Real, Could It Be an Eel?The Monsters of Loch Ness. London, UK. Macdonald and Jane's; 19…

However, the theory runs into problems when size estimates are examined. A 2023 statistical analysis of eel lengths concluded that finding a European eel around one metre long in Loch Ness would be rare but plausible. Given the estimated eel population, such individuals could occasionally exist.[EurekAlert!+2JMIRx Bio]eurekalert.orgnews releasesEurekAlert!Unraveling the Loch Ness Monster's eel connection24 Jul 2023 — The chances of encountering a 1-meter eel in Loch Ness, accordi…

The same study found that the probability of encountering dramatically larger eels falls off rapidly. The author concluded that while unusually large eels might explain reports of relatively small unidentified creatures, they are a poor explanation for sightings involving enormous animals.[EurekAlert!]eurekalert.orgnews releasesEurekAlert!Unraveling the Loch Ness Monster's eel connection24 Jul 2023 — The chances of encountering a 1-meter eel in Loch Ness, accordi…

This distinction is important. The phrase “giant eel” can mean very different things to different people:

  • A one-metre eel is unusual but biologically realistic.
  • A two-metre eel would be extraordinary and unsupported by known records.
  • Multi-metre monsters comparable to classic Nessie depictions would require sizes far beyond what evidence for European eels currently supports.[Divernet+2EurekAlert!]divernet.comrise fall of the loch ness monster eelRise & fall of the Loch Ness Monster eel27 Jul 2023 — The maximum length recorded for a European eel was 0.932m, Foxon found, lea…Giant Eels illustration 2

    Why the biggest monster reports remain a problem

The Loch Ness Monster and eDNA: Why the Mystery is Still Unsolved

Channel: Omni Viewer

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A modest explanation rather than a monster

The appeal of the giant eel theory lies in its balance between scepticism and mystery. It does not require an undiscovered species, a surviving prehistoric reptile or a hidden breeding population of giant animals. Instead, it starts with a creature known to inhabit the loch and asks whether unusual individuals, combined with difficult viewing conditions, could produce at least some of the reports.

Current evidence suggests that this is plausible for a subset of Nessie sightings. The abundant eel DNA found in Loch Ness gives the idea a stronger biological foundation than many rival theories. Yet the available evidence also suggests limits: realistic eel sizes may explain some observations, but they do not comfortably match the largest and most famous monster descriptions.[Divernet+3The Guardian+3University of Otago]theguardian.comloch ness monster could be a giant eel say scientistsThe GuardianLoch Ness monster could be a giant eel, say scientists5 Sept 2019 — Loch Ness monster could be a giant eel, say scientists ·…

As a result, the giant eel hypothesis remains one of the more credible natural explanations within the Loch Ness debate—not because it explains every sighting, but because it may explain some of them without requiring a monster at all.[EurekAlert!+2Illumina]eurekalert.orgnews releasesEurekAlert!Unraveling the Loch Ness Monster's eel connection24 Jul 2023 — The chances of encountering a 1-meter eel in Loch Ness, accordi…Giant Eels illustration 3

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Endnotes

1. Source: illumina.com
Title: loch ness edna
Link:https://www.illumina.com/content/illumina-marketing/amr/en_US/company/news-center/feature-articles/loch-ness-edna.html

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>If there is a monster in Loch Ness, this geneticist will find it10 Jan 2025 — Eels were already known to be plentiful in the loch…</p>

2. Source: eurekalert.org
Title: news releases
Link:https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/996475

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>EurekAlert!Unraveling the Loch Ness Monster's eel connection24 Jul 2023 — The chances of encountering a 1-meter eel in Loch Ness, accordi…</p>

3. Source: researchgate.net
Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/390620130_The_Loch_Ness_Monster_If_It%27s_Real_Could_It_Be_an_Eel

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>ResearchGate(PDF) The Loch Ness Monster: If It's Real, Could It Be an Eel?The Monsters of Loch Ness. London, UK. Macdonald and Jane's; 19…</p>

4. Source: divernet.com
Title: rise fall of the loch ness monster eel
Link:https://divernet.com/scuba-news/marine-biology/rise-fall-of-the-loch-ness-monster-eel/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Rise & fall of the Loch Ness Monster eel27 Jul 2023 — The maximum length recorded for a European eel was 0.932m, Foxon found, lea…</p>

5. Source: emea.illumina.com
Link:https://emea.illumina.com/company/news-center/feature-articles/loch-ness-edna.html

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>there is a monster in Loch Ness, this geneticist will find it10 Jan 2025 — Well, the only hypothesis he could dismiss was that the monste…</p>

6. Source: theguardian.com
Title: loch ness monster could be a giant eel say scientists
Link:https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/sep/05/loch-ness-monster-could-be-a-giant-eel-say-scientists

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>The GuardianLoch Ness monster could be a giant eel, say scientists5 Sept 2019 — Loch Ness monster could be a giant eel, say scientists ·…</p>

7. Source: otago.ac.nz
Title: first edna study of loch ness points to something fishy
Link:https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/first-edna-study-of-loch-ness-points-to-something-fishy

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>University of OtagoFirst eDNA Study Of Loch Ness Points To Something Fishy5 Sept 2019 — The “monster-factor” has provided Professor Gemme…</p>

8. Source: xbio.jmir.org
Link:https://xbio.jmir.org/2023/1/e49063

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Loch Ness Monster: If It's Real, Could It Be an Eel?by F Foxon · 2023 · Cited by 6 — The findings of this study suggest that the chance o…</p>

9. Source: nypost.com
Title: New York Post Is this the’answer’ to the Loch Ness Monster mystery?
Link:https://nypost.com/2024/12/19/science/scientists-simple-explanation-for-loch-ness-monster-mystery/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Scientist reveals simple explanation for Nessie sightingsDecember 19, 2024 — Adrian Shine, a Scottish naturalist and long-time investigat…</p>
Published: December 19, 2024

10. Source: Wikipedia
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>LochLoch (/lɒx/ LOKH) is a word meaning "lake" or "sea inlet" in Scottish and Irish Gaelic, subsequently borrowed into English. A smal…</p>

11. Source: Wikipedia
Title: European eel
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_eel

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>European eelThe European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a species of eel. Their life history was a mystery for thousands of years, and mat…</p>

12. Source: youtube.com
Title: Neil Gemmell
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4y62Pa4b28

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Environmental DNA for Biodiversity…Neil Gemmell will be talking about Environmental DNA for biodiversity, biosecurity, global health a…</p>

Additional References

13. Source: facebook.com
Title: yesterday we heard the results of a large environmental dna or edna study in loc
Link:https://www.facebook.com/FishtheNess/posts/yesterday-we-heard-the-results-of-a-large-environmental-dna-or-edna-study-in-loc/2567990963260672/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Ness District Salmon Fishery Board6 Sept 2019 — Scotland's Loch Ness monster 'could be giant eel' | DW | 05.09.2019… No monster DNA fo…</p>

14. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MiiwSuhk8k

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>DNA Evidence Reveals The Loch Ness Monster Could Be A…Scientists use environmental DNA evidence to explore where the Loch Ness Monster…</p>

15. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHGUbLhCyQs

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Loch Ness monster might just be a giant eelBut there was a lot of eel DNA in the Loch, Professor Neil Gemmell, a geneticist from New Zeal…</p>

16. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6HWdcjf-P8

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>The Loch Ness Monster and eDNA: Why the Mystery is Still…You may have seen lots of people pushing the "Nessie Eel" narrative, but is t…</p>

17. Source: sciencefocus.com
Title: loch ness monster dna study reveals plausible explanation for sightings
Link:https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/loch-ness-monster-dna-study-reveals-plausible-explanation-for-sightings

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Science FocusLoch Ness Monster DNA study reveals 'plausible'…5 Sept 2019 — The findings quickly debunked one of the most popular theor…</p>

18. Source: theness.com
Link:https://theness.com/neurologicablog/giant-eels-loch-ness-and-probability/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>The NESSGiant Eels, Loch Ness, and Probability - NeuroLogica Blog25 Jul 2023 — There is no evidence of anything that can be a giant reptile…</p>

19. Source: reddit.com
Title: A bit of a misconception I’ve seen going around
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/[Cryptozoology

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>The 2018…Have we considered that the Loch Ness Monster may in fact simply be several eels swimming one behind the other? /s. TheRecogn…</p>

20. Source: oldsaltblog.com
Title: using edna to search for nessie in scotland and angel sharks off corsica
Link:https://oldsaltblog.com/using-edna-to-search-for-nessie-in-scotland-and-angel-sharks-off-corsica/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Using eDNA to Search for Nessie in Scotland and Angel…2 Oct 2023 — Geneticist Neil Gemmell of Otago University in New Zealand, who led…</p>

21. Source: reddit.com
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/Cryptozoology/comments/1qomjhg/the_giant_eel_theory_is_getting_stronger_thanks/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>length and many eyewitnesses describe a creature that can be anywhere…</p>

22. Source: sci.news
Title: loch ness monster giant european eel 12122
Link:https://www.sci.news/biology/loch-ness-monster-giant-european-eel-12122.html

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Breaking Science NewsLoch Ness Monster: If It's Real, Could It Be Giant European…24 Jul 2023 — An environmental DNA study conducted at…</p>

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