I’m a little on the fence when it comes to believing in lake monsters such as The Loch Ness Monster or Champ (of Lake Champlain). On the one hand, people who live near or visit these lakes have been seeing something in them for hundreds of years. On the other hand, science has basically proven that these lakes usually don’t have a large enough fish population to support anything as large as these creatures are reported as being. No fish to eat means no big dinosaur-like monsters. So what’s going on, then?
Misidentification, in all probability. There have been lots of candidates nominated for what people may be seeing and mistaking for a monster, including large trout, otters, logs, schools of fish, and large snakes. Like the one KTLA.com is reporting. A 15-foot Burmese python was pulled from the water, probably an abandoned pet.
The photos and the actual capture of the ‘Monster of Lake Evans’ is all the proof that is needed.
Hillegart took the call on Friday of a huge snake slithering out of Lake Evans, north of Riverside in Fairmont Park.
What she found was a 15-foot-long, 60 pound Burmese python near the bank of the lake.
Animal control officers believe the snake was dumped at the park when it got too big for the owner to take care of.
Hillegart was able to wrangle the serpent and get it into her vehicle without too much trouble.
Burmese pythons, while very large, are also considered docile and easy to handle.
The ‘Monster of Lake Evans’ is now in the able care of an animal control employee with a love for things that slither.
If no one claims the snake, it will be given to a rescue group that specializes in caring for exotic pets.
This is the second time in a year that a big snake has been found in Riverside County.
In August, two animal control officers managed to capture an 11-foot-long, 50 pound Burmese python.
That snake was returned to its owner.
I’m pretty open-minded about all things paranormal, supernatural, and cryptozoological, but I think this story illustrates that seeing things that look monstrous doesn’t always mean that you’re seeing a monster.
