Top 10 Mythical Animals That Are Actually Real

Tales of sea monsters have pervaded human society the world over ever since we began to sail the seas. Even today we’re still discovering new animals in the depths of the ocean. One of the most frequently cited mythical sea creatures is the sea serpent, a giant snake-like creature that lives in the deep. As it turns out, there is a creature whose shape matches that description - possibly explaining some sightings. However, it’s not a snake, but a fish. The oarfish has an incredibly long, undulating body, with the longest confirmed specimen reaching 26 feet, although unconfirmed reports have some possibly reaching almost double that length.

A huge lizard living on a remote island sounds like something from legends, or someone’s tall tale alright. Westerners were initially skeptical about the existence of this “Komodo dragon,” and it wasn’t until 1910 that Europeans first documented the beasts. A 1926 expedition to Komodo Island to bring a live specimen to New York served as the inspiration for the movie “King Kong.” We can imagine an alternate universe where the title ended up being “King Komodo” instead. They’re now popular zoo attractions worldwide, looking very much like something from a lost, ancient world.

Supposed unicorn horns were objects of fascination and great value throughout the Middle Ages. However, as it turns out, people who dreamt of one day spotting the creatures to whom the horns belonged should have set their sights on the sea, rather than land. Many of the unicorn horns traded during this period were actually narwhal tusks, retrieved by Vikings during their exploration of the Arctic. These whales’ status as the “unicorn of the sea” was confirmed when more explorers began to sail into the far north. Fun fact: only the males have tusks. They act as a distinguishing feature, much like antlers on male deer.

What if you crossed a zebra with a giraffe? The result would probably look something like the okapi, and people would be just as likely to believe it was made up. Such was the case with Europeans in Africa, who suspected the creature said to inhabit forests of the Congo was a local myth and not a real animal. Its elusiveness and the horn-like protrusions on the heads of males have even given it the nickname the “African unicorn.” Europeans didn’t discover the okapi until the late 19th and early 20th century, when its myth became reality.

Not every mythical sea creature is malevolent. Sailors have frequently cited seeing beautiful women with fish tails in the ocean – mermaids. However, the reality is probably not as glamorous as the myth. One of the possible origins for the mermaid myth is the manatee. These gentle sea cows are often spotted from (and sadly injured and killed by) boats, particularly in the Caribbean. And we could see how, from a distance, they might resemble something more human-like than other ocean residents. While we certainly wouldn’t want to romance them, manatees are pretty adorable.

A lot of Europeans were sceptical of the animals reported by explorers in Australia. We mean, a deer that hops like a frog and some of them have “two heads?” [broll: kangaroo with joey] That’s just ridiculous! But easily the most unbelievable animal from the land down under, at least to Europeans, was the platypus, with its webbed feet, beaver-like body, and bill reminiscent of a duck’s. Skeptics were initially sure that they were made up, and that preserved specimens brought to England were hoaxes created by clever taxidermy. It wasn’t until knowledge spread, and more specimens were examined, that people began to believe in platypus…platypuses? Platypi?

Outside of Africa, these great apes were the subject of rumor for centuries. Think Bigfoot, before Bigfoot was even a thing. In around 500 BC, Carthaginian explorer Hanno the Navigator encountered hairy people, who were capable climbers and threw rocks. His interpreters called them Gorillai; these may have been gorillas, or other great apes, although we can only speculate. It wasn’t until the 19th century that Europeans began to take tales of hairy, man-like creatures seriously, with explorers happening upon them in the jungle. After all, seeing is believing!

#3: The Hoàn Kiếm Turtle

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According to Vietnamese legend, 15th century emperor Lê Lợi was granted a sword by the turtle god, Kim Qui. After carving out Vietnam’s independence, Lê Lợi returned the sword to Kim Qui while sailing on a lake, leading to the lake being named Hoàn Kiếm, or the Lake of the Returned Sword. The lake’s giant softshell turtles were thought to be just legends, until the late 20th century, when they were spotted. Sadly the last known individual, known as “great grandfather turtle” died around 2016 - meaning the species is possibly extinct.

#2: Black Swans

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As early as the 2nd century in Europe, the expression “black swan” was used as a metaphor for something that was impossible. After all – all swans are white. Except…when Old World explorers reached Australia, they discovered that real black swans existed. Like their white counterparts, black swans are often used as ornamental birds in ponds in Europe and other continents. These days, black swans have become synonymous with a logical fallacy, in reference to the previous expression, or else for events that seem unpredictable, yet are believed to be obvious in hindsight.

#1: Giant Squid

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Arguably one of the most famous sea monsters ever, the giant squid has been a fixture of sea legends worldwide, inspiring figures like the Kraken. However, despite its vaunted size, its existence was not confirmed until the late 19th century, when specimens were found washed up on shore. And even then, giant squids weren’t observed in their natural habitat until 2004, due to how deep underwater they live. For this reason, there are still things that remain unknown or unconfirmed about giant squids; keeping its myth alive for a little while yet.