The Sea Serpent Seen by Naturalists
Two respected naturalists on a scientific voyage saw a large fin, then a long neck rise from the sea off Brazil. They reported it to the Zoological Society of London.
What was reported
In December 1905, the steam yacht Valhalla was sailing off the coast of Brazil on a natural history voyage. Two naturalists aboard, Michael Nicoll and Edmund Meade-Waldo, saw a large dark fin moving through the water near the ship.
Then, in front of the fin, a long neck rose out of the sea, topped by a head like a turtle's, and moved from side to side. They published their account in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London the next year.
Explanations offered
Their reputation as careful scientists has made this one of the best-regarded sea serpent sightings. Suggestions include a giant squid, a large eel-like fish or an unknown animal. No explanation has been settled.
- When
- 7 December 1905
- Where
- Off the coast of Paraíba, Brazil
- Witnesses
- Two British naturalists on the yacht Valhalla
- Status
- Unidentified
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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