Кадборозавр: Теңіз монстры және аңыздар сыры

Sea monster named for Cadboro Bay

Cadborosaurus, nicknamed Caddy by journalist Archie Wills, is a sea serpent in the folklore of regions of the Pacific Coast of North America. Its name is derived from Cadboro Bay in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, and the Greek root word "saurus" meaning lizard or reptile. Dr. Paul LeBlond, director of Earth and Ocean Sciences at UBC, and Dr. Edward Blousfield, retired chief zoologist of the Canadian Museum of Nature, state every elongated animal has been put forward as an explanation for Caddy.

In 1943, two police officers, Inspector Robert Owens, and Staff Sergeant Jack Russell, saw a "huge sea serpent with a horse like head" in Georgia Strait. Later, "with a pair of binoculars, Sgt. Russell saw that the strange apparition was a huge bull sea lion leading a herd of six sea lions Their undulations as they swam appeared to form a continuous body, with parts showing at intervals as they surfaced and dived. To the naked eye, the sight perfectly impersonated a sea monster."

Some suggestions have been made that Caddy could be an example of the king of herrings or giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne). This species can reach in length and weigh up to "They're long and silvery and they undulate like a serpent would as they swim through the water," said H. J. Walker, a senior museum scientist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, which has several oarfish in its collection.

The carcass of a decomposing basking shark is often mistaken for Caddy and has fooled experts and laymen.

A native image that fits Caddy's description has been traditionally used throughout Alaska. The image indicates that Caddy or a Caddy like creature moves north to Vancouver when the waters warm. The Inuit of Alaska have even put the picture on their canoes to keep the creature away. The Cadborosaurus is called hiyitl'iik by the Manhousat people who live on Sidney Inlet, t'chain ko in Sechelt mythology, and numkse lee kwala by the Comox band of Vancouver Island.

1930: On 10 November at Glacier Island near Valdez a skeleton was found in ice. The skeleton was 24 feet (7 m) long with flippers. Some of the remains were preserved in Cordova for scientific study. The creature is thought to be a whale. 1934: In November on Henry Island near Prince Rupert, badly decomposed remains about 30 feet (9 m) long were found. Dr. Neal Carter examined the remains. The creature was identified as a basking shark. 1937: In October a purported Cadborosaurus carcass was retrieved from the stomach of a sperm whale in Naden Harbour and photographed. A sample of this carcass was sent to the BC Provincial Museum, where it was tentatively identified as a fetal baleen whale by museum director Francis Kermode. 1941: A carcass called "Sarah the sea hag" was found on Kitsilano Beach. W. A. Clemens and Ian McTaggart Cowan identified it as a shark. 1947: In December at Vernon Bay, Barkley Sound, Vancouver Island a 45 feet (14 m) creature was found. It was identified as a shark. 1950: In Delake, Oregon a creature was found with 4 tails and thick hair. It was identified as a whale shark. 1956: Somewhere near Dry Harbour south of Yakutat, Alaska a 100 feet (30 m) long carcass was found with long hair. Trevor Kincaid is quoted as saying "description fits no known creature." W. A. Clemens identified the carcass as a Baird's beaked whale. 1962: In April near Ucluelet a 14 feet (4 m) long carcass was found with elephant like head. The carcass was dragged ashore by Simon Peter and later thought to be an elephant seal. 1963: In September near Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island a carcass was found with a head resembling a horse. A. D. Welander of Fisheries thought it was a basking shark.

1968: In August, W. Hagelund claims to have caught a baby Caddy near De Courcy Island only to return it to the water. 1991: In July, on Johns Island (San Juan Islands), Phyllis Harsh claims to have caught a small, 2 feet (1 m) baby Caddy and returned it to the water.