Old Photo of Soldiers Holding Giant Oarfish Is Still Popular Today
- 10 years ago
A very popular and widely circulated photo proves how beastly some sea life forms can be. A large group of American soldiers is showcased holding a ridiculously big oarfish.
From the Kracken to the Leviathan, stories of sea monsters abound.
A popular and widely circulated photo from many years ago apparently showed just how beastly they can be.
A large group of American soldiers is seen holding a ridiculously big fish which was reported as being a “Naga” or mythical creature from Laos. The fish measures an astounding 24 feet long.
The story behind the picture claims the military members pulled the giant beast ashore from the Mekong River in 1973. However the tale is a little fishy.
The picture was actually taken in 1996 and is that of an oarfish. It took 15 servicemen to lift it up. As for the part about it being discovered in Laos… well that’s also false. The men found the stranded oarfish during a morning run near San Diego.
Despite the widely accepted but untrue story behind it, the photo is still being distributed in Southeast Asia today, most likely because the ample size of the oarfish is fascinating.
Oarfish serve as somewhat of a mystery to marine biologists. What is known, however, is that they can reach up to 28 feet long and have the lizard-like ability to self-amputate. In some cases, oarfish can drop up to three quarters of their bodies.
From the Kracken to the Leviathan, stories of sea monsters abound.
A popular and widely circulated photo from many years ago apparently showed just how beastly they can be.
A large group of American soldiers is seen holding a ridiculously big fish which was reported as being a “Naga” or mythical creature from Laos. The fish measures an astounding 24 feet long.
The story behind the picture claims the military members pulled the giant beast ashore from the Mekong River in 1973. However the tale is a little fishy.
The picture was actually taken in 1996 and is that of an oarfish. It took 15 servicemen to lift it up. As for the part about it being discovered in Laos… well that’s also false. The men found the stranded oarfish during a morning run near San Diego.
Despite the widely accepted but untrue story behind it, the photo is still being distributed in Southeast Asia today, most likely because the ample size of the oarfish is fascinating.
Oarfish serve as somewhat of a mystery to marine biologists. What is known, however, is that they can reach up to 28 feet long and have the lizard-like ability to self-amputate. In some cases, oarfish can drop up to three quarters of their bodies.