Posted on 07/29/2005 10:42:59 AM PDT by dead
BEIJING (AFP) - Chinese researchers will reportedly launch an investigation next month to study "lake monsters" in northwest China's Xinjiang region.
For hundreds of years, there have been rumors that mysterious creatures that devour livestock live at Kanasi lake, China's deepest alpine lake, located in Xinjiang, at the region bordering Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Russia.
Horses, cattle and sheep are said to go missing near the lake every year, the Xinhua news agency said Firday.
In 1985, teachers and students from Xinjiang University's biology department launched the first search for the creatures and discovered that dozens of huge red fish, each 10 to 15 meters (33 to 49 feet) long and weighing more than four tons lived in the lake, according to Xinhua.
Scientists concluded after a two-year-long investigation in 1989 that the fish, a species of Taimen -- a mighty salmonid that grows to monstrous proportions -- were the "monsters."
In August last year, a team of Chinese scientists went to the site for an exploration.
But researchers still do not know how many Taimen are living in the lake or how long they have been there, how big the largest one is and whether the livestock that have gone missing for centuries were really devoured by the fish.
Next month, another team comprised of ecological experts and volunteers, will observe the lake from August 12 to try to find answers.
In recent years, the lake monster legend has drawn an increasing number of visitors and explorers to the lake, raising concerns about the effects on the ecological situation there.
The expedition also aims to raise public awareness about the area's ecological problems.
scary salmon pong
Sounds like a big fish story to me.
(sorry...slinking away...giggling to self)
Sesame bagel, Lox, with a schmear.
More likely the region has had a little old livestock-rustling tradition that goes all the way back, with everyone finding it convenient to blame giant "lake monsters."
But, hey, if brings in the researchers and tourists more power to 'em.
Man, we should try to import one to Fresno and have a big Free Republic salmon cook-out.
Kewl. They're eatable, too.
The people in China could stop eating their fetus soup and start eating Salmon steaks instead.
Man: Hey Lo. Let's steal some livestock
Lo: No way, we;ll get caught when they notice it is missing.
Man: Nah, we'll make up a story about a huge bird.
Lo: A bird that carried off cows?
Man: OK a huge salmon.
Lo: Good answer. Let's go.
Paging Roger Corman. Maybe there are no giant landlocked salmon but we can still get a good "B" movie out of it.
Hmmm, that's a mighty fishy story. I assume this fish has legs that it uses when it walks out of the lake to devour the horses. :o) I don't think horses walk deep enough into the water for a big "monster" to grab it.
---severe case of "me tooness" Our giant cow eating salmon is bigger than your punyass Loch Ness Munster and you can take your Sasquatch and retrain him as a Gerbil.---thus sayeth the Chicoms. And just wait 'til we find the giant Karp---we'll put him in our dinosaur museum. (they actually do have a dinosaur museum complete with animated videos and mechanical working specimens) For whatever reason the Chicoms have great interest in weird, large, critters.
ALready done......
and this one.......
What I want to know is where do I sign up for the fishing expedition?
Your wrong there, friend.
We had an old mare that loved to go decided to go for a swin. Unfortunately we were riding her once on a very hot day when she headed to the deep end of the pond and rolled over spilling us kids into the water. Luckily we knew how to swim at that age.
I need a new keyboard! Coffee everywhere! How many bags of charcoal would you need for that BBQ?
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