Museum Tried to Have Loch Ness Monster Killed

It's fascinating how beliefs about the Loch Ness monster have evolved over time. Today, it seems like most people, including mainstream scientists, are skeptical about its existence. However, around 80 years ago, the Loch Ness monster was taken quite seriously, even among academics. During that time, some individuals were so convinced of Nessie's existence that they went to extreme lengths to try to prove or disprove its presence in the lake. This shift in attitudes and beliefs about the Loch Ness monster over the years is truly intriguing.

In the old American West, wanted posters offering rewards for capturing outlaws, dead or alive, were a common sight. Interestingly, around 80 years ago, there was a similar situation, but this time the bounty was for the capture of the legendary Loch Ness monster, Nessie. A well-known London museum once made an appeal to bounty hunters to help in securing the body of Nessie. This request came about in the 1930s when sightings of the Loch Ness monster first began to capture public attention, a time when people were more inclined to believe in such phenomena.

A set of recently discovered documents from the time have revealed that London's Natural History Museum really wanted to be the first to display the Loch Ness monster. In a letter dating back to 1934, an unnamed official wrote a response to queries about the museum's official stance on the monster, in which he encouraged efforts to secure its remains. The response said, "Should you ever come within range of the monster, I hope you will not be deterred by humanitarian considerations from shooting him on the spot and sending the carcass to us in cold storage. A flipper, a jaw, or a tooth would be very welcome."

The documents were uncovered by author David Clarke, who described them as "astonishing." Clarke said that during the 1930s, the monster became an important symbol for Scottish nationalists who wanted the police to protect the creature from big hunters. He added that there was genuine outrage at the possibility that the corpse of the monster might be taken for display in London.

It is quite inhumane for the museum to have the stance of "just shoot it" when it comes to the Loch Ness monster. After all, museums don't have live attractions, right? At least in the movie King Kong, they went in to capture King Kong alive. It wasn't like, "Hey, if you see a giant monkey, just shoot it and bring me back its teeth."

One can't help but wonder how these bounty hunters were expected to kill the Loch Ness monster and drag the entire corpse back to London on ice. Isn't the Loch Ness monster supposed to be massive? Let's say they did find the Loch Ness monster, then they shot it, and the Loch Ness monster started to sink to the bottom of Loch Ness, which is really deep. How could the bounty hunters even be expected to drag that monster out of the waters?

The story of the Loch Ness monster being hunted like a fugitive is truly fascinating. It prompts us to consider the ethical implications of attempting to capture a creature that has become the stuff of legend.