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Giant Mudpuppy
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November 1, 2024 at 3:18:43 PM
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Giant Mudpuppy
THE GIANT MUDPUPPY OF LAKE ERIE
It churns the waves
and concerns the boats.
A small head braves
the water and floats.
Slick, impatient,
it stills nonetheless.
Floating. Vacant.
Not a new Bess,
this lake’s dark harrow.
Viewers distress
of teeth, spots, shadow.
Under dark fog,
it toured Crystal Beach,
Great Water Dog
now gone with a screech.
Names: Lake Erie Monster
Habitat: Lake Erie; shores or water
Size: up to 25 feet long
Diet: durophagous bottom feeder
Reproduction: oviparous; external fertilization; 3-5 eggs/year
Society: mostly solitary, except during brumation
Lifespan: up to 40 years
The Giant Mudpuppy is a reptile found at the bottom - and sometimes surface - of Lake Erie. To escape or threaten predators, it poses as the offspring of one of the lake's more dangerous predators, like Bessie or Egg Eyes. The shapes and shadows it creates and contorts into often leads to misidentification and confusion. Most viewers assume the creature is a small plesiosaur, a swimming dog, or a porpoise. There are only 3 recorded encounters…