Champy
New York
Etymology
Centuries ago, the indigenous Mohawk and Iroquois people named the creature 'Onyare'kowa'.
Anatomy
It is a massive, dark serpentine monster measuring up to 187 feet in length. Historic 1819 accounts describe a head similar to a horse, featuring three teeth, eyes the color of peeled onions, a red belt around its neck, and a distinct white star on its forehead.
Ecology
Endemic to the 125-mile-long freshwater ecosystem of Lake Champlain, shared between New York and Vermont.
Behavior
It exhibits evasive aquatic behaviors, swimming swiftly just below the surface. In 2003, scientific researchers recorded sounds within the lake matching the echolocation of beluga whales or dolphins, despite neither species existing in the lake, suggesting the beast utilizes advanced biological sonar.
Mythology
French cartographer Samuel de Champlain is falsely credited with the first sighting in 1609 due to a mistranslated 1970 magazine article. Its legend captured the attention of P.T. Barnum, who offered a $50,000 reward for its capture in the 19th century.