(opens the full-size plate in a new tab) Bear Lake Monster
Aquatic Reptile / Hoax
Joseph C. Rich, who published the first account in 1868, later admitted he invented it.
An ancient, crocodilian aquatic lizard that remained the elusive apex predator of Bear Lake through unmatched evasive maneuvers until its creator admitted it was a total fabrication.
Etymology. Also known by the contest-winning name 'Isabella', and occasionally referred to as the water devil by locals.
Anatomy. It is a massive, cream-colored beast measuring 30 to 50 feet in length. It possesses a large undulating body, short 18-inch legs, and a bizarre head resembling a cow, otter, crocodile, or walrus minus the tusks.
Ecology. Endemic to the freshwater depths of Bear Lake, straddling the Utah-Idaho border.
Behavior. An elusive aquatic predator that swam faster than a locomotive and actively marauded along the shoreline. It proved entirely immune to massive capture efforts involving baited hooks on thick cables.
Mythology. A massive lake-monster craze gripped the region in 1868 after Joseph C. Rich published articles in the Deseret News. Twenty-six years later, Rich finally confessed the entire phenomenon had been a 'wonderful first-class lie' to generate excitement.