Bigfoot
The mysterious and most probably smelly bipedal man-beast that has been purported to roam the North American wilderness has been called many names but "Bigfoot" is the most well-known.
There have been records of it since 1950 but no concrete evidence - teeth, hair, bones or any other parts found.
The most authentic proof is the famous film shot by Patterson and Gimlin in California in 1967 and it appears to show a man dressed in a cheap gorilla costume more than anything else.
Loch Ness Monster
Best known as the Loch Ness Monster, Nessie is the sea monster thought to inhabit the Loch Ness in Scotland. It was first sighted in 1933 and since then numerous locals and tourists have claimed to have seen something in the cold depths.
According to some, Nessie is a Plesiosaur, a gigantic marine reptile from the age of the dinosaurs. Despite the eyewitness testimony, hoax photographs and scientific research, there is still no legitimate proof for the existence of Nessie.
Jersey Devil
This mythical monster was said to have been born in the beginning of the 18th century. According to folklore, a woman in the New Jersey area literally gave birth to the cursed creature, with the head of a horse, wings of a bat and devil's hooves.
Over the centuries, the legend has been fueled by fictitious tales, hoaxes and on occasion, strange sightings in the woods, but according to Loren Coleman's book "Monsters of New Jersey" there has not yet been any solid evidence that this is anything more than a myth.
Montauk Monster
A relatively recent addition to the list of monsters, the Montauk Monster was a strange creature that washed up on the beach of Montauk, New York in July 2008.
A photograph of the 4-legged animal showing its claws and almost no fur has been circulating the Internet. Some say it is a hoax, others believe it was once a pig or some kind of unknown, genetically modified animal.
Fiji Mermaid
Even though mermaids in general are not included on any list of monsters, the Fiji mermaid is an exception. The showman P. T. Barnum revealed the infamous Fiji mermaid in 1840 - but this was no beautiful, half naked woman-fish but a creature with a horrifying head, the torso of a small monkey and the tail of a fish.
Of course, it was not real - upon close inspection one could see the hand stitching that connected the 2 animals. This was just one of several fake mermaids created to profit off the public's curiosity.
Sea Monsters
Tales of sea monsters have existed for thousands of years. The 1752 book "The Natural History of Norway" describes a monster called a Kraken being the size of a small island, flat and with numerous tentacles.
Often it was under the dominance of the sea gods. Nowadays, sightings of sea monsters are very rare and scientists believe that many of the past eyewitness testimonies were actually describing gigantic cephalopods, capable of reaching lengths of over 32 ft (10 m).
Ogopogo
It look as though each country has its own lake monster. Ogopogo or the Canadian Loch Ness Monster is a mythical beast which many believe to be hiding in Okanagan Lake in British Columbia.
Centuries ago, the local population believed that a water sprite inhabited the lake and they carried out human sacrifices to appease the sea demon.
Ogopogo actually bears the name of a popular dance song and even though there is a lack of scientific evidence, people periodically tell of strange things happening in the lake.
