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Champ or '''Champy''' is the name given to a reputed Lake Monster living in Lake Champlain . The creature's existence has never been scientifically verified. Some people believe that Champ is legend, while others believe that perhaps some unknown species of creature does live deep in the lake. The state government of Vermont has put Champ on its Endangered Species List , so that, if an unknown water animal is present, it will be protected by law. LAKE MONSTER When people hear phrases like “ Sea Monster ” or “ Lake Monster ”, what usually pops into their heads? Well, the answer is usually some kind of mythical squid-like, giant creature or some kind of merfolk out in the middle of the ocean; some even think of “Old Nessie” from Loch Ness in Scotland. What many people do not realize is that America has a “Lake monster.” The lake is Lake Champlain — it borders New York, Vermont and Quebec — and the monster is “Champ” as the locals call them. In fact, he is so revered that the locals in the town of Port Henry built a giant replica of Champ in the middle of town. That replica is the main feature in the annual Champ Day, held on the first Saturday of August (Hall 2). Champ is also the Mascot of the Vermont Lake Monsters . HISTORY “Champ” is an old creature that dates back to the early 1600s. European settlers noticed “Champ” as early as 1609. The French explorer Samuel de Champlain—for whom the lake is named after and who founded Quebec—first spotted the creature as he was fighting the Iroquois on the bank of the lake. Govt. of Canada, "Canada's Lake Creature" Long before that, however, two Native American tribes, the Iroquois and the Abenaki, knew of the creature and celebrated its existence. The Abenaki even gave the creature the name of Tatoskok. Sightings varied over the years, but the next creditable sighting came in 1883 when Sheriff Nathan H. Mooney claimed that he had seen a “…gigantic water serpent about 50 yards away” Chorvinsky, M. "Nessie and Other Lake Monsters" or approximately 150 feet away from shore. He claimed that he was so close that he could see “round white spots inside its mouth” and that “the creature appeared to be about 25 to 30 feet in length”. Mooney’s sighting led to many eyewitnesses coming forward with their own accounts of what they too had seen. Mooney’s story predated the public Loch Ness controversy by 50 years. Since that time “Champ” there has been over 240 reported sightings. The reason many scientists believe that “Champ” is a Plesiosaur like “Old Nessie” is because both of the lakes have a great deal in common. Loch Ness, for example is over 300 feet deep, such as Lake Champlain. Also both lakes were formed during the Ice Age about 10,000 years ago and both lakes support enough populations of fish to adequately feed a supposed Sea or Lake monster (Krystek 1). “Champ” became so popular that the late P. T. Barnum , in the early 19th century, put a reward of $50,000 up for a carcass of “Champ”. Barnum wanted the carcass of “Champ” so that he could include the carcass in his epic World’s Fair Show (Krystek 3). Sightings continued but no carcass was ever recovered. Even though sightings continued throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the most creditable photo came in 1977, by amateur photographer Sandra Mansi, as seen below: Mansi turned toward the area of the lake monster in response to her children screaming. Her children saw the creature while they where playing in the shallow waters just off shore. Mansi took the photo as her fiancé, Anthony, grabbed the children. Mansi had several photo experts test picture and they concluded that the picture has not been tampered with in any way, shape, or form. The experts have also stated that they believe it to be a living creature (Champ 2). Mansi later showed the photo to Joseph W. Zarzynski. Zarzynski—founder of the Lake Champlain Phenomena Investigation and a Wilton, New York Social Studies teacher—took the photo to Gorge Zug of the Smithsonian Institute’s Department of Vertebrate Zoology. Zug states that the creature in the photo does not resemble any creature or animal living in Lake Champlain, that he knows of (Hall 1). The creature has become so famous and so much a way of life in Vermont and New York, that both states actually passed laws to protect the creature. The creature was put on the endangered species list only as a precaution. This will protect the creature if, whenever it may happen, “Champ” is ever caught, alive or dead, or is proven to exist. Quebec has not yet placed “Champ” on their endangered species list. Champ Quest, "Vermont and New York Champ Protection Laws" CURRENT SIGHTINGS Champ can be seen in a video taken by well respected fisherman Dick Affolter [http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-03/2006-03-21-voa14.cfm?CFID=7413480&CFTOKEN=14488016]. In the video, the monster comes very close to the boat allowing for one of the best shots of proof that something supposedly extinct like a Plesiosaur or Zeuglodon does indeed inhabit the lake waters. Champ has been photgraphed {Link without Title} with its plesiosaur-like neck and body sticking out of Lake Champlain, showing an outline quite similiar to the famous "Surgeon's Photo" of the Loch Ness Monster . In or around 2003, the Sci Fi Channel featured an alleged video of the creature on its official website. As the video begins the cameraman jerks the camera around trying to balance, and brings into frame an object showing from the surface of the Lake. Suddenly the object takes off at a great speed, traveling swiftly across the Lake and leaving a wake behind it. REFERENCES SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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