10 Mythical Creatures That Actually Existed
What would a world be like if dire wolves, hobbits or Moby Dick were real? Well, there’s good news: you live in that world. While most mythical creatures are just that, myth, some are really based on reality. Check out this list of 10 mythical creatures that totally existed right here on Earth.
Dragons
You’ve probably heard of Komodo dragon, right? They’re the largest living lizard on Earth, but at one time, there were even larger. Megalania were an ancient relative of the Komodo dragon and were alive around 30,000 years ago. They grew to be up to 26 feet long and had a poisonous bite that made victims bleed to death. They were the closest things to dragons that have been totally real.
Dire Wolves
Dire wolves aren’t just a Game of Thrones animal. These huge wolves actually existed and are thought to be rivals of Siberian tigers. This wolf is similar to the gray wolf, but is much bulkier in size.
Moby Dick
While Moby Dick, of the Herman Melville novel, was a fictional sea colossus, it was actually based on a real whale. It’s name was Mocha Dick and it terrorized sailors off the coast of Chile.
The Amazons
The Amazons were mythical warrior women, but they actually existed. Scientists have found graves filled with battle-worn female skeletons featuring battle tattoos. They were even buried with their weapons and warrior horses.
Kraken
The Kraken, a mythical sea creature that tore apart sailing ships, was believed to be just like a giant squid. Well, just recently a colossal squid was fished out of the Southern Ocean. It was 46 feet long and had sharp fangs along its many legs.
Berserkers
Berserkers were powerful warriors with an unquenchable thirst for battle. Despite being common in video games and fantasy novels, warriors like these were very real. They worked themselves into a frenzy before battle or would take drugs in order to reach that unstoppable fury.