Strangers,
Have you heard the rumor that there’s an octopus — a giant one—lurking in Oklahoma? We can understand that you might have missed this news, what with all the hubbub about aliens and asteroids and Duo the Owl resurrecting. But it’s a real conspiracy/cryptid situation that’s been floating around the state for some time; as Scientific American writes, Animal Planet even took the time to do an investigation into the rumors that a large cephalopod was attacking swimmers, boats, and assorted lake-dwelling animals. As you might imagine, the network did not find proof; that would have managed to make it through the web of your news cycle, no matter how busy your day might be.
The prevailing theory is that such a creature would be left over from olden days (a kind of Nessie situation, very primordial) — but the major issue is that, of course. octopi are decidedly saltwater creatures, and the lakes in question—Lake Thunderbird, Lake Tenkiller or Lake Oolagah—are freshwater. So, as Scientific American points out, this cryptid would either have to have gone through some massive changes, or be a new species altogether—perhaps some lake monster undiscovered by scientists who’ve managed to pin down monstrosities like megalodons and plesiosaurs. The idea that folks might be getting caught up in weeds or currents or trash, or having accidents is more mundane, though for our money, no less frightening — because it does end the same way, doesn’t it?
Works Cited:
Katherine Harmon Courage, “Could An Octopus. . .” Scientific American, 2013.