Number 9: Con Rit Deep in the watery depths of Vietnam’s Halong
bay are creatures that would turn your blood ice-cold, and unlike the others on this list,
there’s absolutely no doubt that they still swim among us.
Con Rit is the Vietnamese water dragon: a horrifying beast that is part Chinese Dragon
and part poisonous millipede, and unlike Chinese Dragons, they are anything but nice.
Covered in thick armor, the Con Rit stretches a horrifying fifty feet long and slithers
along the bottom of the bay on its countless legs.
Chinese Dragons might be the stuff of legends, loosely based on speculation and imagination,
but Con Rit is as real as it gets.
Body parts of these massive monsters have washed up on the shores of Vietnam, and plenty
of people have spotted the beast swimming up near boats, using its many legs as flippers
to propel it through the water at lightning speed.
Smaller Con Rit are common in the tropics, and generally, inflict their particular brand
of paralytic poison on anyone unlucky enough to cross them.
Despite their ferocious nature, scientists are very interested in learning more about
the Con Rit and separating fact from dubious fiction.
We are not brave enough to dip into the deep with massive millipedes full of poison, but
there are adventurous souls exploring Vietnam’s deep bays and caves in search of the colossal
Con Rit.
Number 8: Snallygaster From the darkest swamps of Gambia to the heights
of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Maryland, USA, we present the Snallygaster.
This devilish creature might have a cutesy name, but it’s actually ferocious.
The Snallygaster is supposed to be a demon hybrid of half-bird/half-reptile- and all
nightmare.
This flying fiend has a metal beak that it used to scoop up its victims before sucking
all of the blood from their writhing bodies.
Yeesh!
The Snallygaster might be the stuff of our darkest dreams, but it’s been seen plenty
of times by people who were totally awake.
Between 1700 and 1930, Snallygaster spottings were downright frequent, with many local newspapers
reporting about the beaked beast.
Even US President Teddy Roosevelt got in on the action, by vowing to hunt the ferocious
flying lizard- although he never succeeded.
If the stories are true, the Snallygaster is a true dragon with a shocking twenty-five
foot wingspan and blazing red eyes, and a uniquely tuned sense of smell that allows
it to sniff out victims with ease.
Some reports even claim that the Snallygaster had tentacles like an octopus, but we think
that might be going a bridge too far...
Number 7: Chinese Dragon Chinese Dragons are different than the other
types on our list because instead of being fearsome, they are completely benevolent.
In fact, Chinese Dragons are actually considered lucky!
Chinese people have dozens of different dragons peppering their folklore, but all of them
fall into three categories: sky, earth, and spiritual dragons.
These dragons controlled the elements and protected gods, as well as smiled down on
humanity from their pantheon perches.
Amazingly, these kind reptiles actually might have some historical precedent!
Chinese Dragons of yore could be based upon mutations of real-life creatures, specifically
Komodo Dragons, eels, snakes and Oarfish.
Since Chinese Dragons ruled the water, earth and sky, it’s possible that flying animals
might have inspired the tales as well, which begs the question- were these common creatures
once a bit more magical?
We know that species evolve over time and that there is a link between the dinosaurs
and modern lizards, so is the idea really that far-fetched?
Chinese people don’t think so- which is why they celebrate their beloved dragons every
Lunar New Year!
Although most people wouldn’t mind getting to know a cute and cuddly Chinese Dragon,
there’s no way that you would want to cross paths with the next malevolent monster on
our list.
Number 6: Hydra The hideous Hydra was the scourge of the seas,
terrorizing sailors back in ancient Greek times.
This beast actually bled and breathed poison, making it a lethal lurker under the waves.
It also had dozens of heads and was able to regenerate its body at will.
The Hydra appears in plenty of epic Greek stories, and was one of the most reviled and
feared monstrosities of ancient times.
We can write off Hydra mythology as the stuff of nightmares, but there have actually been
sightings of this marine monstrosity.
Sea serpent sightings are commonly reported all over the world, and there’s no reason
to think that there couldn’t be something as uniquely awful as the Hydra hiding in the
deepest trenches of our planet.
On the other hand, there are known Hydras swimming around in our oceans.
These sea anemones are delicate little creatures that pose no threat to humans… unlike their
bigger, badder, supernatural counterparts!
Number 5: Mo’o Be careful approaching beautiful women near
pools and caves in Hawaii, or you could be in for a nasty surprise.
Mo’o are shapeshifting creatures that can be very territorial if provoked, and that
lovely lass sunbathing by a dappled pond might just be one.
These jet-black dragons are ancient Hawaiian guardians, both feared and revered in Hawaiian
mythology.
Mo’o usually appeared in their pure form but could swap out their reptilian scales
for mermaid fins or a human body at will.
According to legend, dead Mo’o became part of Hawaii’s topography, forming massive
shapes on the islands- like the gigantic Kamalo Ridge.
Mo’o are an essential part of Hawaiian history; shielding the people from natural disasters
and protecting precious freshwater sources, but some Hawaiians swear that these black
beasts are more truth than fiction.
There have been dozens of Mo’o sightings, with one memorable occasion in 1838 where
multiple people swear they spotted Mo’o near the island’s inner pools.
Incredibly, there have been more recent sightings, and Hawaiians have even taken to naming the
different Mo’o.
Our next pick is more villain than vigilante, and had people in Poland scared out of their
wits...
Number 4: The Wawel Dragon Krakow, Poland was a strange place back in
the day, and to add a dose of supernatural dread to the mix, we have the Wawel Dragon.
The Wawel Dragon was a gluttonous and cranky beast that feasted on humans and cattle with
equal zeal.
He also filled the air with disgusting, poisonous dragon breath and smog, choking out the residents
and causing them to live in fear of being eaten or asphyxiated.
The longsuffering King Krakus feared for his people and longed to put an end to the bloodshed,
so he offered up his beautiful daughter, Princess Wanda, to whoever could slay the dragon and
restore peace.
Incredibly, it worked!
A cunning peasant fed the dragon a sheep stuffed with sulfur, and it became so thirsty that
the heinous lizard drank a whole river before exploding into a million pieces.
Epic end for the Wawel Dragon, and it makes a hell of a story, but could it possibly be
true?
We know that King Krakus was absolutely real, and that he founded Krakow, so is it possible
that tales of the Wawel Dragon aren’t entirely fabricated?
Visit Poland today, and you can see an homage to the famous dragon, and hear stories about
how he was defeated by a clever Pole all those years ago.
Who knows?
You might leave believing in dragons!
Number 3: The Loch Ness Monster Affectionately known as “Nessie”, the
Loch Ness Monster is one of Scotland’s biggest attractions, and you can catch a glimpse of
her up in the highlands of this fabulous country.
Nessie first reared her dragonish head in modern times in 1933, when she was seen by
the Spicer family.
Since then, plenty of people have claimed to see the mysterious Nessie, and Dr. Robert
Kenneth Wilson even snagged a snap of her gliding along the still waters of the lake.
Nessie resembles more of a dinosaur than a dragon, but she’s a reptilian behemoth-
stretching a full thirty-five feet from snout to tail, and she might have poked her head
up once or twice according to Scottish lore.
In 563 St. Columba converted the Scots to Christianity, and apparently had a “come
to Jesus” moment with Nessie herself.
Apparently, the prehistoric leviathan was fond of snacking on Scotland’s ancient residents.
St. Columba takes credit for convincing the massive reptile to change up her diet and
saved the people of Loch Ness from a watery and terrifying fate.
Whether or not we can actually give St. Columba credit for taming the beast is up to historical
speculation, but it’s hard to discount the hundreds of Nessie sightings that have cropped
up in the past one-hundred years.
Could these sightings be the product of a bit too much Scotch whiskey, or is there really
a highland dragon hiding in the depths of Loch Ness?
Number 2: Draig Goch If you think Scotland’s Nessie was impressive,
hop over to Wales where they don’t just have one celebrity leviathan, but a true dragon
infestation.
According to lore, there were once hundreds of dragons roaming around the minuscule country
of Wales.
While they’ve become a symbol of Welsh pride, and even appear on the country’s flag, there
was one time when dragons caused significant problems in the tiny European country- specifically
when dragons would squabble over territory.
In one such story, a Welsh dragon was feuding with a foreign dragon, and the king had to
create a special pit for them to duke it out.
Once the battle was over, peace was restored.
In other stories, Welsh people regularly stumbled across the fabled beasts, tumbling into lairs
or having flash, unique encounters with the unpredictable beasts.
Plenty of Welsh folks have personally sworn that they’ve seen dragons; specifically
rainbow-colored winged reptiles in isolated parts of the country.
Although it might seem like a bizarre flight of fancy, dragons have long had their talons
in Wales.
During the end of the Jurassic period, a dinosaur that closely resembled a modern dragon made
Wales its stomping ground, and fossils have been found all over the country.
Is this prehistoric relic the basis for Welsh dragons?
Number 1: Ninki Nanka This Gambian creature goes by the charming
name “Dragon Devil” and is reported to stretch a horrifying one-hundred and fifty
feet long.
To dump more nightmare fuel on the terror, the fearsome Ninki Nanka has a horse’s head
and tons of razor-sharp scales.
Did we mention it could kill you with just one look?
This real-life Harry Potter villain has been haunting Gambia for well over a hundred years,
and it shows absolutely no signs of slowing down, proving once again that truth is always
scarier than fiction!
The dreadful beast lurks deep in the country’s swamps and is used by parents who want to
scare their children straight.
Truly, the Ninki Nanka is straight out of a horror film, but is there any credible reason
to believe that this sinister slitherer actually exists?
Yes!
There have been loads of first-hand accounts of the Ninki Nanka, including several modern
eyewitnesses that say this monster has escaped the confines of its swamp and started hanging
around gas stations.
Thanks for watching!
Would you rather go into battle against a medieval dragon or have to hold in your pee
for two days?
Let us know in the comments section below.