Cyprus is considered an island for romantics, beautiful sunsets are replaced by magical sunrises, the Mediterranean Sea splashes, delighting the eye, but this island has many strange and mysterious places. On the island where the goddess Aphrodite was born from the foam of the sea, creatures still live that should not be, but the locals are proud of their bestiary.
Sea monster
The famous party city of Ayia Napa is the last place to expect rumors of mythical creatures. And yet, for many years, people have been talking about a strange sea creature that has been observed near the southeastern shores of the island. Some even call him the Cypriot Nessie. Most often, the unknown animal was seen near Cape Greco, a rocky outcropping from which Famagusta Bay begins.
It is argued that an unknown creature tears and pulls fishing nets with it, leaves huge holes in them, but over the years it has not caused any harm to anyone. Thanks to this, he had a corresponding reputation, the locals gave him the nickname: "That filiko teras", which means "friendly monster." Many Cypriots and tourists go to sea in the hope of seeing the legendary creature in the clear blue water near the island.
Its appearance is described in different ways. Some argue that he has many heads and limbs. But local fishermen describe it in such a way that a comparison is appropriate with Nessie, or rather, with the extinct plesiosaur. Ancient sources also contain information about a monster living in Cyprus. So, the Roman writer Gaius Julius Giginus tells about a giant creature with a snake tail, six heads, similar to those of a dog, and twelve limbs. There are even vases with a similar image of the monster.
Mysterious animal from Kuris Dam
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Kuris, the largest dam on the island, was completed in 1988. In 2005, there were rumors that some unknown large animal lived in the waters near it. Eyewitnesses describe the creature as a huge snake, but most experts agree that if the animal is indeed present, then it is most likely a crocodile that someone kept as a pet.
The reptile may have escaped or was deliberately released into a reservoir at a dam. Previously, there were various ways to force the animal to exit. Live chickens and raw meat were used as baits. The reluctance of the creature to appear is easily explained if we remember that there is a fish farm at the dam where carp, pike perch and other fish are raised.
Some critics of the "crocodile theory" point out that the water in the reservoir has a rather low temperature, which in winter drops to 8 degrees Celsius, which is far from comfortable conditions for a crocodile. Nevertheless, attempts to catch the animal lurking in the waters of the Kuris do not stop.
GUSAKOVA IRINA