Sea serpent, Yeti / Bigfoot, Chupacabra, Mermaids, The pouākai

Mythology is full of weird and wonderful creatures. From dragons causing havoc to mermaids luring mariners, and everything in between, stories of mythical creatures prevail to this day. But where do they come from, really? Were such creatures real, or were they inspired by—or mistaken for—real creatures?

In this gallery, we take you on a journey through some of history's most popular mythological creatures and reveal which real-life animals they're probably based on. Click through to get started.

Kraken

The Kraken is a Nordic sea monster. The Scandinavian legend has been around for a very long time, but it was not until the 1700s that it was described in literature. First by Italian priest and traveler Francesco Negri, and then by Dano-Norwegian missionary Hans Egede.

Sea serpent

History is filled with references to mythological sea serpents. They were often massive sea monsters, like Soe Orm, described by Swedish 16th-century writer Olaus Magnus.

Unicorn

Unicorns are well-known mythical creatures. In the first century BCE, Ancient Roman writer Pliny the Elder described it as having “the body of a horse, the head of a stag, the feet of an elephant, the tail of a boar, and a single black horn three feet long in the middle of its forehead.” Their horns became coveted relics in the Middle Ages.

Kappa

These creatures from Japanese folklore lived in rivers and looked something like a cross between a human and an amphibian.

Griffin

This mythological creature is a cross between an eagle and a lion. According to Ancient Scythians, griffins guarded gold reserves. But have they ever seen one? Probably not. The closest they got were bones found in gold mines. But were they griffin bones?

Yeti / Bigfoot

This legendary creature is known by two different names. The myth essentially varies depending on the location of the sightings. This mythological standing ape-like creature is popular in both Eastern and Western lore, but is it real?

Chupacabra

This dog-like vampire creature terrified people across the Americas in the ‘90s. The creature was said to attack livestock and drink their blood. But is the chupacabra a vampire-like monster or a real animal?

Mermaids

Half women, half sea creatures, mermaids have been part of sailors' legends for centuries. Christopher Columbus himself said to have observed them, but that they were "not half as beautiful as they are painted."

Ziphius

The ziphius was a whale-like creature that posed a threat to seafarers in the North Atlantic. But was this sea monster, also described as a “sword-fish,” mythological or a real creature?

Giant

Back in 1705, a massive fossilized tooth was discovered in Claverack, NY. According to the Bible, giants roamed Earth, so Puritan Cotton Mather claimed the tooth belonged to a giant.

Cyclops

These creatures with one eye on the forehead can be found in Ancient Greek mythology and are mentioned in a number of texts, including Homer's ‘The Odyssey.’ But could they have been real?