Happy birthday, Nessie

Published on Wednesday 12 November 2008 20:51

NESSIE, the Loch Ness monster, (scientific name: Nessiteras rhombopteryx) has now reached his/her/its 75th birthday. At least, it is 75 years since the first photograph of the illusive beastie was published – on the front page of a tabloid newspaper.

On 12 November, 1933, Hugh Gray was returning from church when he saw an "object of considerable dimensions making a big splash with spray on the surface" of the loch. Amazingly – for who takes their camera to church? – Mr Gray was equipped to take a snap of the mysterious creature.

Some cynics have likened his photograph to that of a double-exposed Labrador dog holding a stick in its mouth, as it frolics at the loch's edge. However, this is an outrageous calumny on Mr Gray, who was certainly not influenced by the fact that earlier purported sightings of Nessie had prompted bookmakers William Hill to offer odds of 100-1 against the monster being proved to exist.

Sightings of Nessie have declined in recent years, despite the number of video tape recorders and camera phones which now exist.

Some say that the family of prehistoric plesiosaurs which inhabit Loch Ness ae finally dying out. Possibly this is a result of global warming. Yet, somehow, we suspect that at least one of these rare creatures will still be around to celebrate Nessie's 100th birthday.