Ogopogo

Ogopogo is a lake monster said to live in Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Canada. It is a cryptid, meaning an animal whose existence has not been proven. Described as a long, dark, snake-like creature, it is up to about 15 m long and moves in vertical waves. It is now part of the region's local symbols and media.

The lake is a long, deep fjord-style lake: it stretches for 127.1 km and is up to 232.3 m deep. The monster's story is tied to the First Nations of the valley. This page separates legend from evidence. The lake is in the Okanagan Valley, home of the Syilx people.

The legend

The Syilx (Okanagan) and Secwepemc peoples told of a powerful water being called N'ha-a-itk, a name translated as 'water-demon' or 'sacred creature of the water'. In the stories it demanded a sacrifice for safe passage, and travellers offered small animals before entering the water. The name Ogopogo seems to come from an English music-hall song heard in the 1920s, though one source says the name was already in use in 1912.

What explains the sightings

No bones, body or clear photographs have ever been found. Sceptics think sightings come from waves and standing waves in the lake, floating logs, big fish such as sturgeon, or tricks of the eye. Believers have suggested everything from an unknown whale to a prehistoric reptile, but nobody has found proof of any of them. Reports continue, but they remain stories rather than proof.

On the globe

Look for Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, western Canada.