Nahuelito the Patagonian Monster

Deep in the Patagonian Andes, Nahuel Huapi Lake harbors Argentina’s most famous cryptid. Named Nahuelito, this lake monster has been reported since the late nineteenth century and continues to generate sightings today.

The Lake

Nahuel Huapi is one of South America’s largest and deepest lakes, with depths exceeding 1,400 feet. Its cold, glacier-fed waters could theoretically support large unknown creatures. The indigenous Mapuche people have legends of creatures in the lake predating European arrival.

The First Reports

Dr. Clemente Onelli reported the creature in 1897, describing a large animal with a serpentine neck emerging from the water. His report initiated formal interest in the phenomenon and drew comparisons to Scotland’s Loch Ness Monster.

The Description

Witnesses describe a creature 15 to 50 feet long with a long neck, humped back, and flippers. It is usually dark gray or black. Most sightings occur at a distance before the creature submerges. Some reports describe a single hump; others describe multiple humps.

Notable Sightings

In 1960, Argentine Navy personnel observed a large unidentified creature in the lake. Anonymous photographs surface periodically, showing what appears to be a large animal in the water. None have been definitively authenticated.

The Investigation

Expeditions have searched the lake using sonar and underwater cameras. No definitive evidence has been found. The lake’s enormous size and depth make comprehensive exploration extremely difficult.

Assessment

Nahuelito remains South America’s most reported lake monster. The lake’s size and depth provide conditions where an unknown species could potentially exist. Whether plesiosaur survivor, unknown fish, or misidentification, something in those waters has captured Argentine imagination.