Creatures, Myths & Legends

New Loch Ness Monster sighting sees 2026 total exceed last year's

By T.K. Randall
August 12, 2026

Image: Urquhart Castle from Loch Ness
Credit: Dave Conner / CC BY 2.0 (adapted) There are few cryptozoological creatures as widely debated as the Loch Ness Monster - a large prehistoric dinosaur-like beast said to frequent the deep, dark waters of Scotland's Loch Ness.

Regardless of whether it actually exists, however, each year, locals and visitors alike report sightings of strange things in the water - dark shapes, wakes and disturbances with no clear explanation.

The latest such sighting - which marks the 9th of 2026 (beating last year's total with several months still to go) - occurred near Urquhart Castle on July 21st.

According to the Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register, the witness - a tourist from Australia - spotted a dark green flat-topped head protruding from the water some distance from the shore."The head was followed by two same colored humps that emerged out of the water behind the head, which he thought would be the body," said a register spokesperson.

"Then he saw ripple lines about 500 metres behind the humps and it made quite decent white waves which he expected it was from the tail swimming through the water."

"After the tail swished water over its head it then swum back down below the water."

Loch Ness monster 'sightings' shatter last year's record after 'swishing tail' spotted https://t.co/B6bePJf3Ii

- Metro (@MetroUK) August 11, 2026

Source: Inverness Courier

Tags: Loch Ness