Some people say a big, hairy creature lives in forests. It is called Bigfoot. The forests are in the northwest of North America.

Some people believe a big animal lives in Loch Ness. They call it Nessie. What do people report? What do scientists find?

Bigfoot is said to walk on two feet. It is said to be taller than a grown-up. It is said to be covered in long, dark hair.

Footprints said to be Bigfoot's are very large. They are up to about 20 to 24 inches long.

Bigfoot has another name, Sasquatch. The word Sasquatch comes from a Salish word. It means "wild men."

Think about this. No body or bones of Bigfoot have ever been found.

Loch Ness is a very big lake in Scotland. It holds more water than any other lake in Britain.

People who report Nessie often describe a long neck. Or they describe humps. The humps stick up out of the water.

In 1934 a photo seemed to show a long neck. The neck was rising out of Loch Ness. The photo was called the Surgeon's Photograph.

In 1994 the photo was shown to be a hoax. A hoax is a trick. That was about sixty years after it was taken.

One photo of Nessie was a trick. The monster was a model head on a toy submarine.

Most photos said to show Nessie were fakes. Or they showed other animals or objects. Scientists tested the water in Loch Ness. They found lots of fish and eels.

Words to know

• Sasquatch: Bigfoot name
• hoax: a trick
• footprints: marks of feet
• Britain: an island country