As to size; I’ve run across an article on growth and genetics which seem to suggest that the genes that control growth are more complex and subject to epigenetic factors to a larger degree than previously thought, which leads one to speculate about a whole raft of possibilities when it comes to the kinds of factors those could be, like dissolved chemical signatures from mineral springs that feed the lakes and streams or some other environmental factor like parasites which might effect the switching on and off of growth controlling genes.

I was thinking the same thing about the volcanic activity leading to some sort of growth pattern in animals there. It’s interesting you mention the giant crayfish, because if you look at the map I’ve provided here, you will see that Lake Mashu (the home of those giant crayfish), it just a stone’s throw away from Lake Kussharo. They are located in the same national park.

All the other pictures, look to me, similar to pictures of an excited displaying male whale, in the mating season. All except one of the pictures show a line across the water which could suggest the mystery animal picture may have been planted. On the other hand, ” MAYBE THERE BE WHALES ” (or something) I doubt any are swans as they swim on the surface not half submerged.

Not being a breeding population at this time, would not rule out say there being something like a whale . It is reported they can live for 200 years and the lake monster could be the last of its kind, its family long gone. Perhaps a whale with legs, moving in the past from lake to lake or sea.

That is a very good point about the way horses swim. For the most part it seems as if their body is practically submerged, however, there has been at least one sighting where someone was at first convinced that what they were seeing was a swimming horse. That being said, what you said is well worth considering.

I still think the top photo looks very horse-like, but it is too grainy to tell much, and it looks as if it has slight humps. Concerning the string of pictures, as far as I know, they are all part of a series, of the same creature, which makes them very interesting. I am fairly sure they are from the Hokkaido Broadcasting company Footage. The very bottom one looks as if it could be different, but the source listed them all together.

The first picture, while grainy, does seem to fit the Nessie/Champ motif. And thanks also for the horse swimming picture, becauseeeeeeeeeeeeeee, it gives a good reference for what a horse swimming actually would look like. And if you notice, basically only the head is visible above the water, which is important to remember, because of the weight of the animal it is mostly underwater, which doesn’t fit the first picture.

In the string of pictures following, I am not sure if they are all separate pictures of different sightings or a string of pictures in a single sighting. If they are separate takes, then the first one definitely could be a swan, given the unknown distance and lack of reference on size. But the others are interesting.

The environment also leads me to believe that perhaps something made its way into the lake after forming, perhaps a long necked pinniped. I gave up on the plesiosaur idea long ago, they seem too much of a niche predator in coastal or surface feeding grounds. HOWEVER, I am not above thinking that our mysterious water cryptids may be something that has evolved from that or down that line. Something like a long necked pinniped that was a more efficient hunter than plesiosaurs and eventually overtook them on the evolutionary line.

There seems to be a commonality to me between all of these lake critters. Brent, your description of the “iffy-ness” of the food source almost made me laugh, because it sounded like others describing the food scarcity within Loch Ness. And that leads me to this thought: with a commonality of Ness, Kussharo, Champlain, and countless others, I wonder if there isn’t something in those waters that, while not indigenous, may have served as a perfect smaller eco system away from predators of the oceans.

There are too many similarities in size, layout, depth, apparent low food sources, between these lakes and to me it is a piece of the larger puzzle. Something about that particular kind of environment that makes it perfect for a population of larger predators to make its home.

Anyway, thanks for the update from Japan. I’m very happy we have you as a link to cryptids there!

The subjects of the two sets of photos here certainly look like different creatures, as Richard888 pointed out, and the series looks like a creature not well represented by witness descriptions. So the series of photos points very well towards a creature with a serpentine neck, but the first one (although very grainy) is more representative of what Kusshi is supposed to look like according to eyewitnesses. In addition, I can’t help but point out that the first photo looks reminiscent of a swimming horse.

norman-uk- Yes, a shoal of fish has been proposed as a culprit, as I mentioned in the article. I completely agree that a large group of fish (or birds as you added), could look like a single organism and give that hypothesis some consideration. The only problem is the mention of distinct features such as a horse like head or dorsal fin. I wouldn’t expect to see that on a school of fish.

As far as the lake being the home of creatures from the sea, there are only a few small inflowing streams into this lake, and it is a caldera lake in a volcano, so the chances of something traveling that route from the sea are slim.