Editing Loch Ness Monster (section)

====Eels====
A large [[European eel]] was an early suggestion for what the "monster" was. Eels are found in Loch Ness, and an unusually large one would explain many sightings.<ref>European Eels may reach an estimated maximal length of 1–1.3 meters. R. P. Mackal (1976) The Monsters of Loch Ness page 216, see also chapter 9 and appendix G</ref> Dinsdale dismissed the hypothesis because eels undulate side to side like snakes.<ref>Tim Dinsdale (1961) ''Loch Ness Monster'' p. 229</ref> Sightings in 1856 of a "sea-serpent" (or [[kelpie]]) in a freshwater lake near [[Leurbost]] in the [[Outer Hebrides]] were explained as those of an oversized eel, also believed common in "Highland lakes".<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 June 1856 |title=Varieties |page=3 |work=[[Colonial Times]] |publisher=National Library of Australia |location=Hobart, Tas. |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8784575 |url-status=live |access-date=16 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028121125/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/8784575 |archive-date=28 October 2021}}</ref>

From 2018 to 2019, scientists from New Zealand undertook a massive project to document every organism in Loch Ness based on DNA samples. Their reports confirmed that European eels are still found in the Loch. No DNA samples were found for large animals such as catfish, Greenland sharks, or [[Plesiosaurus|plesiosaurs]]. Many scientists now believe that giant eels account for many, if not most of the sightings.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 5, 2019 |title=Loch Ness Monster may be a giant eel, say scientists |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-49495145 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906050356/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-49495145 |archive-date=6 September 2019 |access-date=September 9, 2019 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 September 2019 |title=New DNA evidence may prove what the Loch Ness Monster really is |url=https://www.popsci.com/loch-ness-monster-dna-mystery/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911064735/https://www.popsci.com/loch-ness-monster-dna-mystery/ |archive-date=11 September 2019 |access-date=10 September 2019 |website=www.popsci.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Tom Metcalfe |date=9 September 2019 |title=Loch Ness Contains No 'Monster' DNA, Say Scientists |url=https://www.livescience.com/loch-ness-monster-dna-study.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910032328/https://www.livescience.com/loch-ness-monster-dna-study.html |archive-date=10 September 2019 |access-date=10 September 2019 |website=livescience.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Knowles |title=The Loch Ness Monster is still a mystery. |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://beta.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/09/06/loch-ness-monster-is-still-mystery-scientists-have-some-new-evidence-theory/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190922070759/https://beta.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/09/06/loch%2Dness%2Dmonster%2Dis%2Dstill%2Dmystery%2Dscientists%2Dhave%2Dsome%2Dnew%2Devidence%2Dtheory/ |archive-date=2019-09-22}}</ref>