Even though some animals from myths seem bizarre and hard to understand, lots of them have real prototypes.
Mythological animals often have their roots in the imaginations of ancient cultures and are often inspired by real animals or natural phenomena.
Here are a few examples of mythological creatures with real-world prototypes.
Griffin
The griffin is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.
It symbolized strength, courage, and protection.
The griffin's lion body reflects the power associated with big cats, while its eagle features could be inspired by raptors.
Unicorn
The unicorn is a horse-like creature with a single spiral horn on its forehead.
It's possible that the concept of the unicorn was influenced by the narwhal, a real marine mammal with a long, spiraled tusk.
Kraken
The kraken is a giant sea monster from Scandinavian folklore.
While exaggerated, this myth may have originated from encounters with large marine animals like giant squids or colossal squids, which were rarely seen and inspired tales of monstrous sea creatures.
Dragon
Dragons are prevalent in myths across cultures worldwide.
These serpentine, winged, or fire-breathing creatures might have been inspired by a mix of various animals, including crocodiles, snakes, and large predatory birds.
Ancient discoveries of dinosaur fossils might have also contributed to the dragon mythos.
Mermaid and Siren
Mermaids and sirens are often depicted as part-human, part-fish creatures.
These myths might have originated from sailors' sightings of manatees, dugongs, and other marine animals that surfaced and resembled a human upper body from a distance.
