ROUND ONE MATCHUP FOUR: CLASSICS
Here we've got two of the most popular cryptids pitted against one another! I know we'd all love to see everyone go home a winner, but alas, we have to release one champ back into the wild early. (I don't have a source for popularity, this is just My Personal Feeling(TM).)
We have the LOCH NESS MONSTER up in this round! Nessie, as she is affectionately known, is originally from Scotland. However, there are many very similar tales from other locations, so feel free to think of her as a species including such favorites as Champ and Bessie. Anywho, Nessie is thought to be a plesiosaur that somehow survived extinction in the loch. Or maybe she's an eel, or some other kind of big fish. Or a log. Either way, she's been a media darling for decades!
We've also got the JACKALOPE in this round! Jackalopes are native to the American west. They're synonymous with cowboys, deserts, and sunsets (no? fine, maybe just in my mind). You get what you pay for here: it's a wild bunny with antlers. Straightforward. Unfortunately, the origins of this cryptid might be from wild rabbits infected with a form of papilloma virus that causes antler-like growths on their heads. Google at your own risk. Regardless, they are quite popularly depicted in the media, so a worthy opponent to be sure!
Which classic takes home the win?
Loch Ness Monster
Jackalope
Nessie photo source Jackalope photo source Jackalope virus source
(tbh I spend a lot of time thinking about cryptids and listening to cryptid podcasts and etc. and so forth... so there might not always be a lot of sources... because I can't cite my own brain. if I think I'm saying something that needs extra credibility I will go out of my way to find a source.)