Real-Life Sea Monsters and Their Stories of Survival

Book excerpt: Following on from the award-winning 'Real-life Dragons and their Stories of Survival', read on to find out the fascinating stories of ten real-life sea monsters! Around the world, sailors from ancient times onwards have told stories of colossal deep-sea creatures that capsized ships and terrorised crews. Far from home, and often venturing into the unknown, however, it's no wonder sailors put the dangers they faced down to the threat from sinister sea beasts. The oceans are mysterious places, and the deep-sea is one of the last places on Earth to be explored. So, while there may be no such thing as a sea serpent or mermaid, there are plenty of other weird and wonderful creatures lurking down there. Some of these real-life animals are the inspiration behind the sea monsters of myth. Others are so fantastical in their own right, it's difficult to believe that they actually exist. This book brings together 10 real-life sea monsters, with fascinating facts, figures and folklore. There are also tales of how these extraordinary creatures were discovered, and about their adaptations for surviving in the wild. This high-interest approach to the natural world shows the diversity of nature, evolution and adaptation and can be used to support the science curriculum study of living things at key stage two. Full-colour photographs combined with illustrations make this a beautiful and fascinating introduction to real-life sea monsters around the world.