Believers would love official R&D funding ahead of major search for mythical Loch Ness creature
Government funding for research on the Loch Ness monster would be “the dream”, according to a group leading the largest surface search for the mythical creature in 50 years.
Although much of the alleged evidence supporting its existence has been discredited, volunteers from around the world will spend this weekend observing the lake for “all manner of natural behaviour and rare phenomena that can appear on the loch surface”, according to Alan McKenna, from voluntary research organisation Loch Ness Exploration.
Billed as the largest search of the loch since 1972, the event—as well as smaller monthly searches by the group—is funded by the volunteers, with some money for equipment coming from the tour operator Loch Ness Centre.
Doubt over research funding
“We aren’t receiving any funds at all from government level or local authorities,” McKenna said. “Each month we visit the loch, all funds come from our own pocket.”
Nessie is a so-called cryptid species, whose existence is highly disputed and even derided by scientists, and popular belief in its existence is sometimes attributed to a 20th century hoax.
But asked about whether government should be funding such research, McKenna said: “Wouldn’t that be the dream! A government-funded study of Loch Ness, that’s right up there on the wishlist but given our current situation as a country I very much doubt there’s room to support.”
Regarding funding for such searches, Research Professional News has established that the UK and Scottish governments do not spend any money on research into Nessie. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, as well as its main R&D funding agency, UK Research and Innovation, have both said they do not fund any such research.
Similarly, the Scottish government said it did not fund research into the existence or whereabouts of the Loch Ness monster.
‘I believe there’s something in Loch Ness’
Previous efforts to convince the scientific community of the monster’s existence, including a major surface search in 1972 and a project in 1987 called Operation Deepscan have failed.
But the team behind the latest attempt to win over the research community hopes for wider benefits, even if it fails.
“We aren’t solely looking for the elusive Loch Ness Monster, we are also wanting and asking our volunteers to record all manner of natural behaviour and rare phenomena that can appear on the loch surface,” said McKenna.
“This will help us to better understand the loch and may provide valuable insight to what individuals have been reporting over all these years. I personally do believe there’s something in Loch Ness, but I don’t know what. If we knew that answer, then we wouldn’t be doing this.”
He admits the two-day search might not be enough to put the issue to rest. “We are not going to ‘solve’ [the] Loch Ness [mystery] in two days, but it gives everyone the chance and opportunity to contribute towards this fascinating mystery.”
‘Dedication and passion’
“I would love nothing more than to give funding to both the Loch Ness Project and Loch Ness Exploration so that we could discover more secrets about the world-famous Loch Ness,” McKenna added.
“Those interested in the natural environment work within a small community but work with a big heart, dedication, and passion. To me, that’s worth protecting.”