Expert Claims the Montauk Monster is a Raccoon

Yesterday Gawker posted a photo of what quickly became referred to as "the Montauk Monster." Lizzie Grubman jokes were made, spines shivered, conspiracy theorists pondered (the Montauk Project, anyone?), a new internet superstar was born, and most came to the conclusion that the thing that washed up near the Surfside Inn was a bloated turtle without its shell. Or a monster.

Now Fox News has brought in the experts (the full clip is after the jump). Animal Planet's Jeff Corwin, angered by a Red Sox loss and the stupidity of humans, says the public's fascination with the creature is unwarranted; what we thought was a beak are really teeth, he says, and clearly what we are looking at here is a raccoon. Or maybe a dog? But definitely not a monster!

As for the ~~monster~~ "raccoon," no one seems to know where it is now; NYMag says it was carted off by an old man declaring he would mount it to his wall. Meanwhile, PlumTV promises an interview with the photographer, Jenna Hewitt, tomorrow.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on July 31, 2008 2:56 PM

Comments [rss]

west side Michael

Love child of Rudy Giuliani and his Mrs.Judy Rudy Tooty.

The baby Was conceived

after He was "not to take Holy

Communion" but did so anyway.

NannyState

No, #20, Mike Bloomberg is the Lindbergh Baby.

MissMeowy

I second bloated turtle without its shell.

Or Gryphon.

Fritzdecat

it looks....Dead

mconnors

I read on digg someone commented to say it was a sea turtle- looks more like a sea turtle then a raccoon.

"Ann Coulter!" LOL

JRod5417

Matty may be on to something. The thing mysteriously disappeared so there is no way we will know if it was even real.

Spirit of 76

Looks rather obviously like a cat to me.

matty

I am going to call it right now

It's a Patricia Pucchini model

http://www.patriciapiccinini.net/

(click we are family)

and it's a cross promotion with some company or movie or whatever.

I guarantee that's what it is.

AggieAngst

I find that poor dead radogcoon more appealing than the anchors on Fox.

I think they should autopsy it.

sasso

stop reading gawker and then reposting the same damn stories here. jesus.

ed_Extinct

raccoons have more snout... this has much less snout and more beak:

see dead raccoon here: http://lh6.ggpht.com/_-T4u8Y9uAzc/Rv6vNP9z3yI/AAAAAAAAAGI/p2ltiTbCnSg/Costa+Rica+9-8-2007+3-30-34+PM.JPG

and here:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i.pbase.com/u45/aestus/upload/35483173.2004.10.24.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pbase.com/aestus/image/35483173&h=467&w=700&sz=123&hl=en&start=46&sig2=on6om-O31QPpXDqHEGzszA&um=1&tbnid=KZLhPb4olaDiNM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=140&ei=DiGSSJDdJYGaoQSB5rCUAQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddead%2Braccoon%26start%3D36%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

and here's a photo of the NYPD using the sidewalk as a road: http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1Djencygd4o/RKiMZhcbABI/AAAAAAAAAY8/J4Ok59sg_Qo/cimg0983.jpg

turbotempo

I saw something JUST like this at www.digitalfuntown.com

nccoonmom3

Raccoon's do not have beaks!!Its not a raccoon.

I don't know of any animal that has a beak like a bird!!! Very odd looking creator.Known I've seen on the earth!!!!

fleshtone

And after all that, the lady anchor says "do raccoons have beaks?"

NannyState

Sen. John Edwards's lovechild!

jenspellnogood

hillary, is that you?

drewo

Probably more attractive than most dead humans.

Gregoire

How exactly is that a racoon?

smeto

Remember Teenage mutant Ninja Turtles? Remember The Secret of the Ooze? Remember Shredder's mutant henchmen Tokka and Rahzar?

This is totally a viral marketing campaign for a TMNT reboot:

http://cosmodromemag.com/content/the-secret-ooze