Hafgufa source discovered?

The Hafgufa, a legendary sea monster described in Norwegian texts for the 1200’s, was said to be so huge it could devour a ship whole. It was described as having a gaping mouth that it would open at the surface to lure in unwary prey before suddenly closing its mouth and descending back to the depths of the oceans with a belly full of food. The similarities between the hafgufa and whales' passive feeding methods are striking.

The Norwegian texts that reference the hafgufa often classify it along with whales, and their drawings on oceanic maps are consistent with the range of Icelandic whales seen engaging in this passive yet effective feeding method. Modern marine biologists first believed this to be a new and adaptive behavior in the majestic sea mammals' feeding, but they are now coming to realize that it very likely was well-known by our distant ancestors but forgotten and misunderstood through the passage of time, much like the giant squid.

In 2014, drone footage captured recordings of whales floating motionless at the surface with mouths wide open for long periods of time and snapping their jaws closed once their mouths were full of prey. Another similarity between the whales and the legendary hafgufa is the strange way it is said to lure prey into its gaping jaws - by regurgitating something that smells, apparently, delicious to fish.

This discovery sheds light on the fact that ancient people knew things we have forgotten and are still trying to re-understand in modern society. The inclusion of sea monsters in ancient maps was not simply artistic license but a reflection of the dangers and mysteries that lurked beneath the waves. It is a reminder that there is still so much we have yet to discover about our oceans and the creatures that inhabit them.