By Tim Binnall
A sizeable anomaly spotted seemingly swimming in a Chinese river has apparently been revealed to be far less monstrous than it initially appeared. Footage of the oddity lurking in the Yangtze River caused something of a stir when it appeared on social media in China and garnered millions of viewers. Soon, additional videos of the 'monster' from around the same location in the city of Yichang popped up online and served to deepen the mystery.
The primary suggestions for what the anomaly could have been centered around either a large water snake or a piece of debris. Unfortunately for those in the proverbial creature camp, it would appear that the 'monster' may literally be trash. That's because a new video has emerged showing workers in Yichang hauling a long, dark object out of the river. According to one media report, the item was later identified as an "abandoned rubber band dumped into the water."
Considering the size of the massive rubber band, which is apparently used for constructing inflatable boats and had been wrapped in canvas, as well as the location where it was found, it would seem to be a safe bet for the source the 'monster' of the Yangtze River. Of course, that conclusion could come undone should new footage emerge of a similar-looking creature in the Yangtze River now that the debris has been removed.