If Nessie Is Found, a Plan Kicks In

The search for the Loch Ness Monster has gone high tech, with the Today show noting drones are now being employed in the hunt. An annual four-day quest took place from May 22 to May 25, and while hunters apparently came up empty-handed, the BBC flags a fascinating aspect to the search: Scotland actually has a plan in place for what would happen if the Loch Ness Monster was found.

The so-called Nessie Contingency Plan was drafted in 2001 by the country's NatureScot agency, and while a rep said it was partly a cheeky undertaking, it's also "partly serious," as it was "drawn up to offer protection not just to the elusive monster, but to any new species found in the loch." Under the plan, a DNA sample would be taken—and then Nessie would be returned to the lake, this time with national protections that would make it a crime to capture, harm, or kill the beast. (Scientists have rejected the idea that Nessie is a giant eel.)