DATE: 19/04/2004 TIME: 10 am LOCATION: Loch Ness, Scotland ID: 309 STATEMENT: 1458 Part of our mission objective is species preservation, protecting them from people looking to harm, hunt, or exploit them. Many of the species we protect are on the brink of extinction, many of which at the hands of man. This requires us to check up on creatures from time to time to make sure their population is steady and healthy. I accompanied some of our marine biologists to Loch Ness to monitor the native Nessiteras rhombopteryx. Though locals refer to the species as Nessie (singular) there is currently a population of roughly 34 still living in the lake. Over the last decade, we have seen their numbers slowly drop due to increased fishing and tourism meaning we have had to become more active in the area. Thankfully many of them spend a large amount of their time in the deepest parts of the Loch, only needing to breathe every 100-120 minutes. They often surface in air pockets in the cave systems that honeycomb the sides of the lake. Many of the creatures have been tagged and easily tracked, so if any attempt to surface in open water, we are quick to divert any fishing vessels in the area. On this occasion, we managed to get some footage from a deep water drone when a mated pair surfaced at the far end of the lake. ------------------------------------------ ASSET ANALYSIS: The Loch Ness Monster (Nessiteras rhombopteryx) THREAT LEVEL: 1 (PASSIVE) This omnivorous species is a unique survivor from the Cretaceous period, descended from a lineage of Plesiosaur yet to be discovered in the fossil record. They have extremely long lifespans due to the lack of natural predators with the oldest recorded to have lived up to near 207 years old. They give birth to live young every 10-12 years, however, few survive to adulthood. Their sensitivity to noise often keeps them away from the surface