Pokémonmay not be real, but scientists have just discovered the closest real-life equivalent to the fictional creatures in the sands of an Australian beach. Per aToronto Sun report, an ancient species of whale was just uncovered, and it resembles the Pokémon Kyogre to a tee.
The fossil was estimated by scientists to be around 26 million years old, longbeforePokémon’sanime originated in the late ’90s. The creature, named Janjucetus dullardi, was even described by those who discovered it as"some weird kind of mash-up between a whale, a seal and a Pokémon,“further revealing its similarities tothe Water-type Pokémon Kyogre.
Scientists Discovered a Fossil That Looks Identical to the Pokémon Kyogre
The skull of Janjucetus dullardi was uncovered back in 2019 on a beach in Victoria, Australia, and it bears an uncanny resemblance to one particular Pokémon. With massive, bulging eyes, pointy teeth, and a relatively small body in comparison to other whales, only measuring about 10 feet in length, the creature looks more like a cartoon character than an animal.
The fossil was initially discovered by an Australian resident, not a scientist. Ross Dullard came across the skull and chose to donate it to Museums Victoria so they could conduct further research into the mysterious new species. Once scientists began their analysis, the skull’s likeness to a Pokémon Kyogre could not be ignored.
Kyogre looks quite similar to a whale, with massive fins on both sides of its body and on top of its head, and a short, rounded snout. It isa strong Pokémonthat thrives in water. Each of Kyogre’s forms is distinctive, but they all boast the same whale-like attributes that make Kyogre and the Janjucetus dullardi look so alike.
Many Pokémon Resemble Animals, but Few Have an Identical Match Like Kyogre
Many Pokémon match real-life animalsin some way, but few appear as identical as Kyogre and the fossilized whale. According to the senior curator of vertebrate paleontology at Museums Victoria Research Institute, Erich Fitzgerald, the whale they are studying is “deceptively cute,”, which makes it even more like the adorable Kyogre.
Unlike other gigantic whales, Janjucetus dullardi is smaller, and even endearing in some ways despite clearly being a predator, evidenced by its sharp teeth. InPokémon,Kyogre has a cheerful bright blue color scheme and soft, friendly features that also mask its true might, allowing onlookers to forget that it is actually a formidable adversary.
Not only was the discovery of Janjucetus dullardi a massive leap for the scientific community, it is a reminder that many existingPokémoncharacters were heavily influenced by real-life animals. There arePokémonthat look like foxes, monkeys, seals, ducks, and a wide variety of other animals.
The beauty ofPokémonis that its characters blend elements of real animals with unbelievable powers. In the case of this whale fossil, the creator of Kyogre could not have witnessed a 26 million-year-old whale firsthand as inspiration, so this particularPokémonresemblance is an amazing coincidence.
