Sinkhole Sam is an elusive reptilian cryptid that is said to live in the Big Sinkhole near Inman, Kansas with eyewitness reports dating all the way back to the early 1950s.
| Cryptid Name: | Sinkhole Sam |
| Location: | Inman, Kansas, USA |
| Category: | Reptilian Cryptid |
| Description: | Massive, snakelike creature. |
| Size: | Described as 15 to 30 feet / 4.5 to 10 meters long. |
| Behavior/Characteristics: | Elusive. |
| Diet: | Unknown. |
| Habitat/Environment: | The Big Sinkhole, a body of water near Inman. |
| Evidence: | Limited evidence, primarily anecdotal and witness accounts |
| Sightings and Encounters: | Multiple reports of sightings in the 1950s, attracting attention and curiosity. |
| Skepticism/Explanations: | Some treated it as a local legend and possibly a hoax, while others speculated it might be a large snake, such as a gopher snake, or a released exotic pet like a boa constrictor or python |
What Does Sinkhole Sam Look Like?
Sinkhole Sam is described as a massive, snakelike creature that is believed to be between 15 and 30 feet long and about 21 inches wide.
It is described as having a flat head with some saying it has a long fin running down its back.
Sinkhole Sam Sightings
Sinkhole Sam was first seen in 1953 when two fishermen spotted him as they were fishing at the Big Sinkhole near Inman. They reported seeing the giant snake break through the top of the water before disappearing again just as quickly. Terrified they ran away but once people heard about what they saw, hundreds of people began visiting the sinkhole hoping to catch a glimpse of Sam.
It was reported that a man by the name of Albert Neufeld tried to shoot Sam and although he thought that he had hit it, another witness later reported that he had seen Sam and he wasn’t injured at all.
Here is an article from The Eugene Register Guard from January 1954 that details the story.
Eugene Register Guard – 4 January 1954
Possible Explanations And Theories About Sinkhole Sam
There are a few different theories about what Sinkhole Sam might be and what people see when they visit the sinkhole. Some believe that Sam might simply be a known creature such as an Anaconda whose description has been exaggerated.
For example, the Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) is one of the biggest snakes in the world reaching lengths of up to 30 feet or more. They usually live in swamps, marshes, and slow-moving rivers in South America. While Green Anaconda’s are not usually found in Kansas, it is not impossible that someone could have released an exotic pet Green Anaconda near the sinkhole.
Another theory suggests that Sinkhole Sam could be a prehistoric creature such as the Titanboa that has somehow managed to survive. The Titanboa is a prehistoric snake that lived approximately 60 million years ago and is thought to be the biggest snake to have ever lived reaching lengths of up to 50 feet / 15 meters or more.
Of course, both these theories are purely speculative, and without concrete evidence, it is impossible to confirm what exactly Sinkhole Sam is.
