Georgia Freshwater Aquatic Cryptids

Recently, it has been hypothesized that the Allatoona Toe Nibbler may be related to a more well known aquatic Georgia resident, the Altamaha-ha. For readers unaware of the Altamaha-ha, according to Wikipedia it is

"an aquatic cryptid allegedly inhabiting the myriad network of small streams and abandoned rice fields near the mouth of the Altamaha River (after which it has been named) in southeastern Georgia, United States, particularly around Darien and elsewhere in McIntosh County. Those who claim to have seen it report it to be 10 to 50 feet in length...."

Wikipedia Article

Although the Wikipedia article casts doubt on the existence of such a creature, other articles describe in detail the eye witness accounts of the Altamaha-ha and historical references to an aquatic beast. (See this article in the Augusta Chronicle dated March 15, 1998.)

Even Wikipedia acknowledges several reports of juvenile specimens in addition to the adult sightings. Some have speculated that the Altamaha-ha may actually be a marine cryptid that reproduces in fresh water.

What does the Altamaha-ha have to do with Allatoona's Toe Nibbler? It is possible that the creature or creatures living in Allatoona are cousin to the Altamaha-ha. Possibly, a freshwater pygmy cousin that has been trapped by the dam that has now cut off the river. It is even conceivable that this is a fairly new sub-species caused by the in-breeding of a very small population of Alatamaha-has trapped in the man-made lake.

This naturally calls into question some of the physical descriptions given by eye witnesses of the Toe Nibbler. What is interesting is that in almost all cases, no eye witness actually saw the lower two thirds of the creatures body. All that is consistent is a small head with beady eyes and one account of what appeared to be a three toed appendage. If those three toes were, in fact, a ridged flipper, we may be observing a very close relative of the Altamaha-ha in Lake Allatoona.