Some animals are so exotic that their initial discovery is difficult to comprehend. Stories of dragons, sea serpents or mermaids may seem like tall tales to us today, but most mythical beasts actually have a basis in reality. In fact, many creatures of lore are founded on real living or extinct animals. To prove it, here's our list of 12 animals that have been mistaken for mythical creatures. You might be surprised to discover that fact is often just as bizarre as fiction.