Montauk Monster: Property of the USDA?

An unknown creature that washed up on the beach in Montauk, New York, has been dubbed the "Montauk Monster" and captivated the American imagination.

Speculation about the identity of the Montauk Monster is rampant. Many skeptical Americans believe that the Montauk Monster is a publicity stunt. The most conspiracy-minded are sure the Montauk monster is detritus from a sinister government operation. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-operated Plum Island animal testing facility is nearby, fueling the belief that the USDA is responsible; some would see the Montauk Monster as a hideous USDA experiment gone wrong while others might consider it a not -so-unexpected byproduct of animal experimentation. The simplest explanation might be that the Montauk Monster is a natural mutation of some sort of ordinary Earth animal, but which one?

Is the Montauk Monster a sea turtle without a shell? A skinned pig? The descriptions and guesses as to the Montauk Monster's identity are so variant as to be mindboggling. See a photo of the Montauk Monster here.

Could the Montauk Monster Be Property of the USDA?

USDA's Plum Island Animal Disease Center is described as a level 4 bioresearch facility established to investigate zoonotic diseases such as Ebola, West Nile and Avian Flu. Some of these diseases are potentially deadly to humans but the facility was originally established after World War II for the purpose of protecting the nation's livestock. On the USDA website under the heading "USDA and DHS Working Together," the mission of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center is described simply as "We work to protect farm animals, farmers and ranchers, the nation's farm economy and export markets... and your food supply."

Since 2003, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the DHS has had a hand in Plum Island's activities, though its exact role is unclear. The USDA website indicates that DHS provides for the safety and security of the facility.