What on earth is a #Knucker and where can I find one? Find out in #CreatureoftheWeek
Knucker overview
A #knucker is a #burrowingdragon that can grow up to 30 feet long. It's name comes from the Saxon word #nicor which means #watermonster. It lives in #knuckerholes which are deep pools of water. Some say that these damp burrows are bottomless and that they go all the way to the other side of earth. Knuckers can be very dangerous and definitely aren't to be messed with.
What do they look like?
They look like giant scaly #seaserpents with with cold eyes, a hissing tongue and a cheeky smile. Whatever you do don't let that #cheekysmile trick you, it won't end well.
Their skin is thick and leathery usually dark red in colour, sometimes can be greenish blue and on the very rare occasion yellow.
They have wings but their wings are vestigial; small and useless made redundant by evolution so they can't fly
They have four legs and a small head.
Fully grown they are huge and have been known to reach 30 feet long. However as they can live to 1,200 years of age it takes them a long time to grow that big. Should you catch sight of one they are more likely to be between 6 and 21 feet long.
Are they dangerous?
In short, yes. They are very dangerous indeed and #knuckerhunting is not for the faint-hearted.
For the love of god, please don't mix them up with #Knockers. I know the name is similar, but these well-meaning practical jokers are very different creatures indeed and you will get a nasty surprise if you are #knockerhunting for a friendly mining spirit and then find yourself face to face with an ill tempered knucker.
The only knucker that is not so dangerous is a subspecicies of the knucker called the #Bucca who is actually the shyest of all the dragons. It is scared of dogs, cats, children, even its own babies. You will be able to identify a Bucca because it will be black or brown in colouring and rather than spit purple venom at you that is fifty times stronger than hydrofluoric acid and will liquefy you, it will run away.
Baby knuckers also aren't so dangerous and are pretty playful at a young age. If you can catch one from when they are small enough to ride on your shoulder or wrap around your neck like a scarf then they are quite tamable and can make good companions.
However untamed wild knuckers are #unpredictable, #cunning and #hungry.
What do they eat?
They will eat anything from farm animals to deer and stray children. Particular favourites of the knucker are rabbits for breakfast and fair maidens for dinner. They love to fly-by snack in the fields around their knuckerhole.
Where and how can I find one?
Although reported sightings of knuckers have gone down in recent years they are still about. You can find them in or around knuckerholes in Sussex. They have been spotted outside of Sussex but sightings are very rare.
You can find knuckerholes in flat areas between the #SouthDowns an the Sea. These bottomless ponds are cold in middle of summer but never freeze in winter, and they never dry up. A vapour rises from them on frosty days as they are warmer than the air around them. Geologists would say that this is because they are fed by an underground spring, but Nigel and I aren't so sure.
People have been known to try and swim to the bottom to find the truth, but no one has ever come back. Some say the knuckerhole is a portal to other worlds, some say it goes on to the other side of the earth and some say that although there is a bottom, the knucker lurks at its depths so these brave (or stupid) swimmers got eaten up. Whatever you do, please don't try and find out for yourself... never go swimming in a knuckerhole, and always be careful not to fall in.
If you are trying to find a knucker a good time to look for them is is in the morning. As previously mentioned they love to eat rabbits for breakfast so if you can find some rabbit warrens near a knuckerhole then there is a good chance you’ll spot a knucker there eating his breakfast.
A word of warning, please be prepared. Being unprepared whilst knucker hunting could be fatal especially if you are a tasty looking small child. If you come face to face with one your only option is to try and outsmart it. You won't be able to outrun it. They love household items rather than classic treasures so your best chance at getting away is to seduce the knucker with something like a table lamp, tin opener or a broom. They are not the easiest things to carry around I know but it could potentially save your life.
If you spot some big round iridescent green rocks to the edge of the knuckerhole then abort your knucker hunt immediately. These are knucker eggs and any adult knuckers lurking around will see you as a threat and will kill you. There will be no sweet talking your way out of that one.
Likewise, if you hear a barking noise then run! This means it is mating season and trust me, you do not want to get caught up in that. Their usual sounds is a low gurgling noise.
My final tip is to wear subtle clothing that blends you into your surroundings. They do not have very good eyesight which is handy, but they do have a keen sense of smell so it's always best to roll in mud before starting the hunt. This will not only help hide your tasty human smell but will also help with camouflage.
Want specifics? The knuckerhole pictured above can be found here - 50°53′47″N 0°23′23″W. There are some good walks around this knuckerhole near the Cissbury and Chanctonbury rings, click here for a 4 mile circular walk.* For those hardcore hikers among us, click here for a 20 mile circular walk.
*Please, please do not be fooled by the happy-go-lucky music in the video on this link, this is a dangerous walk as knuckers will be around, so please stay alert.
But why not find your own knuckerhole? There are so many more around Sussex than these! If you find one, please share the location in the comments below.
Are there any famous knuckers?
Indeed there are! The two most famous ones are the #knuckerofLyminster and a knucker named #Weasel. You can read more about the knucker of Lyminster here. As for Weasel, the #Dragonologist #DrEarnestDrake encountered Weasel when he was only eight and originally thought he was some kind of dinosaur, but we shall explore Dr. Ernest Drake and some of his amazing findings in a later blog post.
Have you seen a knucker?
No, I have not. And I'm not going to lie, I am rather embarrassed about the time I went knucker hunting. It was one of my first blog posts and I didn't know what I know now - #ALWAYSDOYOURRESEARCH and #ALWAYSBEPREPARED. I did not understand what I was looking for and to be honest, me and Nigel are lucky to still be alive.
Read more about our knucker hunt here.
What are your thoughts on the knucker? Have you been knucker hunting? Have you found a knuckerhole? Do you know something else about the knucker that I've missed? Please share your thoughts below.
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