The Cryptozoology Thread

[Serpentine]

Because It's Not Paranormal.

Something like that, anyway.

So, are there any rumours or stories or sightings of cryptids in your part of the world? Are there any you're particularly interested in? Any close encounters with Bigfoot or new photos of Nessie? Seen anything you couldn't identify and want to know whether it's a new species? This is the place for you! :smallcool:

Note: Magic, supernatural powers, UFOs, aliens, ghosts, etc., have nothing to do with cryptozoology. Cryptozoology is a branch of legitimate science, a method of identifying possible new species, not a way of "explaining the unexplainable" or somesuch.


What is cryptozoology? In short, it is a targeted-search methodology for zoological discovery. Specifically, it is just one path by which the status of purported new or lost species may be resolved. Practically, it is a lengthy process of collecting and analyzing data to determine which mystery animals may be unknown biological species, and then searching for conclusive physical evidence.
These mystery animals are cryptids, or hidden animals... A cryptid is an ethnoknown animal which may represent a new species or a species previously considered extinct.... Ethnoknown species are those for which some prior contact with man has been communicated to others...
What is not cryptozoology? ...Cryptids are often sandwiched between ghosts and UFOs within documentary-style programming, creating the perception that they are unearthly or paranormal... The need for entertaining or suspenseful devices creates the false impression that cryptozoology is just about hunting monsters or any supposed creature that bumps in the night. Paranormal folkloric entities, whether ghosts, vampires or lycanthropes, are not cryptozoological. Human medical conditions and psychoses, no matter how distorted, are still human, and are irrelevant to the search for unknown species. Occasionally, paranormal traits are attributed to certain cryptids.
Evidence is preferable, but hardly always available.

There's a story among the aboriginals around Kempsey, NSW, of a giant wombat (it has a name, but I forget what) terrorising the mountains around there. I heard a while ago (a reference, a reference, my kingdom for a reference!) that some relatively recent remains of a giant wombat were found in a cave in the area.

[Tempest Fennac]

I'm interrested in this area as well. I know pandas were seen in the same way until the start of the last centuary (it also turned out that legends about them eating iron were completely true).

[Dallas-Dakota]

We don't really have those around here.


But then again we don't have any loch's or mountains for them to hide.
And if they would hide in the sea they've been long fished up by the fishermen..

[rikkioflourdes]

Since he was nine, my brother has been obsessed with this kind of stuff, which is how I came across it after eventually picking up one of his books and reading it. One of my biggest disappointments was that latest Bigfoot hoax. Or at least, that's what I heard it was.

There's just so many creatures we haven't found yet that extremely close-minded skeptics irritate me on this subject.

I still believe in Nessie. :smallbiggrin:

[Serpentine]

Yeah, I think there's quite a lot of compelling evidence about Bigfoot (and Yowie and Sasquatch and all the other Big Hairy Men) that all gets lost in the great heaping pile of bulldung. Shame. Dunno 'bout Nessie... Though I think I heard not long ago that there's actually another one or two similar sightings in other lakes in that area.

[Tempest Fennac]

I never knew about other LNMs in Scotland. I know there's several lakes which apparently have similar monsters (including one where local officials went as far as to legally protect the monster).

[rikkioflourdes]

Yeah, I think there's quite a lot of compelling evidence about Bigfoot (and Yowie and Sasquatch and all the other Big Hairy Men) that all gets lost in the great heaping pile of bulldung. Shame. Dunno 'bout Nessie... Though I think I heard not long ago that there's actually another one or two similar sightings in other lakes in that area.

Yeah that's the problem with cryptozoology. For every compelling piece of evidence, there are at least thirty yahoos claiming they "did see Bigfoot". People dressing up for pranks aren't helping our cause either. Though I do recall a couple amusing camping trips where legends allowed hilarity to ensue. Aliens have the same problem too. Though the universe is considered infinite and it's irrational to believe there's no life in it except for our little blue planet, aliens are seen as a joke because many people claiming to have seen them are Billy Bob and Susie May.

Nessie is actually one of the ones that deep down I'm skeptical about. I mean at least the one that lives in Loch Ness. I'm sure there's something like her out in the ocean. That place is huge. But Nessie has long been my favorite cryptozoological figure. Just because, she's Nessie.

[Serpentine]

Oh, I found this site a while ago. Haven't looked around it properly yet, but it looks pretty good.
American Monsters (http://www.americanmonsters.com/monsters.html)

[rikkioflourdes]

Hah, it's even got old Mothman on there. I think we once had a song about him. My friends and I are pretty into this stuff, whether for real or for laughs.

[Rettu Skcollob]

Hehe, we don't really have any of that sort of stuff here. We did have kangaroos that were 10' tall and fed on FLESH though, back in the good old days dawn of Time.

Bunyips!

[Cheesegear]

Megafauna in Australia are most definitely confirmed. With skeletons of Kangaroos found that are two-to-three times larger than modern Red Kangaroos (and they're big!).

I think you're also looking for the Diptrodon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diprotodon). That page also links to other (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_megafauna) mega fauna from Australia. There are lots.

Google the word 'Megafauna', you'll find heaps.

(BTW...Zoology is one of my favourite things. Crypto- or otherwise)

[Illiterate Scribe]

Evidence is preferable, but hardly always available.

Yeah, y'see, this is the problem for many people.

[JettWilderbeast]

Being a zoologist myself (or at least a good student of) I'll vouch that most zoologists abhor cryptozoologists, the idea of a large mammal (it is mostly large mammals or reptiles) managing to hide from todays modern world with all the technology available to us is a bit silly, however I'm not denying there are animals we don't know of, particuarly in the deep oceans. However I'm gonna throw my two cents in and have to say its not for me, Mothman? Bigfoot? Nessie? Most of it is superstition, sorry boys and girls...

Having said that, show me real proof and I will change my mind...

[Serpentine]

JettWilderbeast: Look up the okapi, giant octopus and giant squid (okay, the last two aren't mammals, but they're still big and newly discovered). It's not just about "large mammals or reptiles" - anything, really.

Cheesegear: Yeah, I know about the megafauna (giant carnivorous kangaroos FTW!). However, they're all presumed extinct. Thus, they come under cryptozoology.

Rettu: We actually have a lot. As you said, the bunyip, and there's still supposed sightings of various megafauna. There's also the yowie, whowie, thylacine, marsupial lion...

[InaVegt]

Many animals that are currently accepted where considered myth by science for a long time. While this doesn't mean that any other claimed animals are automatically real, it does mean that such claims should not be denied off hand.

There are ancient depictions of the Giant Squid, and it was classified as myth by most scientists, until they found one. Many similar stories exist.

Now, this is in no way saying that science is wrong or anything, but science isn't perfect, and there are times when science is proven wrong.

Now, my most likely targets for the location of cryptids would be the Oceans and the Jungles.

Yeti, and Bigfoot, and such are pretty unlikely, due to them being in areas where they should be found pretty easily.