Cryptozoology is a field of study that has been desperately trying to gain acceptance in the scientific community for over fifty years. Since the discovery of the Coelacanth off the coast of Madagascar and more recently a mass discovery of hundreds of new species in the Mekong in southeast Asia, researchers have scoured the world over for creatures that once existed and are now thought be extinct and creatures that mainstream science says can not possibly exist. These mainstream scientist forget was science is truly all about the wonder and thrill of the hunt.

Every once in awhile a creature appears on the radar of the most devoted researcher of unknown animals that even has them scratching their heads and saying, what the F. Such is the case of a strange creature that terrorized the citizens of the town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia in the mid 1960s. This cryptozoological mystery seemed to step right out of the shadows and scared the living daylights out of all those who claimed to have witnessed it’s presence, the mysterious winged creature known as the Mothman will go down forever in the annals of mysterious America as the strangest monster to have ever graced our shores.

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I am not sure what it is like in the ghost world, but in the bigfoot arena, winter means lower snow lines and more tracks.

As of today, I’ve have not found any new tracks other then the normal critters out there. With the poor weather in the Seattle area the past few weeks I have not been able to get to a decent area.

Are there any other bigfoot researchers out there? What, if anything, have you found this fall/winter?

Regards,

Robert

BANGKOK (AFP) – Scientists have discovered more than 1,000 species in Southeast Asia’s Greater Mekong region in the past decade, including a spider as big as a dinner plate, the World Wildlife Fund said Monday.

A rat thought to have become extinct 11 million years ago and a cyanide-laced, shocking pink millipede were among creatures found in what the group called a “biological treasure trove”.

The species were all found in the rainforests and wetlands along the Mekong River, which flows through Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the southern Chinese province of Yunnan.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” Stuart Chapman, director of WWF’s Greater Mekong Programme, was quoted as saying in a statement by the group.

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In many cultures, creatures like sea serpents, griffins, and dragons were more than legends; their existence seemed a provable fact. An exhibit at Boston’s Museum of Science explains the real scientific discoveries that inspired the myths.

The exhibit “Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids” was created by the American Museum of Natural History and is currently on display at the Museum of Science in Boston. The exhibit looks at mythical creatures from all over the world, from Greek legends of cyclopean giants to modern sightings of Bigfoot. It also compares similar regional myths, such as contrasting European images of the unicorn with similar Asian legends.

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Get some great paranormal related items and for a good cause!

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OINT PLEASANT — The Mothman continues to lure visitors to the area with its mysterious background and paranormal appeal.

The Paranormal Research Society will visit Point Pleasant Feb. 19-22 to examine the Mothman legend. Mason County Convention and Visitors Bureau Chairman Denny Bellamy described the tour as one of the first tourism events of the 2009 season.

Those that participate in the Return to Mothman tour will meet the cast of “Paranormal State,” a show that examines paranormal activity on the A&E network. According to the Web site www.paranormalresearchsociety.org, tour participants will experience amazing lectures and discussions, go on an exclusive ghost hunt with the “Paranormal State” cast and learn about the history of Point Pleasant, has been home to dozens of sightings and strange occurrences.

During the workshops tour participants will learn about the history of the Mothman, Point Pleasant and the Silver Bridge collapse. In addition, tourists will hear accounts from local residents. Tourists also will have the opportunity to take a guided tour of Point Pleasant and the TNT area.

According to the Paranormal Research Society, several activities are included in the tour’s admission, such as a welcome ceremony and screening of the “Paranormal State” Mothman episode with the show’s cast, complimentary dinners for both Friday and Saturday of the tour, autographs and photos with the show’s cast, a question and answer session with the cast and a ghost hunt at the Historic Lowe Hotel, where rumored haunts are told and where “The Mothman Prophecies” author John Keel stayed during his Mothman investigation.

The tour also will feature special guests including psychic medium Chip Coffey, Mothman Museum Curator Jeff Wamsley and Mothman investigator John Frick. According to the Paranormal Research Society, the Mothman tour is the third field trip for the group. The first two field trips investigated Katies Bar with fans and attendees.

The Paranormal Research Society is a professional organization dedicated to exploring the unknown. The organization originally began as a student club prior to becoming a professional organization. The society continues to expand its boundaries with its research lab, a library and growing staff.

A full schedule of events will be announced at a later time. For more information, visit www.paranormalresearchsociety.org.

Source: http://www.paraurl.com/?HGepB

EAGLE, Colo. — It was mere coincidence that the production crew from the History Channel’s “Monster Quest” series set up in Eagle, Colo. on Halloween. But it was an appropriate day to investigate monsters.

And that was exactly the purpose of the visit: Production of a documentary piece investigating the possibility of a Sasquatch or Bigfoot presence in Colorado, where rumors of huge “monkey-men” creatures have been reported since the late 1800s. The Sasquatch or Bigfoot legend became more famous in the early 1950s, following publication of an out-of-focus photo of a huge, ape-like creature.

Minneapolis-based producer Liz Pollock and her crew were drawn to the Eagle area, located about 31 miles west of Vail, by a couple of incidents reported in the spring of 2000. Within a three-week period that year, two fishermen reported separate instances of finding huge, human-like footprints — 18 to 20 inches long — alongside the Eagle River.

One sighting was below Gypsum, and the second was just above Eagle. At the time, wildlife experts and law enforcement officers filed reports and studied the photos, but couldn’t explain what had made the tracks.

The popular “Monster Quest” show is a documentary television series that examines monster sightings around the world. Each episode is a mix of scientific examination evidence, eyewitness reports, and observations from informed skeptics. It’s a science known as “cryptozoology” — the study of animals that fall outside of contemporary zoological catalogs.

“Our main goal is to keep it as credible as possible,” said Pollock, “We try to get unbiased experts to look at people’s physical evidence.”

The documentary, tentatively slated to run this spring, will mark the first time a “Monster Quest” bigfoot story has centered on Colorado.

Pollack’s research turned up 100 reported bigfoot encounters (including track sightings and vocalizations, as well as physical sightings) reported in the state.

The completed program will include a mix of interviews, a scientific experiment, and an “expedition.” Pollack said that the approximate 15 full days of filming will include a couple of days on horseback and two days of helicopter flights over the Pikes Peak area (where the most recent Sasquatch sighting was reported) with a representative of the Colorado Bigfoot Organization.

Skeptics and the science
The Eagle segment features a scientific experiment and interviews with several locals who were involved in the track sightings.

Pollack tapped retired Division of Wildlife Officer Bill Heicher as the program’s “informed skeptic.” A wildlife biologist, Heicher makes it clear he’s not a bigfoot believer.

“If bigfoot were out there, somebody would have found signs, like scat, or fur samples that could be used for DNA tests,” he reasoned. Still, after talking with one of the men who found the tracks eight years ago, and examining the photographs, Heicher says he can’t explain what left the track near the river.

“I don’t think it was human. I ruled out wildlife tracks. I don’t know what it was,” Heicher said.

Bill Kaufman, now a captain with the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, was one of the officers who looked into the incident at the time. Pollock’s crew filmed Kaufman discussing what he described as a credible witness, and the mysterious tracks.

Kaufman is not a bigfoot believer, but he noted law enforcement officers at the time could not determine what animal made the large, human-like tracks. Although the hind feet of bears produce tracks that can appear somewhat human, the size was way beyond any local bear track.

“I can’t explain it. The track was bigger than what I can explain. It’s that simple,” Kaufman says.

The “Monster Quest” crew, in an effort to get a feel for the size of a creature that would leave footprints the length and depth of those found in 2008, decided to organize an experiment. A hinged plywood “Sasquatch machine” was constructed and equipped with the molds of Sasquatch footprints.

The contraption was set up near the Eagle River. Cameraman Jim Tittle captured the action as Heicher and volunteer Eric Eves loaded sandbags onto the machine, then checked the depth of the resulting footprint. The conclusion: Well more than 800 pounds of weight was needed to leave a track in the hard-packed gravel bed. That’s considerably bigger than any local bear or moose.

Putting it all together
The film crew also spent some time at the Eagle County Historical Society Museum. Historical archives include persistent reports of mysterious ape-like creatures encountered in the woods.

A report in an 1881 Leadville newspaper told of local residents seeing a “man with long arms and a long shaggy fur covered body in the Lake Creek area.” (Lake Creek is a common stream name in Colorado, and the Eagle Valley does have a Lake Creek.)

A tale of Leadville-area miners encountering a strange, hairy, man-like creature with extraordinarily long arms is chronicled in Percy Eberhardt’s book “Treasure Tales of the Rockies.” The “Monster Quest” crew plans to film a re-enactment of that story.

Historically, a story about a Sasquatch-like creature in the Pearl Creek area of Camp Hale, outside of Leadville, circulates every couple of decades or so. The accounts, typically of the friend-of-a-friend-told-me variety, usually involve the sighting of a huge, shadowy form in the trees, big footprints, and the disappearance of some hapless individual (a soldier from Camp Hale, a hunter, or somebody’s spouse).

Pollock said once the filming is done, the writing of the show takes about two weeks, then the editing of the film involves another month of work. The program is scheduled to air in “Monster Quest’s” third season, probably in February or March.

Source: http://www.paraurl.com/?IcDLL

KATHMANDU (AFP) – A team of Japanese adventurers say they have discovered footprints they believe were made by the legendary yeti said to roam the Himalayan regions of Nepal and Tibet.

“The footprints were about 20 centimetres (eight inches) long and looked like a human’s,” Yoshiteru Takahashi, the leader of the Yeti Project Japan, told AFP in Kathmandu on Monday.

Takahashi was speaking after he returned with his seven-member team from their third attempt to track down the half-man-half-ape, tales of which have gripped the imaginations of Western adventurers and mountaineers for decades.

Despite spending 42 days on Dhaulagiri IV — a 7,661-metre (25,135-foot) peak where they say they have seen traces of yetis in the past — the team failed in their prime objective of capturing one on film.

But Takahashi said the footprints were proof enough.

“Myself and other team members have been coming to the Himalayas for years and we can recognise bear, deer, wolf and snow leopard prints and it was none of those,” he said.

“We remain convinced it is real. The footprints and the stories the local tell make us sure that it is not imaginary,” he added.

Photographs of the prints have been posted on the expedition’s website, www.everest.co.jp/yeti2008/.

The team had set out nine motion-sensitive cameras in an area where Takahashi saw what he thought was a yeti during a previous expedition in 2003.

“It was about 200 metres away in silhouette. It was walking on two legs like a human and looked about 150 centimetres tall,” said Takahashi.

Despite their lack of success this time, the team plans to continue the quest.

“We will come back as soon as we can, and we will keep coming back until we get the yeti on film,” said Takahashi.

Source (w/photo): http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081020/wl_sthasia_afp/nepaljapanwildlifeyetioffbeat

Cryptozoology is the science and study of unknown creatures not as yet catalogued by conventional science. Even so, that doesn’t stop these strange beings from making their appearances all about our world, sometimes intruding into your own neighborhoods. Some may even be watching you as you go into your backyard to sit on your patio. Or perhaps they might be watching you from the bushes as you come home at night. One thing is certain, they like to pop into our world for a visit, but seem aware that they’re being hunted, so are quick to vanish as abruptly as they appear on the scene.
BIGFOOT-Bigfoot, known also as Sasquatch, is arguably one of the most well-known “unknown” creatures on the cryptozoologist’s 10 Most-Wanted List. He is known to frequent woodlands throughout the U.S. , particularly the Pacific Northwest, and Canada .
DESCRIPTION: 7-10 feet tall bipedal ape-like creature with a large, low forehead with and uncanny human features. Fur color can be brown, gray, red, even white. Known to possess extraordinary strength, it has been known to emit sounds like a crying baby or a screaming banshee like noise. It is believed that there are different species of Bigfoot, and some researchers believe this creature might be a missing link of sorts called Gigantopithecus. More than one human who stumbled across the path of this cryptoid refrained from shooting at it because for some reason, they felt it possessed some kind of “human” attribute. Hunters mentioned something about the eyes, the way the creature looked back at them, that gave them the most unusual feeling that this creature was more than some great ape. It is also a curious point to know that UFOs are many times seen in the vicinity of Bigfoot sightings. Some researchers think there is a link between the two phenomena, even going so far as to say that Sasquatch is being used by saucer inhabitants for ulterior motives not known. One famous instance has a policeman encountering a tall blonde Nordic “alien” from a saucer who apparently had some kind of psychic control over the Sasquatch, as it obeyed the commands of the Nordic blonde and almost seemed to be afraid of him.
MOST RECENT SIGHTNG: Torch River, Canada 2004-A motorist spotted Sasquatch by the side of the highway. Strange anomalous footprints and tufts of brown reddish fur or hair were later found at the site.

MOTHMAN-Mothman likes to hang out in the Point Pleasant , Ohio-West Viriginia area. He first made headlines in November 1966, when a group of cemetery workers spotted a brown, human-like gargoyle with wings flying over their heads. During that time, Mothman terrorized teenagers driving in cars, stole several dogs, and even showed up on the front lawn of a farmer, only to screech at him and fly off. Paranormal researcher John Keel even wrote a book about this bizarre creature and the paranormal events surrounding his many appearances in the Point Pleasant area. Called “The Mothman Prophecies”, it remains the best work to date on the Mothman and his peculiar haunts.
It must also be mentioned that this area of Ohio and West Virginia has long since been a hotbed for the sighting of paranormal creatures, UFOs, and other multi-dimensional events. Some researchers believe there is some kind of dimensional portal or door in this area, one of a certain number of similar portals across the planet.
DESCRIPTION: The monster is more than seven feet tall, sometimes appearing “headless” with two large burning red eyes at either end of its shoulders. Other sightings report a gargoyle like head with horns. The creature is reported to possess two very large bat-like wings. He has been known to snatch dogs, cats, and other unsuspecting small animals up into his claws, never to be heard from again.
MOST RECENT SIGHTING: W. Virignia, 2005. Mothman has been known to chase people and even play “chicken” with them, flying straight at their cars in attempted head-on collisions. If you ever encounter this freak from the pit of Hell, you would be best advised to lock your car doors and press your foot down on the accelerator.

CHUPACABRA-Chupacabra, meaning “goat sucker”, is a demonic-looking creature that preys upon small livestock and cattle. He is usually sighted in Latin America, although he is also seen in the U.S. as far north as Maine , terrorizing unsuspecting people as they go about their business. He seems mainly interested in sucking the blood out of animals. There are several takes on what this creature could actually be. One theory is that it is a DNA recombinant mutant creation from a clandestine Black Ops laboratory. Another theory is that it is demonic in origin, and has come into our dimension through a vortex, or might have been deposited here by extraterrestrial visitors to for some kind of experimental testing. And there are other researchers who think the creature is possibly a genuine cryptoid, from a species of animal which hasn’t yet be studied or classified by science. Whatever it might turn out to be, great caution is recommended if you encounter this thing. It has terrorized schoolchildren and appears to be of a very vicious temperament.

DESCRIPTION: This monster is reported to be 3-4 feet tall with spiny rows from the base of its neck to its tail. It possesses scaly, greenish gray skin, and has either the face of an hideous jackal very evil looking glowing red eyes and forked tongue. This “thing” was first reported making its debut in 1987 when Puerto Rican newspapers started cataloguing its long list of crimes.
MOST RECENT SIGHTING: Peru, 2006-Peru-a farmer reported seeing such a monstrosity fighting a wild boar on his property. The farmer reported this monster devouring the wild boar within several minutes. The farmer called this crypto-beast “Zahir” and said he was haunted by the evil look in its eyes.

THE LOCH NESS MONSTER-The Loch Ness Monster, affectionately nicknamed “Nessie”, is a cryptozoological wonder, and is lives in the waters of Loch Ness, Scotland. Some researchers believe Nessie is a plesiosaur. Nessie has been investigated by a number of scientific research teams, and has even starred in television documentaries, but no expedition has yet to lay out a dragnet and snag her in person for detailed scientific study. Known to be quite shy, she apparently prefers to eat fish, because no known accounts of her eating humans have been reported. She has been sighted in the Loch for centuries, even going back to a sighting by St. Columban, who thought she must be some kind of infernal beast from the pit of Hades.DESCRIPTION: Long necked Plesiosaur, a creature scientists insist has been extinct for millions of years, but don’t tell Nessie that, she might be offended.
MOST RECENT SIGHTING: May, 2007-A lab techician thought he saw “a jet-black thing” measuring more than 35 feet long gliding rather fast through the waters of the Loch . Film footage was taken of the event.

THE JERSEY DEVIL-The legend goes that during the nineteenth century, a lady in the Pine Barrens, New Jersey, said she’d rather have Satan’s child than have any more children with her husband. The devil must’ve heard her wish, because when she gave birth to her 13th child, it was a hideously deformed monster with cloven feet and tail. It escaped through the chimney and then started terrorizing the area. We know that reports of this creature have never ceased since the 1800s, but the Jersey Devil’s appearances have been few in number over the last twenty years. Even so, those living in the area know it might not be prudent to go walking around in the Pine Barrens in the dark of night, or park their cars in some remote place for some quiet romantic interlude. Chances are, they just might attract the wrong kind of attention from a thing they certainly wouldn’t want to be making out with. Since the Jersey Devil was reportedly born from a human female, some paranormal researchers feel it is most probably a hybrid, half-human, half-something else. If Satan really took this lady up on her alleged curse, he might have given her the seed of some kind of incubus or possibly another kind of infernal creature.
DESCRIPTION: The monster is about 3 feet and a half high, with a horse’s face but head like a collie, with a long neck and two feet long wingspan. Its hind legs is like those of a stork or crane. It makes a high blood curdling scream when aroused, so it is strongly advised not to excite it or get it upset if you have the misfortune of crossing its path.
MOST RECENT SIGHTING:There have been no current sightings of The Jersey Devil, except for unconfirmed reports of it terrorizing hitchhikers.

THE THUNDERBIRD-Some researchers believe this creature is a Pterodactyl, a real remanent of prehistoric times, which has somehow managed to continue surviving in remote mountainous areas and other parts of the earth not easily accessible to the general public. Some researchers believe it is the real creature behind the mythological Phoenix of ancient history.DESCRIPTION: Very large pre-historical-looking bird that many researchers feel is a surviving member of a race of sky raptors millions of years old.
MOST RECENT SIGHTING: Sightings of this enormous bird of prey have been reported sporadically through the 1970s, 80s, and even 90s. But if you see it duck low, pterodactyls are voracious meat-eaters that may not care very much what kind of mammal you are, as long as you’re plump and tasty.

THE LOVELAND FROG MEN-If reports from various eyewitnesses can be believed, there’s a small group of half-human half frog-like creatures living in the Little Miami River in Loveland, Ohio. And they’re not very friendly. In May, 1955. a local businessman reported seeing this group squatting underneath a bridge just outside of the city. One of these creatures reportedly lifted up a sparking bar which shot off electrical currents. The eyewitness then reported an intense odor of almonds and alfalfa. What these creatures were doing squatting underneath a bridge and waving strange sparking bars in the air is anyone’s guess. Only, it probably wouldn’t be advisable to approach them and ask them what they are doing. In the 1970’s, a local policeman took a shot at one of them, but missed, as it jumped underneath the bridge, apparently unharmed. During that time one of these frog-men also was seen rummaging about on the property of a local farmer.
DESCRIPTION: Butt-Ugly looking Frog Men with bulging eyes, gaping mouths and bad attitudes.
MOST RECENT SIGHTING: None, and maybe that’s a good thing.

THE MONKEY MAN OF NEW DELHI-Reports of this terrifying creature started around May, 2001 in New Delhi , India . People reported seeeing a strange half monkey-half man creature roaming the streets viciously attacking people. Even more bizzare was the uniform this thing was wearing. Various reports estimate this “thing” to be a 120 centimeters tall creature with glowing red eyes wearing a metal helmet and having thick black hair, or fur, with metal claws. On its chest it was wearing a tunic with three flashing buttons clearly displayed.Description: A number of theories have been proposed, one theory suggests this creature might be a physical incarnation of a Hindu Monkey God diety. This creature is known to viciously attack humans with its claws in attempts to cause serious injury.
MOST RECENT SIGHTING: Russia, June 2001-This furry weirdo even made the headlines of the Russian newspaper Pravda as he attacked passengers on an airliner. Apparently, he managed to get away, because he evaded capture.

SPRING HEEL JACK-This springing preternatural freak was first reported being seen in London, 1837. He was later seen galavanting around all of England, from Liverpool, Sheffield, then back into suburban London, an area he seems to prefer for some unknown reason, yet sightings have been reported as far away as Scotland. Description: Human wraith with hands like claws reported to be “cold and clammy”, and eyes which resemble “red balls of fire”. Known to make extraordinary leaps and hops as it moves about the neighborhood, it has been seen wearing a black cloak, a helmet and an oilskin tunic.
MOST RECENT SIGHTING: None so far, but who would want to go out of their way to meet this thing?

THE DOVER DEMON-The Dover Demon was seen three times during the week of April, 1977, creeping about in Dover, Massachusetts, and cryptozoologists are still wondering just what kind of strange being this could be. Cryptozoologist Loren Coleman first broke the case, and interviewed the teenage eyewitnesses who had encountered. At first, they thought they were looking at a dog or cat, but soon became aware that they were seeing an unearthly creature creeping along a stone wall on Farm Street. It has a large watermelon type head with orange eyes, and had skin that looked like sandpaper. Later on that night it was seen again by another eyewitness, again, a teenager. The thing was seen repeatedly by other people during the next several days. One eyewitness estimated it to be about the size of a goat. Various researchers have thought this creature to possibly be extraterrestrial in origin, or possibly the result of a top secret government experiment gone wrong, some kind of escapee from a real-life Island of Dr. Moreau .
DESCRIPTION: A nasty looking devil-eared freak.
MOST RECENT SIGHTING: None have recently been reported, but how many of us would want to encounter this thing slithering along the sidewalk at 1a.m. in the morning in the cold, deep dark of night?

Source: http://www.nolanchart.com/article5180.html

We have come to the end of the line concerning our journey into the weird, wild, wacky world of cryptozoology, however considering this list of the creatures that comprise our mysterious cryptozoo is by no means exhaustive there are a few more that I want to share.

The Assyrian Monster Invasion

This obscure and terrifying cryptid event comes to us from the middle eastern country of Assyria from the 5th century AD. For a number of days an Assyrian city fell under the siege of what the ancient historians tell us of horrifying and ravenous monsters that would stop at nothing to feed upon the flesh of human beings. We are not certain as to the nature of the monsters or what what kind they may have been, however for a week the city found themselves battling these creatures. Historians say that one night these beasts descended from the deserts of the north and laid waste to the city leaving very few survivors to tell the tale. Even their greatest warriors were no match for the blood thirtsy monsters and despite their courage and fierce fighting techniques they were the first to fall. Some researchers believe that perhaps the Scythians a fierce society of ancient Russian warrior nomads may have been the culprits behind the siege, however Scythians were not known to eat human flesh and would not have needlesly murdered women and children during this frenzy of death. So what could these monsters have been?

Dobhar-Chu

Often times with anything dealing with claims of the paranormal or cryptids it is difficult to seperate fact from reality or folklore from actual sigtings of the strange and the Emerald Isle is no different even concerning their strange cryptids. For centuries the Irish have believed that a strange cryptid that looks like a bizarre cross between an otter and a large dog and is said to be as mean as hell, they call the beast the Dobhar Chu.

A curious tale comes from the 18th century where one of these Dobhar Chu, or Water hound may have been responsible for the death of a woman. A young woman named Grace went down to the local pond to fetch a pail of water when she was ruthlessly attacked and killed by one of these strange creatures. Her body lay for hours by the shore of the pond until her husband rode along searching for her when he returned from a hunt. As he rode up to the body he thought that perhaps his wife was merely sleeping until the head of the beast peeked out from her chest cavity from where it had been feeding and sleeping. The distraught husband approached the beast with drawn sword but the creature was to quick for him and jumped at him knocking him to the ground. The husband, after enduring the vise like jaws of the beast was finally able to run the creature through with his sword. As the creature lay dying it let out a loud shriek that appeared to be an alert because the husband could see what appeared to be another creature quickly swimming towards him from the depths of the lake.

Fearing another attack the husband jumped on his horse and did a high speed bail out before the creature could attack. It would be simple to dismiss this tale as just some local legend, however the grave marker of Grace does exist and may depict the attack of this strange beast. The Kinslough Stone as it is called shows an image of this beast being run through with a sword the Dobhar Chu is just another example of a very real creature dismissed by mainstream science because they don’t want to deal with it.

The Big Grey Man of Ben Macdhui

The Big Grey Man, is one of those stories that is somewhat difficult to fit into a category. Some feel that whatever it may be may be a ghost, a citizen of the fairie realm or an actual cryptid of the large hairy variety. Ben Macdhui is the second highest peak in the country of Scotland, and is home to a frightening beast that very few have seen but many have heard. In 1925, mountaineer John Norman Collie, was just about to reach the summit of the mountain when he began to hear what sounded like the heavy footfalls of a large person and loud raspy breath. Collie reports that, although he saw no one, he could not help but feel the undeniable sensation of dread as he looked around him for whoever or whatever this creature may be. Not wanting to tempt fate, Collie decided to slowly make his way down the mountain where he reached the bottom without catching sight of the beast.

Over the years very few have had glimpses of the beast and description of the Big Grey Man of Ben Macdhui may sound a little familiar to you. One couple picnicing at the base of the mountain heard a loud holler and looked up to see a large, hairy, bipedal creature standing on a ledge a mere forty feet above their heads needless to say the couple made off like a bat out of hell and never returned. Is it possible that Scotland is home to a Bigfoot like creature? Sure why not.

Altamaha-Ha

When European settlers first settled the the region that would come to be known as the state of Georgia, there have been reports of a gigantic eel like cryptid swimming the depths of the Altamaha river and the surrounding streams. Locals still see this beast today and they have dubbed it Altamaha-Ha. The creature is said to be approximately ten to fifteen feet long and it’s three humps have been seen numerous times rising out of the water. The local Native tribe, the Tama, have always believed the river was home to a fierce water demon that loved to snack on those who got a little to close to the waters.

The Mylodon
The Mylodon, or giant ground sloth was a very real creature that was said to have become extinct over ten thousand years ago that is of course what they say. For centuries those who call the Patagonia region of South America home have made claims to have come into contact with the allegedly extinct creature. Eyewitness reports claim the creature to stand well over ten feet tall and is docile unless it is challenged by another creature including humans. Over the years numerous dropping that appear to be fresh have been discovered in areas where Mylodons are said to call home and a few hides of the creature have been dated to be of recent vintage. Considering vast areas of the Patagonia are inaccesible to man and have gone unexplored it is entirely possible that these creatures still exist eeking out a meager existence.

Final Thoughts

Cryptozoology is a great scientific field of enquiry and many have actually made a living from the hunt for monters. However when it comes to mainstream science the biggest point of contention concerning the existence of cryptids is the idea of breeding population. Many mainstream researchers sight that many of the lakes that are said to be home to aquatic cryptids are just not large enough and do not have enough of a food supply to play host to a large water going dinosaur or a family for that matter. I fear that I may have to agree with this however it does not change the fact that there are literally thousands of eyewitness accounts which betray the fact that something is there.

As for the questions concerning sasquatch type creatures I have a different opinion concerning viability. Bigfoot is not hampered by a pesky little thing like the need to breath underwater so these type of creatures are free to roam at will where they may wish. Considering this it is entirely possible that creatures such as this could exist and call the vast wildernesses of the world home and stay hidden only once in a while making an appearance to stump science. Many researchers feel that Bigfoot, Sasquatch and kin may represent a relict population of mankind’s ancient ancestors such as Gigantopithicus or Homo Erectus that have been able to escape a pesky little thing like evolution.

But what of the more bizarre creatures that call the cryptozoo home? Many mainstream researchers and cryptozoologists agree that the more fantastical creatures such as Griphins, dragons or werewolves may be a part of the racial memory of human beings dating back to the ancient mists of time where either such creatures did exist or ancient man dreamed them up to explain the forces of nature. However, normal everyday people such as ourselves, you know Joe Six-pack, have had run ins with creatures that just should not be, although anecdotal stories and eyewitness accounts do not constitute hard core scientific proof people still folks witness weird shit swimming in the lakes of the world, tramping through trees and climbing the snow covered mountains and flying through the air. These creatures all appear to have one thing in common, if they exist, they want to be left alone.

Rick E. Hale
t_seeker@hotmail.com