Yeti in Bhutan

A long article in the Washington Post on cultural changes in Bhutan, with an emphasis on yeti sightings.

Anaconda: Origins of a Name

Here's an interesting article on the origins of the name Anaconda, originally from Sri Lanka, not South America.

Folkloric Creature

A Philippines folkloric creature has been blamed for livestock killings: (News source.)

"Was it an ‘aswang’ (the Filipino’s version of a vampire) that killed sheep and goats in barangay Lower Manongol here?
"On Sunday, three goats owned by Cielo Alonzo were seen dead and disemboweled, in a vacant lot owned by Danny Guerero in Purok 2A, Barangay Lower Manongol here, around 2:30 p.m.
"Some residents believed the folkloric creature was the attacker, as the internal organs of the domesticated livestock were gone. But police dismissed the story as baseless."

Big Snake in the UAE?

An unusual snake photo was published in the GulfNews, with the following details:

"Ras Al Khaimah: Municipality engineers on a helicopter assignment on Tuesday pictured a snake believed to be one of the longest found in the mountains of Al Rams area.
"The team of engineers were on an assignment for planning and surveying the remote areas when they spotted the snake.
"A team member said they asked the helicopter pilot to fly lower and used a telephoto lens to take the picture. They said the snake was half inside a burrow and what they could see was several metres long.
"The engineers showed the pictures to their colleagues at the reptile section in the municipality, where the officials said had never encountered such a long snake in the UAE or the region."

Now, the photograph (shown) could be better. Only the body is shown, not the head. From the pattern and body size, though, we can see that it is a variant of the longest snake known in the UAE, Psammophis schokari. A similar pattern can be seen here. This species is common throughout North Africa and the Middle East, and is found in several different morphs. It reaches a bit over 5 feet in length. "Several meters" as reported in this news item may be exaggeration, or perhaps a larger-than-recognized individual, but we're not talking about a monster snake here.

Yeti Sketch

A British artist visiting Bhutan used local folklore and sightings to sketch a representation of the Migoi (local term for Yeti). She was also shown an alleged yeti scalp that was kept as a holy relic. (News source.)

Burroughs on Varmint Stories

"Other animal sounds at night are the voices of the owls and whip-poor-wills. One night I heard a strange whistling, shrill and high-pitched, that I couldn't account for. I rather suspect it was made by a coon, but I'm not sure.
"A story circulated at one time that we had a strange varmint there in the woods. People said that the creature had killed a horse in one place, fought with dogs in another, and maimed a calf in a third. It was the talk of all the region for ten days or two weeks, and many persons really believed that some animal which had escaped from a menagerie was roaming about. The woods were avoided by the timid, but there was nothing to the yarn. People seem to have a hunger for that sort of thing, and to crave it as a sauce for the prose of their daily events. So the story grows wonderfully when it once gets started."

John Burroughs, from John Burroughs Talks: His Reminiscences and Comments (1922)

Swiss Steal Nessie

A Swiss tourism brochure has added a pic of Nessie to Lake Lucerne. The UK is not amused. (News source.)

South African "Mermaid"

A group of friends "on the banks of the Buffelsjags River at Suurbraak, a village close to Swellendam in the Western Cape" (South Africa), believe they saw a Kaaiman, or mermaid-like creature. From the news:

"Suurbraak resident Daniël Cupido said he and a group of friends were relaxing next to the river last weekend when, at about 11.30pm, he heard something which sounded like someone 'bashing on a wall'.
"Cupido walked toward the sound. At a nearby low water bridge, he said he saw a figure, 'like that of a white woman with long black hair thrashing about in the water'.
"Thinking to save her, he waded toward her, but said he stopped in his tracks when he noticed a reddish shine in her eyes. The sight sent 'shivers' down his spine, yet he was pulled forward as if hypnotised.
"He called for his child, Deidrian, 13, and his nephew, Werner Plaatjies, 11, to help him, breaking his trance. He then shouted to his friends to take a look as well. Martin Olckers said he saw a female figure swimming, first on one side of the low water bridge, then on the other, and then standing on the bridge before diving back into the black water.
"He said the figure made 'the strangest sound', like a woman crying. His mother, Dina, said the figure sounded so sorrowful 'my heart could take it no more'. Her husband Martinus said their parents had warned them about the Kaaiman, but they never believed it existed.
"The Kaaiman is described as a half human, half fish creature which lives in deep pools. It is white and has long black hair and red eyes."

Nat Geo Top Pics

National Geographic News posted their top 10 images for 2007, most of which relate to unusual species.

Chinese Gov't and the Tiger Photo

Chinese officials are going to continue their search for South China tigers despite evidence that the photo recently publicized is a fake. Looks like they may be planning to create a tourist draw in the area. (News source.)

Taniwha Stories (BioFortean Review)

A historical extract from The Maori.

Vulture Rumors

An interesting news review on "attacking vulture" stories now current over in Europe.

Anne Marie Macar Poem on Steller's Sea Cow

Steller's Sea Cow is a poem written by Anne Marie Macar that appeared in the American Poetry Review (Mar/Apr2007, Vol. 36 Issue 2).

We all need a little culture with poems and song from time to time.

It is suggested that if you can access the journal it is a worthwhile read. The poem is a warning and a parable of life, humanity and extinction. An all true reminder of the world around us.

Below, therefore, are the opening two sections of this poem:

Even as they killed them
to extinction, the sea cows
drifted and swam in arctic waters
unafraid of the stranded men.

In the sea cows' parables it was foretold
that extinction comes
into the mind before the body,
a kingdom of oblivion

Bader, Moneymaker and Beckjord - Upper Peninsula Letters to the Editor

Most people who read this type of entry are all to familiar with the internal bickering and name-saying that goes on in Bigfoot and related studies.

Most are also familiar with the BFRO (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization) and their work and expeditions, including the one from July 12-15, 2007 in Michigans Upper Peninsula. It has been in the news, and mentioned at various Internet locations.

On July 3, 2007 a Paul Bader had a letter to the editor of the Daily Press posted. Entitled There's no bigfoot in the U.P. . Within this editorial letter, Bader explains his background and briefly why he feels no Bigfoot exists in the Upper Peninsula. He concludes his letter with the following:

I feel Matthew Moneymakers’ search for bigfoot in the U.P. is a folly. The real people to ask about bigfoot are the lumberjacks and the foresters, as they are in the woods a lot and know the difference between a bear and bigfoot or any other animal.

If there were bigfoot in the U.P., I would have found a track or some sort of evidence during that time as I have walked many miles of muddy and dry logging roads of all sorts, new and old ones, or would have heard from other foresters of a bigfoot sighting or track.

Mathew Moneymaker in response has a letter to the editor published on July 7, 2007. His letter, Why bigfoot hasn't been seen offers a challenge to Bader as follows:

My questions to Mr. Paul Bader: How many times has he explored the U.P. woods at night? Has he seen at least one specimen of every mammal species that is known to live in the U.P.?

This is all well and good. Freedom of speech, freedom to speak ones mind and challenge others to express or follow-up on their viewpoints.

Also on July 7, 2007 Erik Beckjord had a response letter printed as well. Beckjord's letter, Bigfoot, elusive, is still here touched on the non-flesh and blood mindset within some Bigfooters. Beckjord states at the letter start the following:

It is our experience at the National Cryptozoological Society that a special type of bigfoot exists in Michigan, either upper or lower, but it is more of a space-time creature, ala Einstein and parallel universes, rather than a trappable being.

Bigfooters attack each other, there is a sense of ownership to the work to the methodologies and to the collected reports. The theories bounce around, and holy grails are held to a flame ala the Patterson-Gimlin Film (read Darren Naish's well put together entry Frame 352, and all that at Tetrapod Zoology).

It is good, in a sense, to see newspapers (even if they may not all be paper based now) use the age old method of letters to the editors to demonstrate civic debate. It may not be the most common public debate, but none-the-less the venue is beneficial and it reaches an audience.

We have, therefore, in three (3) small letters to a regional press, the context of Bigfoot and his kingdom. The skeptic, the challenger and the non-mainstream challenger. Who is correct?

Roosmalen and Those Who Are Trying to Help

Marc van Roosmalen's plight in a Brazilian jail has not been forgotten by the world.

Various support structures have been set up to share his plight, his donations to the world, and also work towards a potential release.

Roosmalen was jailed in June 2007 for 14 years due to various penalties associated to keeping monkeys at his home in Brazil. The actual reported offense having taken place several years prior.

One of the more thorough new virtual support sites is called Help Marc Van Roosmalen . It is presented in primarily Dutch with some German areas. Within the context are some history pieces, a place for sympathies for the Roosmalen family and an early interview with Roosmalen himself.

One additional site, in a variety of languages, is at http://www.global-dvc.org/Marc%20van%20Roosmalen.htm . This breaks down some of the details and also some of the wider Internet postings on this scientist.

New Cryptofiction - LEE MURPHY'S HERETOFORE: UNKNOWN

Lee Murphy's newest cryptofiction novel has been released. Entitled Heretofore: Unknown . The synopsis, from Amazon.com , is as follows:

The world can be a dangerous place. Just ask George Kodiak. When a strange and extremely aggressive animal is shot and killed by police inside a local Voodoo priestess' family mausoleum, who better to identify the thing than "the guy who caught Bigfoot"? In this, the third installment of "The Kodiak Books" series, cryptozoologist George Kodiak comes to Louisiana to confirm an identity for what could possibly be the legendary Honey Island Swamp Monster. When a necropsy fails to nail down a specific species for the seven-foot, fur-covered beast with claws like a bear and double rows of very sharp teeth, Kodiak becomes embroiled in the world of Voodoo to investigate why this woman was keeping the animal inside her mausoleum. To find the answer, he will risk losing his sanity... and his life.

This is Murphy's 3rd fictional novel with the character of George Kodiak. In his previous entries, Where Legends Roam and Naitaka, the character has investigated cryptids such as Sasquatch and Ogopogo, and yes found them. Murphy has also carried the character of George Kodiak into at least two short stories. Remember the Coelacanth in Elementum Bestia and Throwback in Hominology Special Number II

Alligator / Crocodile Films

Cycles happen, weather, nature and industry.

In movies we move through cycles of similarity, including nature run amok movies.

This year we see at least three (3) crocodile movies gearing towards the mainstream theatrical distribution:

Rogue is being released in late 2007 and was filmed for approx. $20 million
Blackwater is pending release and was just shown at Cannes
Primeval grossed over $10 million after a January 2007 release, and is now available on DVD

Some years we have alien invasions and super heroes, others just nature gone wild. While the spirit is not in the area of exotic wildlife, it does go hand in hand with more reports of escaped pets in the waterways (or 8 foot alligators being removed from basements in New York!)

Blackwater should be noted however for featuring real crocs over CGI or models. In line with how Open Water used real sharks for their filming.

Missing Link - a 13 Part Show on SPACE

Starting on June 28th at 10 pm (EST) a new show on the television channel Space will air. Entitled Missing Link the show will look at the unexplained in the world.

Note that episode one (1) and nine (9) feature topics of interest to cryptozoology, while other episodes touch on the fortean world.

June 28 – Episode One: Strange Species and Curious Creatures
July 5 – Episode Two: Survival and Reincarnation
July 12 – Episode Three: Possession
July 19 – Episode Four: Near-Death Experiences
July 26 – Episode Five: UFOs
August 2 – Episode Six: Premonitions and Psychic Powers
August 9 – Episode Seven: Ghosts, Haunted Houses and Poltergeists
August 16 – Episode Eight: Supernatural Death
August 23 – Episode Nine: Marine Monsters
August 30 – Episode Ten: Magic, Witchcraft and Satanism
September 6 – Episode Eleven: Miracles
September 13 – Episode Twelve: Mysterious Disappearances
September 20 – Episode Thirteen: Stone Mysteries

Lost and Found Bigfoot Statue...

Another statue of Bigfoot has gone missing, only to be rediscovered.

Back in January 2007 an 8-foot statue was taken from a chiropractic office. This time around the stolen beast was a 1200 pound upwards of 10 feet tall!

Returned sometime in the evening of May 24th, the beast was missing for a few days in total.

The statue is situated within the property of the Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Macungie, Pennsylvania. It was one of the greeters at the top of Sasquatch Trail on the mountain, one of the resorts black diamond ski trails.

A new Lake Monster Game

Ozura Mobile, a developer and publisher of mobile entertainment games, has recently launched a new game that cryptozoologists may find of interest.

The Lake Monster synopsis is pretty basic. Lake Chini has for decades been the site of many deaths. These deaths are linked to the creature in the lake. Your role is to prevent a sleepwalking village boy, Wan, from falling into the realm of the monster. You need to help him cross the river with the aid of animals. The animals in this case become the moving puzzle pieces.

The game is intended for portable phones, see the website for details on compatibility.

Lost and the Chupacabra

Popular culture crosses into the realm of cryptozoology and the paranormal from time to time. Even on prime time television.

The April 18th episode of the ABC show LOST entitled Catch-22 included one such reference.

In the background of one scene some of the characters are sitting around a campfire. Hurley, the big guy on the show cursed by the cryptic numbers, can be heard faintly in the back telling a tale of the Chupacabra.

Not the main portion of the show of course, but just to show you that a reference can pop up anywhere. We saw this before with the animated Open Season reference to Bigfoot, as well as the past show Surface.

While on the subject, if you like out-of-place animals and remember the movie Lake Placid, well it is back. The Sci-Fi channel will be airing Lake Placid 2 on April 28, 2007. This time there is more than one crocodile in the lake.....