Xenotyphlops Found

The genus Xenotyphlops consists of one known species. That of the enigmatic blind snake from Madagascar Xenotyphlops gradidieri.

First discovered by Francois Mocquard the blind snake was described in 1905 and given the designation Typhlops grandidieri . This description and classification was based on two specimens of the snake with an unclear range location.

For 100 years the snake had not been reported again. In 1996 the species was redescribed as the Xenotyphlops grandidieri in Redescription of a Rare Malagasy Blind Snake, Typhlops grandidieri Mocquard, with Placement in a New Genus (Serpentes: Typhlopidae) V. Wallach, Ivan Ineich Journal of Herpetology, Vol. 30, No. 3 (Sep., 1996), pp. 367-376

But still no rediscovery of the species or genus had happened.

But, this has now ended. The description and documentation of a collected 3rd specimen from the northern section of Madagascar has been done, this rediscovered snake has external and internal features sufficiently different to classify it as a distinct species itself.

The full article is printed in Zootaxa 1402:59-68 (2007) within the entry Rediscovery of the enigmatic blind snake genus Xenotyphlops in northern Madagascar, with description of a new species authored by V. Wallach, V. Mercurio and F. Andreone.

Leeches and Salamanders

A new vector is reported for infections in certain newt populations:

"Parasite-carrying bloodsucking leeches may be delivering a one-two punch to newts, according to biologists, who say the discovery may provide clues to disease outbreaks in amphibians.
"The findings could also lead to a better understanding of diseases affecting humans, such as malaria, chagas disease and sleeping sickness. All these diseases are transmitted through a vector, an organism that spreads disease from one animal to another.
"The researchers found evidence for leech-borne transmission of a little-known fungus-like organism of the genus Ichthyophonus, which infects the muscles of red-spotted newts and other amphibians in North America. It does not appear to kill amphibians but might affect their ability to reproduce. 'This is the first evidence that newts are getting infected through the bites of leeches,' said Thomas R. Raffel, a postdoctoral researcher at Penn State's Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the study's lead author.
"Early infections in the newts appear as clusters of small dark dots under the skin, which can later develop into a large area of swollen muscle. The swollen muscle contains many spores (also called spherules), each of which contains hundreds of infectious cells called endospores. Raffel and his colleagues think that the infection is transmitted when one of these spores bursts open and releases its endospores onto the mouthparts of a feeding leech. Their findings are outlined in the January issue of Journal of Parasitology." ...
"Raffel, whose work is funded by the National Science Foundation, says 'when a leech sticks its proboscis into an infected newt, either the mechanical action of the probe or the anti-inflammatory chemicals injected by the leech, could be used by the parasite as a cue to release its packet of spores. The spores could then latch on to the leech's proboscis, and the infection would be passed along to the next newt the leech bites.'
"The researchers point out that Ichthyophonus might not be as contagious as other leech-transmitted amphibian parasites. That is because this particular parasite lodges itself in muscle tissue instead of blood. A leech would have to be feeding right on top of a newt's infected muscle in order to transmit the infection. However, it is still unclear if the spores are multiplying within the leech, or simply ferrying on its proboscis.
"Even though the infection is not fatal to the newts, it could affect their numbers, says Raffel. 'When newts get infected, they often stop breeding, apparently to shore up their immune system to fight off the disease. But that comes at the cost of having fewer offspring,' he adds."

Pomologists Puzzled

Granfer's Apple is its name, an apple that grows on a 200 (+) year old tree in Beaminster, Dorset.

Grandmother Diana Toms, 83, brought an apple recently to an event run by the Symondsbury Apple Project in Dorset to get some advise on caring for the old tree. Yet, the pomologists were unable to identify the apple... including experts from the National Fruit Collection (NFC).

The apple has been called the Granfer's Apple as long as Grandma Toms can remember. Her grandfather, born in 1860, always called it that in an shortend form of "Grandfather's Apple". The actual tree is thought to have been planted by Grandma Tom's great-great-great-grandfather Isaac Bugler cicrca 1800.

The difference in the apple appears to be the basic shape, stalk length and closed eye. With a sharp and crisp taste to it...... New style apple pie anyone???

Pomology is the branch of botany that studies and cultivates fruits, the best folks to identify an apple....

New type of apple, or forgotten one?

See the entire story at The Daily Mail

Georgia: Black Cat Sighting

Noted on the Anomalist, from The State (South Carolina):

"A federal forester says he was chased into the Chattooga River by a 7-foot-long panther with 'jet black' fur.
"Terrance Fletcher, a technician with the U.S. Forest Service, dove into the frigid water and crawled up the bank in South Carolina to escape.
"'The animal started running ... so I decided to run and get away and jump in the river to get across to the other side,' Fletcher said this week. 'It was a life-changing event for me.'
"The incident occurred the second week in January along the mountain river separating Georgia and South Carolina.
"Black panthers are not native to the southeastern United States, meaning Fletcher might have seen a river otter or a bobcat, state wildlife officials in Georgia and South Carolina said.
"Still, Fletcher and Forest Service District Ranger Dave Jensen said they think he saw some sort of large cat on the Georgia side of the river.
"'It was a little too big to be a bobcat,' Fletcher said. 'My first impression was a panther.'
"The Georgia Department of Natural Resources found no evidence of large cat tracks in the area where Fletcher said he saw the animal, but the Georgia DNR’s Kevin Lowrey said it’s possible a black panther was lurking in the woods.
"If so, it was probably an exotic pet that escaped, he said. His agency regularly receives reports of people seeing cougars, large tawny cats that were once native to Georgia and South Carolina. Officials say the creatures are likely escaped pet cougars or other animals, rather than wild cougars.
"'We don’t have a native black cat in the United States,' Lowrey said. 'That just tells me it was something released.'
"Lowrey, a wildlife biologist with the Georgia agency, said people hiking or fishing along the Chattooga River should not be overly concerned. The river is the only federally designated wild and scenic river in South Carolina, and it is popular with recreational enthusiasts.
"Lowrey said folks should always be aware of their surroundings when in the forest.
"Fletcher, a 24-year-old Alabama native, said he and another Forest Service technician were surveying trails on the Georgia side of the river south of the Burrells Ford bridge when they separated.
"While taking a break near the river bank, Fletcher heard rustling in the woods and looked in that direction. Staring back at him was what appeared to be a black panther, crouched on the forest floor like a house cat stalking a bird, he said.
"When he stood up, the cat started running, prompting him to take the icy dip in the Chattooga. Soaked to the skin and freezing, he met up with his partner and walked through the woods to their Forest Service truck.
"'We just got on out of there,' Fletcher said, adding he remains a bit spooked by the incident. 'I don’t know how long (the feeling) will last.'"

Australian Big Cat Sightings

From the news:

"The mystery of a colossal cat seen roaming the region began to unravel last week as residents reported more panther sightings to the Macarthur Chronicle.
Wedderburn resident Ted Lalor, 70, said he and a neighbour saw a panther near their homes six months ago.
"'The boys in Appin who saw the panther last week were fair dinkum,' he said.
"'I've shot feral cats before and there's no way a cat could grow to the size of the animal I'm talking about. Eventually someone will knock off one of these creatures, then people will finally believe they exist.'
"Two people who won't need much convincing are teenagers Emilly and Karrine.
Emilly said she saw the creature while riding her horse at Sugarloaf Horse Centre in Menangle.
"'The first time I saw the panther, it chased me on my horse,' she said.
"'But I've seen it other times and it just hangs around then goes back into the bush. My friend Karrine told me she saw the same thing.'
"Other reports included Kelly, 29, who saw the big cat near the Broughton Pass in Appin, and Dale Shackleton who recalled a panther terrorising his Appin farm and the Inghams chicken sheds more than 30 years ago.
"Cryptozoologist Mike Williams said scientists believed a breed of big cat existed in Australia but they were unsure whether it was a mutated feral cat, native, or an exotic cat, like a panther.
"'There is something out there,' he said. 'Where there's smoke, there's fire. People don't just wake up in the morning with an urge to say they have seen a panther.'
"Mr Williams said big cats were among the best animals when it came to camouflage and were largely nocturnal.
"'That humans see these creatures is not amazing - what is amazing is that we see them at all,' he said."

Rhabdophis Toxins: From Toad to Snake

The small colubrid snakes of the genus Rhabdophis have a shady past in the pet trade. Because they resemble certain harmless garter-snake like species, they were imported into the U.S. and U.K. under the wrong names, and ended up causing medically-significant emergencies when they bit their new owners. Rhabdophis are one of the few rear-fanged groups that can cause serious harm or even fatalities. A new study shows where they acquire this toxicity:

"A new study shows that the Asian snake Rhabdophis tigrinus becomes poisonous by sequestering toxins from its prey which consists of venomous toads. The research is published in the current issue of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"Analyzing differences between snakes living on toad-rich and toad-deficient islands in Japan, Researchers lead by Deborah A. Hutchinson of Old Dominion University in Norfold, Virginia, found that Japanese grass snake or Yamakagashi, as the snake is known locally, did not manufacture its own venom, but instead relied on that found in toxic toads:
"'The researchers found that snakes living on Japan’s toad-free island of Kinkazan lacked the toad’s toxic bufadienolide compounds completely. Snakes from Ishima, where toads are plentiful, had high levels of bufadienolides. R. tigrinus from Honshu, where toad numbers vary, displayed a wide range of bufadienolide concentrations. Feeding R. tigrinus hatchlings toad-rich and toad-free diets confirmed these results.'

"The study also found that snake mothers with high concentrations of the toxin are able to pass bufadienolide toxin on their offspring helping protect them from predators.
"The Yamakagashi stores the sequestered toxins in 'a series of paired structures known as nuchal glands in the dorsal skin of the neck,' according to the researchers. When threatened the snake takes a defensive position that exposes the toxin-containing nuchal glands to predators.

"While sequestering defensive toxins from prey is unusual among terrestrial vertebrates it is not unknown. Research published last year by Valerie C. Clark of Cornell University showed that poison dart frogs (Dendrobates species) and their Madagascar counterparts, the Mantella frogs, sequester toxic skin chemicals, called alkaloids, from the ants they eat. These alkaloids protect the frogs from predation. Similarly, some garter snakes are known to store tetrodotoxin from ingested newts while birds in New Guinea appear to sequester poisons from insects.

"Citation: 'Dietary sequestration of defensive steroids in nuchal glands of the Asian snake Rhabdophis tigrinus' by Deborah A. Hutchinson, Akira Mori, Alan H. Savitzky, Gordon M. Burghardt, Xiaogang Wu, Jerrold Meinwald, and Frank C. Schroeder."

NewScientist notes:

"What is more, when attacked, snakes on different islands react differently. On Ishima, snakes stand their ground and rely on the toxins in their nuchal glands to repel the predator. On Kinkazan, the snakes flee.
"'Snakes on Kinkazan have evolved to use their nuchal glands in defence less often than other populations of snakes, presumably due to their lack of defensive compounds,' says Hutchinson.
"Moreover, baby snakes benefit too. The team showed that snake mothers with high toxin levels pass on the compounds to their offspring. Snake hatchlings thus also enjoy the toad-derived protection."

Sasquatch back in the comics

Viper Comics is releasing a 256 page independent comic in April 2007.

The topic, SASQUATCH.

The name: Josh Howard Presents: Sasquatch

The comic will feature over 20 stories and over 30 different artists and is an indie style comic release.

'Hobbit' was no pygmy, but a separate species

'Hobbit' was no pygmy, but a separate species:

Jan.30 (ANI):

World-renowned paleo-neurologist and chairman of the Florida State University's anthropology department Dean Falk has acknowledged that "Hobbits" are indeed a separate and a new homonid species.

Having carried out further studies on the skeletal remains of an 18,000-year-old Hobbit-sized human discovered on the Indonesian island of Flores in 2003, Falk and her team of researchers are now convinced that the "Hobbit" catalogued as LB1 - Homo Floresiensis - was definitely not a human born as a pygmy or a microcephalic - a human with an abnormally small skull.

Falk and her team of international experts have based their finding on detailed maps of imprints left on the ancient hominid's braincase, and concluded that the so-called Hobbit was actually more closely related to Homo Sapiens.

"We have answered the people who contend that the Hobbit is a microcephalic," Falk said of her team's study of both normal and microcephalic human brains published in the January 29 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States (PNAS).

A debate over the remains of the 3-foot-tall adult female with a brain roughly one-third the size of a contemporary human has been going on for the past four years.

People have refused to believe that someone with that small of a brain could make sophisticated tools, but according to Dr. Falk, the LB1 had a highly evolved brain that wasn't very big, but was reorganised to carry out certain actions in tune with activity normally related to homo sapians.

In the latest study, the researchers compared 3-D, computer-generated reconstructions of nine microcephalic modern human brains and 10 normal modern human brains. They found that certain shape features completely separate the two groups and that Hobbit classifies with normal humans rather than microcephalic humans in these features. In other ways, however, Hobbit's brain is unique, which is consistent with its attribution to a new species.

Comparison of two areas in the frontal lobe, the temporal lobe and the back of the brain show the Hobbit brain is nothing like a microcephalic's and is advanced in a way that is different from living humans. In fact, the LB1 brain was the "antithesis" of the microcephalic brain, according to Falk, a finding the researchers hope puts this part of the Hobbit controversy to rest.

In October last year, researchers said that the Hobbit fossil found in Flores, Indonesia did not represent a new species of hominid, but was rather a small bodied modern human who suffered from a genetic condition known as microcephaly, characterized by a small head.

A study published in Nature in 2004 had said that the fossil belonged to a new species of hominid. The claim had divided palaeontologists into two distinct camps, with one camp vociferously arguing that the remains belonged to a new species.

Microcephaly is a term that covers many conditions. There are more than 400 different human genes for which mutations can result in small brain size. Accordingly, there is a correspondingly wide range of different syndromes that are recognized in clinical practice.

In August, a view was circulated that the Indonesian hobbit was actually a deformed Homo Sapien. The belief then was that Homo Erectus reached Flores 840,000 years ago and, living in isolation, evolved into a species distinct from Homo sapiens, named as Homo floresiensis.

They said geographically, Flores had at least two migrations of ancient elephants from nearby islands, and therefore it was highly unlikely that hominids arrived only once and evolved in isolation.

Also, the island was not large enough to have supported isolated hunter-gatherers with a population adequate enough to maintain genetic diversity for long-term survival. A later study by a joint Indonesian, Australian, and US research team showed that the remains belonged to a Homo sapiens and not a distinct species.

In May last year, there was a view that hobbits simply did not exist"It's perfectly plausible that these were pygmy people. But there's only one skull, and that is human and microcephalic," claimed Professor Robert Martin then. (ANI)

The PNAS article is not up at their website at this time, but should be shortly.

It should also be noted that Dr. Dwight Smith and Gary Mangiacopra have authored a new article on the subject of Homo Floresiensis , this article is slated to appear in the forthcoming Bestia Elementum book under the CRYPTO series in April / May 2007. In this entry the authors propose that Homo floresiensis is not only a new species, but a potential new genus.......

12 New Snakes Described

In the journal Zootaxa twelve new species of snakes are described from Turkey, Hispaniola and Cuba.

In Eleven new species of snakes of the genus Typhlops (Serpentes: Typhlopidae) from Hispaniola and Cuba. (THOMAS & S.B. HEDGES) in Zootaxa 1400: 1-26 (2007)
11 species of blindsnake are described. Four of these are from Hispaniola and seven are from Cuba.

The Hispaniola snakes were previously, according to the journal abstract, confused with Typhlops hectus while the Cuban snakes are closely related to Typhlops biminiensis.

DNA and morphological analysis is the basis for the re-classification and new classification of these snakes, and suggests at least 15 cryptic species are confused with Typhlops hectus or Typhlops biminiensis. While the genetic analysis is not published at this time, the authors are confident that the morphological differences are sufficient to diagnose the new species.

In A new species of Rhynchocalamus (Reptilia: Serpentes: Colubridae) from Turkey (K. OLGUN, A. AVCI, C. ILGAZ, N. UZUM & C. YILMAZ) in Zootaxa 1399: 57-68 (2007) a single new species of Rhynchocalamus is named.

Rhynchocalamus barani is described from Turkey and is diagnosed as different than other Rhynchocalamus species based on color-pattern, upper labials (1 vs. 2) , number of ventralia (163-173 vs. 180-240), and dorsalia (17 vs. 15). The new species was found in the Amanos Mountains in Turkey in May of 2006.

DVD: Harry and the Hendersons

If nothing else, it was a significant cultural milestone in public perception of cryptozoology. Harry and the Hendersons is soon to be released on a special edition DVD here in North America. From SpielbergFilms.com:

"If you've never seen 'Harry,' the premise is simple: The Henderson family has an unfortunate vehicular accident in which they think they've made road kill of a fabled Bigfoot. When the Hendersons take the creature home, they discover he's far from dead, and far from from the fierce beast that legend has made sasquatches out to be. From there on out, it's Bigfoot — or Harry, rather — in suburbia. Good natured comedy and thrills obviously follow.
"2007 marks the 20th anniversary for 'Harry and the Hendersons,' and the 10th year of the DVD format. And believe it or not, 'Harry' and DVD have never met in the United States. Until now.
"Universal Studios Home Entertainment will be releasing a Special Edition of 'Harry on the Hendersons' to DVD this April 24. For fans who have been waiting a decade to add this title to their Amblin collections, you'll be pleased to hear that the release will feature a number of previously unavailable special features.
"First, the film will be available in an anamorphic 1.85:1 picture, with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack to compliment (the film will also include subtitles in English SDH, French and Spanish). Bonus features will include an audio commentary by director William Dear" ...
"Also included are deleted scenes, a 'Harry...Finding the Missing Link' featurette, a 'Making of Harry and the Hendersons' documentary, plus a behind-the-scenes newswrap featurette and the film's theatrical trailer.
"If that's not enough, you can pre-order "Harry and the Hendersons" on DVD for a low $10.49 through Amazon.com."

Roar of Mich. cougar debate grows louder

Roar of Mich. cougar debate grows louder

Francis X. Donnelly / The Detroit News

January 27, 207

TRAVERSE CITY -- No cougars live in Michigan, say some state and federal wildlife officials.
But a conservation group believes so many of the big cats exist that they cover the state.
Somewhere between those two views lies the truth, which has become as elusive as the skittish animal at the center of the debate, cougar experts said.

The argument has grown increasingly bitter with charges of hoaxes, cover-ups, blurry photos reminiscent of Bigfoot sightings, a state agency accused of violating state law, scientists accused of ignoring their own research, and a dead pet panther named Sasha.

"It's about money, ego, power -- all the forces of evil," said Dennis Fijalkowski, executive director of the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy, about the controversy.

The disagreement is more than an academic food fight. The two sides agree that public safety is at stake, but, as with everything else dealing with the issue, they disagree how.

The wildlife conservancy, based in Bath, near Lansing, says the government is failing to protect residents and an endangered species.

The state and federal officials say the conservation group is needlessly scaring people.

Cougars -- also called mountain lions -- seldomly attack humans, but a growing number of reported sightings -- 1,200 since 2001 -- has alarmed residents around the state.

Last year, Berrien County on the Indiana border issued a public safety advisory after an attack on a horse, and in June Battle Creek police did the same after officers reportedly spotted several cougars.

Eleanor Comings, 62, a volunteer at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore near Traverse City, said she was followed by a cougar for 20 minutes along one of the park trails in 2003.

"When I first saw it, it was my worst nightmare," she said. "My second thought was: Everyone wants to see one, and here it is."

Read More of the story at the Detroit Press

Archaeologist digs for proof of Sasquatch

Archaeologist digs for proof of Sasquatch
Published: January 26, 2007


By Chris Bateman

BY DAY SHE'S the Stanislaus National Forest's archaeologist. With a master's degree in anthropology, she makes sure prehistoric Native American sites in the woods are protected. She's also the forest's liaison with the Me-Wuk tribe.

But it's what Kathy Strain does in her spare time that separates her from Forest Service colleagues.

She's a Bigfooter. A student of Sasquatch. A yearner for Yeti. A true believer.
"A strong case can be made that Bigfoot exists," said Strain, whose Jamestown-area home includes a room full of books, videos, cast footprints, notes and reports on the creature. "I've seen things I have no other explanation for."

Not only that, but she says Tuolumne County and the forest she works on are among the huge creature's favorite haunts. She has catalogued scores of eyewitness accounts, has discovered a Sasquatch "nest" near Twain Harte and swears she was once close enough to the creature that dirt was still falling from the sides of deep,14-inch footprints it left behind.

Read the rest of the story over at the Union Democrat

Image is from the Union Democrat story

BIGFOOT HAS BEEN RECOVERED (STOLEN THAT IS)

Earlier it was reported about the stolen Bigfoot artwork.

Well, BIGFOOT HAS BEEN FOUND. Only, his feet are missing!!!!

FROM THE Associated Press - January 26, 2006

An imposing, wood-carved Bigfoot statue stolen from outside a doctor's office has been recovered — minus its big feet.

An anonymous tip led police to the 400-pound sculpture beneath a pile of debris in a backyard about a block from where it was snatched Monday. Two people confessed and could face theft charges.

The likeness of the legendary ape-like creature of the Northwest used to stand 8 feet high, but its 16-inch-long feet had been sawed off at the ankles, leaving it 18 inches shorter.

"I'm glad we got him before they cut him anymore," said chiropractor Tom Payne, who had the statue made 5 1/2 years ago and planted at the foot of his secluded driveway as a landmark for patients. "We're relieved to have him back at the office."

The statue was recovered Thursday. The suspects, a man and a boy, offered no motive, police spokeswoman Stacy Flores said.

Bigfoot is back in place outside Payne's office in this small town between Seattle and Tacoma, and Payne plans to get him some new feet.
"I'm sure I can find a chain saw sculptor that might feel up to the task," he said.

Ivory Bill in the Mix

Just last December there were reports of more Ivory Bill Woodpecker sightings in Arkansas, where the bird was declared 'rediscovered" not so long ago. Reported sightings in Florida, and the story goes on

This has led to legal issues between conservationists / researchers and the Army Corps of Engineers.

The Corps of Engineers has been working on a $230 million irrigation project near the Big Woods area along the White River in Arkansas, but an injunction was placed back in July 2006 that blocked on site work. The pumps and motors have been continuing to be built and the Corps of Engineers is going to store them until such a time as they can be used.

With this injunction, and more sightings, one wonders about the affect rediscovering or even finding for the first time a mystery creature can have on the local economy, ecosystem and governmental systems.

For those who have not seen the identification chart for the Ivory Bill, follow the link (a snapshot is here for you as well). There is also an interesting publication by the US Fish & Wildlife that may be of interest. Of course the classic AUK outline of the Cuban Ivory Billed Woodpecker is also a good reference point for a historical basis.

Norwegian Lake Monster

Norwegian investigator Erik Knatterud has turned up a sighting report from a Norwegian newspaper. It involves a large aquatic cryptid photographed with an older camera-cell phone in 2005. The witness (an older man who was afraid he wouldn't be believed) finally allowed the picture to be published. To be honest, this isn't a great photo, and all caveats apply. Erik is investigating this report, and hopes to have a copy of the original pic to examine soon. A rough (very rough) translation of the newspaper article follows (primarily an online translator, with some modification from Erik's notes to a cryptozoology list):

"Is this a sjøorm (sea serpent)?

"Einar Johannes Sandnes wonders about a sjøorm he saw stick up at Snåsavatnet (Snaasa Lake). What do you believe?

"David Braendeland

"Could this be one of the sjøorm? Creature that appeared at Snåsavatnet stayed long enough to shake up Einar Johannes Sandnes.
"It all began with an absolutely ordinary fishing trip on a calm summer evening.
"'We'd been fishing the entire afternoon. As evening arrived and the sun stepped down we went to land for a cup coffee. Abruptly I looked at the lake, and there it was. I got a picture with the mobile telephone before it disappeared,' he told Nettavisen.

"Close at hand
"Sandnes, who has a farm near the Snåsavatnet, remembers well the episode as it happened in June 2005.
"'We became certainly excited and wondered what it was,' he recalls.
"The creature apparently appeared close at hand to them.
"'It was around 20 to 50 meters away, close to the land. It was summer and still light, and was easy to see,' he added.

"250 meter deep
"Sandnes is well-known in the area around the 48 kilometre long lake that lies north of Steinkjer in North Trønderlag. He say there are many stories about sjøormer in Snåsavatnet.
"'There are certainly rumours, from time to time. Sjøormen has been nicknamed Kudulla. That is the original name of Snåsavatnet,' he believes.
"The lake is charted to 21 (121?) meters deep. Sandnes states however that the firm NTE laid a cable there and detected depths to 250 meters.
"'So there is no wonder there could be a sjøorm there,' he claims.

"Afraid he would not be believed
"Einar Johannes Sandnes has had the picture of the possible sjøormen on his mobile telephone now for over a year and a half. Now he allows Nettavisen to show it.
"'I was long afraid to show it. I was certainly afraid nobody would believe it,' says Sandnes."

Tamaraw Flourishing

From the news:

"Manila, Philippines (AHN) - Conservationists have successfully worked on stopping the declining population of the unique dwarf water buffalo. Previously, the animal was considered an endangered species due to hunting and deforestation.
"The tamaraw, or Bubalus mindorensis had been threatened by big-game hunters, deforestation by settlers, loggers and ranchers that placed it on the world's endangered list by 1970.
"The government has taken steps to conserve the species through a captive breeding program and the development of a 25,000-hectare jungle reserve, in addition to increasing the residents' environmental awareness.
"The latest official population count of the animal is 263, 'although the figure could even exceed 300 if reported loose sightings in the northern side of the Iglit Baco National Park are taken in,' reports the Philippine government.
"'The tamaraws have definitely survived. In fact, with the continuous efforts of the government, concerned sectors and the Mindorenos [Mindoro residents], they may even begin to thrive,' it added.
"First discovered in 1888, the tamaraw is three feet tall and has a weight of 300 kilograms."

Floresiensis Cave Opened to Research

News from BBC:

"Archaeologists who found the remains of human 'Hobbits' have permission to restart excavations at the cave where the specimens were found.
"Indonesian officials have blocked access to the cave since 2005, following a dispute over the bones.
"But Professor Richard 'Bert' Roberts, a member of the team that found the specimens, told BBC News the political hurdles had now been overcome." ...
"'This year we will back in Liang Bua again, back in the cave where we found the Hobbits,' said Professor Roberts, from the University of Wollongong in Australia." ...
"'It's now a matter of getting everything organised so we can start digging again,' said Professor Roberts.
''You've got to get there in the dry season; in the wet season you can hardly drive to the site and when you are there, there are puddles of water all over the floor - so it's got to be dry to sensibly dig holes.'"

[Full news posted to StrangeArk archive.]

The Virgin Eggs Produce 5 Komodo Dragons

Earlier Chad has posted on the Komodo Parthenogenesis within this blog.

Well those eggs have now hatched.....

According to the Associated Press, 5 komodos were born at the zoo:

'Virgin Birth' Of Komodo Dragons Stuns Zoo
(AP) MANCHESTER, England A British zoo announced Wednesday the virgin birth of five Komodo dragons, giving scientists new hope for the captive breeding of the endangered species. In an evolutionary twist, the newborns' eight-year-old mother Flora shocked staff at Chester Zoo in northern England when she became pregnant without ever having a male partner or even being exposed to the opposite sex.

"Flora is oblivious to the excitement she has caused but we are delighted to say she is now a mum and dad," said a delighted Kevin Buley, the zoo's curator of lower vertebrates and invertebrates.The shells began cracking last week, after an eight-month gestation period, which culminated with the arrival on Tuesday of the fifth black and yellow colored dragon.The dragons are between 15.5 and 17.5 inches and weigh between 3.5 and 5.3 ounces, said Buley, who leads the zoo's expert care team.He said the reptiles are in good health and enjoying a diet of crickets and locusts.Other reptile species reproduce asexually in a process known as parthenogenesis.

But Flora's virginal conception, and that of another Komodo dragon earlier this year at the London Zoo, are the first time it has been documented in a Komodo dragon.

The evolutionary breakthrough could have far-reaching consequences for endangered species.Captive breeding could ensure the survival of the world's largest lizards, with fewer than 4,000 Komodos left in the wild.Scientists hope the discovery will pave the way to finding other species capable of self fertilization.

While it wasn't unusual for female dragons to lay eggs without mating, scientists understood they were witnessing something important when they realized Flora's eggs had been fertilized.DNA paternity tests confirmed the lack of male input, although the brood are not exact clones of their mother.Parthenogenesis — where eggs become embryos without male fertilization — had only been noted once before in a Komodo dragon. Genetic tests showed that Sungai, a resident of London Zoo, was the sole parent to offspring last April.

Cape Town Croc. Hunt

The hunt is on - 'Crocodile' spotted in Steenbras Dam
25-01-2007
A MYSTERIOUS creature spotted only once in the murky waters of the Steenbras Dam has since October been the subject of an intense search by City of Cape Town and Cape Nature officials.

The hunt for the Helderberg's own "Loch Ness" monster was sparked one late afternoon by a City of Cape Town employee who was fishing in a shady bay of the 260 hectare upper dam when he saw the beast. He said it came rustling out from the undergrowth and slipped into the water. He fled, making a report that sparked a massive search.

Steenbras Dam supplies just over 10% of the City of Cape Town's water. Although a public picnic spot nearby was closed a few years ago, only the 60-odd staff and researchers with permits are allowed into the area. People illegally gaining entry for fishing and boating is also a problem. The City of Cape Town believe its employee may have sighted a two-metre long crocodile.

While such an animal may find it a lonely existence, the Steenbras Dam, which stretches along the Hottentots Holland mountain range for many kilometres, with its large pine forest plantations and fynbos is an ideal habitat. Up to now it seems, the most dangerous creatures there have been snakes. Conservation officials from Cape Nature and staff at the dam have combed the area on foot, motorcycle and boats, looking for traces of the animal.

Just like Scotland's elusive "Nessie", nothing has been found, but the employee who first saw it has stuck to his story.

The City of Cape Town is not taking any chances. According to municipal acting media manager Charles Cooper, a Cape Nature field officer walks the dam shore and patrols with a motorcycle approximately every second day. Boat patrols and workers on the dam have been told to be on the lookout for unusual shapes in the water or basking reptiles along the shoreline. As to how a crocodile - if it is a crocodile - may have come to be in the dam remains a mystery. Karin Prins, who works at one of the Cape's few crocodile farms, Le Bonheur in Paarl, suggests the only possible way could have been that it was acquired illegally by someone who thought a baby croc was cute, but dumped the animal in the dam when it grew too big to handle.

Escaped crocodiles in the Western Cape are extremely rare. In August 2004 Le Bonheur had to fetch one of its three-metre long reptiles that had escaped, from a dam at the Santé Winelands Hotel and Wellness Spa.

Dugongs are wandering, too

You can add this to the meandering manatees file (sirenians, anyway). From Malaysia:

"LANGKAWI: The discovery of a dead dugong on the coast of Pulau Tuba, near here, is causing a stir not only among the locals but also in the research community.
"After years of failing to get a single sighting of the animal, yesterday’s discovery at least confirmed that there were dugongs in the waters here.
"A fisherman found the carcass floating in the mangrove swamp of Lubok Cempedak in Pulau Tuba, a small populated island off Kuah town here in the morning.
"The 100kg carcass, which had shallow scratches on its body, was taken by boat to Kuah where it was later stored at the Langkawi Underwater World.
"The animal, measuring 190cm, was still bleeding from its mouth when it was found.
"Langkawi fisheries head Badeli Hassan said a post-mortem would be conducted by an expert from the Turtle and Marine Eco-system Centre in Rantau Abang, Dungun.
"Meanwhile, islander Mohd Ratu Mansur, 30, who helped retrieve the carcass, said the locals here initially thought the animal was a seal.
"'We didn’t know it was a dugong as we’ve never seen one before. Then I remembered watching a programme about the dugong which was found in Johor.'
"'Maybe it got lost here as I’ve never heard local folk talking about any dugong sightings before,' he said."

Dragons found in Brazil

Two New Lizard Species Discovered in Brazil’s Cerrado RegionTiny "dragons" found in Cerrado and Caatinga National Parks in Brazil
Brasília –

Two new species of lizard found in Brazil were described in the latest issue of the South American Journal of Herpetology. No more than fourteen centimeters from head to tail, these small creatures resemble miniature dragons according to the scientists who discovered them. Living primarily near the ground, on tree trunks and small cavities, they use their disruptive colors and cryptic behavior as camouflage in the dense and dry savannas. Their Latinized names refer to their morphology: quinarius in allusion to the five well-marked dorsal crests, and squarrosus in reference to the stiff, erected scales of the entire body.

“Time is running out as habitat destruction continues. Future studies on the Stenocercine lizards will provide a much better picture of diversity, as the new species carry unique and very important information on speciation processes that may help to understand the relationships between major blocks of open habitats in South America,” says Brazilian herpetologist Cristiano Nogueira, a biodiversity analyst with Conservation International (CI) and co-author of the paper that first named the two new species.

Recent estimates show that at least 2 million hectares of the Cerrado are destroyed each year. It is estimated that by 2030, only the legally protected areas (now covering less than 3 percent of the region) will remain as original Cerrado habitats.

The two new species are found generally in a special type of dense savanna, locally called “carrasco,” in dry, flat sandstone tabletops. This type of habitat, whose origins are still a puzzle to botanists, harbor a mixture of Cerrado and Caatinga plant species, and is being quickly destroyed by irregular charcoal production and soybean plantations. These habitats may represent ancient vegetation types now restricted to naturally isolated fragments within the surrounding Caatinga and Cerrado.

These are the first new species described as a result of the largest inventory of squamate reptile diversity in the Brazilian Cerrado (one of the 34 biodiversity hotspots named by CI), concluded in 2006 by Nogueira during his doctoral studies at the University of São Paulo.

Discovered in the region of Grande Sertão Veredas National Park, on the tablelands of the Serra Geral plateau, Stenocercus quinarius is relatively safe within the protected area. However, its populations outside the conserved area are under threat due to habitat loss and the expansion of mechanized agriculture, especially in the Cerrado areas of the Bahia state – where CI has been working in the Jalapão-Western Bahia biodiversity corridor.

The situation of Stenocercus squarrosus, discovered during a field research lead by Hussam Zaher, curator of reptiles at MZUSP (University of São Paulo Zoology Museum), also deserves attention. The new species was found only within Serra das Confusões National Park, in the Cerrado and Caatinga contact zone, where CI works in the Uruçuí-Mirador biodiversity corridor. This protected area may be enlarged soon, expanding to pristine tabletops of the Serra Vermelha.

The Cerrado Squamate inventory, funded by FAPESP (the State of São Paulo Research Foundation) and Conservation International (CI), recorded 253 squamate species, 73 more than the 180 previously known for the Cerrado savannas. Of these 253 species, at least 103 are endemic, challenging earlier notions of low vertebrate endemism in the Cerrado hotspot.

The rodent with a whisp - a new rodent from Peru

In the rainforest of Peru a squirrel like rodent has been discovered.

A striking rodent, closer in relation to spiny rats than to squirrels, it features a wick like tail of black and a broad head covered throughout with long transitional fur of reddish to gray.

The new rodent has been dubbed Isothrix barbarabrownae and was found in 1999 at 6200 feet . The find occurred while researchers where in the Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve Mountains in Peru.

Using genetic analysis the discoverers have been reviewing the proposed evolutionary connection of the South American rodents. This analysis is suggestive that the new species may have arisen from Andean ancestry.

The description of the new species is presented within Mastozoologia Neotropical, while early work detailing the findings of the research team was in Fieldiana: Zoology.

The total species finds for the research team has been 1 opossum, 7 bats and 3 rodents all from the same river valley of research in Peru.

Please see:

PATTERSON BD and PM VELAZCO. A distinctive new cloud-forest rodent (Hystriocognathi: Echimyidae) from the Manu Biosphere Reserve, Peru in MASTOZOOLOGÍA NEOTROPICAL Volumen 13 Julio -Diciembre 2006 N°2

Scientists discover new species of distinctive cloud-forest rodent

Frilled Shark Caught on Tape

A frilled shark caught on tape can be viewed over at Reuters.

This video was shot near Japan and aired January 24, 2007.

The "frilled shark" (Chlamydoselachus anguineus ) grows to around 2 metres in length and is characterized by its eel-like appearance, three-pronged teeth, caudal fin lacking a bottom lobe and six gill slits (six sets), among other items.

Named in 1884, this shark is a living representative of a primitive shark order, Hexanchiformes.

Found on outer continental and insular shelves and upper slopes, usually between 120 and 1,280 meters, it is occasionally caught at the surface. Although not known to be a danger to man, its teeth are sharp enough to inflict some harm though.

Their frilled and eel-like body is reminiscent of some "sea-serpent" accounts.

Paleontologists Discover Most Primitive Primate Skeleton

January 23, 2007:

Paleontologists Discover Most Primitive Primate Skeleton

The origins and earliest branches of primate evolution are clearer and more ancient by 10 million years than previous studies estimated, according to a study featured on the cover of the Jan. 23 print edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The paper by researchers at Yale, the University of Winnipeg, Stony Brook University, and led by University of Florida paleontologist Jonathan Bloch reconstructs the base of the primate family tree by comparing skeletal and fossil specimens representing more than 85 modern and extinct species. The team also discovered two 56-million-year-old fossils, including the most primitive primate skeleton ever described.

In the two-part study, an extensive evaluation of skeletal structures provides evidence that plesiadapiforms, a group of archaic mammals once thought to be more closely related to flying lemurs, are the most primitive primates. The team analyzed 173 characteristics of modern primates, tree shrews, flying lemurs with plesiadapiform skeletons to determine their evolutionary relationships. High-resolution CT scanning made fine resolution of inaccessible structures inside the skulls possible.

"This is the first study to bring it all together," said co-author Eric Sargis, associate professor of anthropology at Yale University and Assistant Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at Yale's Peabody Museum of Natural History. "The extensive dataset, the number and type of characteristics we were able to compare, and the availability of full skeletons, let us test far more than any previous study."
At least five major features characterize modern primates: relatively large brains, enhanced vision and eyes that face forward, a specialized ability to leap, nails instead of claws on at least the first toes, and specialized grasping hands and feet. Plesiadapiforms have some but not all of these traits. The article argues that these early primates may have acquired the traits over 10 million years in incremental changes to exploit their environment.

While the study did not include a molecular evaluation of the samples, according to Sargis, these results are consistent with molecular studies on related living groups. Compatibility with the independent molecular data increases the researchers' confidence in their own results.

Bloch discovered the new plesiadapiform species, Ignacius clarkforkensis and Dryomomys szalayi, just outside Yellowstone National Park in the Bighorn Basin with co-author Doug Boyer, a graduate student in anatomical sciences at Stony Brook. Previously, based only on skulls and isolated bones, scientists proposed that Ignacius was not an archaic primate, but instead a gliding mammal related to flying lemurs. However, analysis of a more complete and well-preserved skeleton by Bloch and his team altered this idea.

"These fossil finds from Wyoming show that our earliest primate ancestors were the size of a mouse, ate fruit and lived in the trees," said study leader Jonathan Bloch, a vertebrate paleontology curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History. "It is remarkable to think we are still discovering new fossil species in an area studied by paleontologists for over 100 years."

Researchers previously hypothesized plesiadapiforms as the ancestors of modern primates, but the idea generated strong debate within the primatology community. This study places the origins of Plesiadapiforms in the Paleocene, about 65 (million) to 55 million years ago in the period between the extinction of the dinosaurs and the first appearance of a number of undisputed members of the modern orders of mammals.

"Plesiadapiforms have long been one of the most controversial groups in mammalian phylogeny," said Michael J. Novacek, curator of paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History. "First, they are somewhere near primates and us. Second, historically they have offered tantalizing, but very often incomplete, fossil evidence. But the specimens in their study are beautifully and spectacularly preserved."

"The results of this study suggest that plesiadapiforms are the critical taxa to study in understanding the earliest phases of human evolution. As such, they should be of very broad interest to biologists, paleontologists, and anthropologists," said co-author Mary Silcox, professor of anthropology at the University of Winnipeg.

"This collaboration is the first to bring together evidence from all regions of the skeleton, and offers a well-supported perspective on the structure of the earliest part of the primate family tree," Bloch said.

The research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, Field Museum of Natural History, Yale University, Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (Canada), University of Winnipeg, the Paleobiological Fund, and The Wenner--Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research.

Beaked Whale Stranding / Death

Whale may be a mountain of information

By Lunga Mtshizana

SUNDAY TIMES -

The carcass of a rare beaked whale at Morgan’s Bay may hold the key to unlocking new information about this mysterious mammal of the deep.

The 5,7 ton whale died on Sunday after a dramatic attempt to push it back into the ocean failed.
“The beaked whale is the least known whale and it is also amongst the least known mammals, therefore this is a very significant find,” Port Elizabeth Museum marine mammal scientist Stephanie Plön said.

Yesterday, Plön and her team removed the whale’s stomach contents and reproductive organs and took genetic samples, measurements and photographs. The scientists are hoping to determine the type of beaked whale this female specimen belonged to.

“Genetic analysis will help us determine whether this is a new species of beaked whale or whether it belongs to one of the existing species,” said Plön.

“From its stomach contents we will be able to determine its feeding behaviour and it will help us learn more about an animal which is very rare in South Africa and in other parts of the world.”

In 2004, scientists at the Port Elizabeth Museum found a new species of beaked whale after using genetic testing.

Gill Watson, collections manager for the Port Elizabeth Museum, said there were very minimal chances that the blood from the beaked whale would attract sharks to the beach, but she advised people not to swim at Morgan’s Bay until all the whale’s blood had been washed away.

Plön added the Eastern Cape Parks Board will now bury the dead whale and that scientists would return at a later stage for the animal’s skeleton. Plön said the whale might have been washed up because of old age, or because it was sick or in labour. She advised locals not to eat its meat as the cause of death has not been determined.

New Mexico Sasquatch

Jerry Padilla passed along a news account he wrote for the Taos (NM) News, involving a Sasquatch sighting in northern Taos County. From the January 18, 2007, edition:

Interesting find becomes scary experience for Costilla man

By Jerry A. Padilla
The Taos News

"In the interest of protecting a fragile ecosystem and a potentially rare and misunderstood species, the exact location of the following experience is best not revealed. Suffice it to say, the unusual encounter occurred in a canyon of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near the Colorado-New Mexico border in northern Taos County.
"Arturo 'Homie' Mart'nez, 67, of Costilla said he decided 'to tell The Taos News about my experience because many people I’ve shared the information with don’t seem to take me serious. However, many do, and they have encouraged me to come forward with my story.'
"Mart'nez, originally of Arroyo Hondo, has spent a lifetime in the mountains, canyons and wilds of Northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, and can identify all the native wildlife, plants and animals, whatever the season or conditions. Not long ago, he and a person he calls a 'super friend' had a frightening, but very interesting experience while scouting for elk in preparation for a hunt. His friend has chosen to remain anonymous. Mart'nez made personal notes about what happened in this mountain canyon area Sept. 27.
"'I, myself, and my friend set out to scout for game, but something weird happened.'
"He explained that earlier the first day, while scouting in stands of aspens within sight of the community of Amalia from up high, Mart'nez found an interesting, naturally formed piece of aspen tree that strongly resembled a human face. 'Nobody carved it, it grew that way and I decided to bring it back.'
"After leaving the object at home, Mart'nez and friend returned to another area several miles away from where they had been earlier in the day. This time, while driving on another fork of the rough road, they found many tops of aspen trees cleanly broken off that were strewn over the road.
"'We decided to investigate who was breaking the trees and throwing them on the road. I asked my friend, "Who would want to do this?"' Mart'nez explained, 'These were aspens ranging in size from 3 to 4 inches to 6 to 8 inches in diameter, cleanly broken about 13 to 15 feet up the trunk of the trees. There were no tracks of bear or elk, or human tracks — no tracks of any kind, no sawdust at the bottom of the trees and what was strange, it was as if they were thrown several feet away from where they were broken. There were two big aspens completely uprooted and thrown away from where they had been growing. If bears had broken them, they would have left claw marks. Bears leave a smell on trees they scratch or break.'
"'Elk in rutting battles leave the ground very disturbed. It wasn’t, and seeing many broken trees we continued on to investigate who or what was breaking them. The broken tree tops were lying in the road as if something or someone wanted to say, "Nobody is welcome here." Rounding a curve, my tire blew out and things started getting very scary,' he continued.
"'We could hear elk bugling up higher and we decided to walk back down since it was late afternoon,' Mart'nez said. 'We needed to get a spare, and come back to change the tire. We were taking our time checking out more bro-ken trees, and there was easily over a 100 broken the same way. That’s when I heard the scariest noise I have ever heard in my life.
"'It started at first, sounding like an elk bugling, then turned into a scary roar so loud it kept echoing through the canyon,' he continued. 'The elk up high stopped bugling. It kept making that noise at us, it reminded me of the noise the devil made in "The Exorcist" movie. Whatever was making the noise started breaking trees and throwing them in our direction a few seconds later.
"'Then I saw a huge creature moving through the edge of an aspen grove, about 30 to 40 feet from me. It walked upright, but hunched over, maybe 6 feet tall bent over, and standing straight was 7 to 8 feet tall with very dark fur all over. It was not a bear. Bears don’t walk like humans. I am convinced I saw what many call Sasquatch. Even with my gun, I was very scared and we left in a hurry. It seemed to be following in the edge of the trees, breaking more, throwing them toward us and making that awful noise. It was almost dark and we had to get out of there,' he recounted.
"The two men fled down the mountain, and Mart'nez said every time the creature roared the noise continued reverberating through the entire area. 'I felt like at any moment something was going to grab me from behind all the way out of there.'
"They arrived on foot in Costilla well after dark, deciding no matter how scared they felt, it was necessary to return to the canyon, change the blown tire and bring Mart'nez’s vehicle back. The two men returned to where the vehicle was parked, and by the time they changed the spare it was after 2 a.m. on Sept. 28.
"'We decided to stay until daylight and try to find out what it really was we had experienced,' Mart'nez continued, 'It was deathly quiet the whole time, nothing moving, no elk bugling, not a sound at all. At sunrise, we checked around, found more aspens broken the same way. Nothing else happened to us. There was no sign of anything out of the ordinary except more broken trees.'
"Not finding any other evidence of their frightening experience of the afternoon before, Mart'nez and his friend returned home. 'Like I said, I know what I saw. I know it is not a bear or any other of the wildlife I have seen around here all my life. I decided to tell my story because America, wake up, these creatures exist,' he said. 'Every time I go into the mountains anywhere from now on I will have a camera and an audio recorder with me. I have had other people tell me that even though they wish to remain anonymous, they have had similar experiences over the years, but don’t say much because they get ridiculed. I know what I saw and heard.'"

New Book by Mark Opsasnick

Got a notice today that Mark Opsasnick is releasing a paperback of several of his investigative articles. I think (but not certain) these were originally published in Strange Magazine. These investigations have all been rewritten for the book, and if they are anything like the rewrite on Mark's Maryland Bigfoot Digest, should be excellent reading. The book is titled, The Real Story Behind the Exorcist: A Study of the Haunted Boy and Other True-Life Horror Legends from Around the Nation's Capital. Of particular interest to cryptozoology enthusiasts will be the chapter, Horror on Fletchertown Road: The Goatman of Prince George’s County, Maryland. You can order the book now at XLibris, and it will be available on Amazon shortly.

Tegus in Florida

It's common now to see the occasional news article on invasive species in Florida, particularly noting the Burmese pythons and monitor lizards. A recent column by Tom Palmer notes another big reptile has been seen there:

"Wildlife officials have noted another new lizard called the giant tegu, a South American species that can grow up to four feet long. Its diet includes bird eggs, and I've read there's some concern these lizards could invade gopher tortoise burrows and eat anything seeking refuge there except the tortoises.
"So far there are no tegu reports outside of Hillsborough County, but if these large lizards become established, it will only be a matter of time before they spread into Polk County."

Bigfoot is Stolen

BRENT CHAMPACO;

The News TribunePublished:

January 23rd, 2007

Bigfoot has gone missing in Federal Way, leaving no massive footprints in sight.

It isn’t a hoax. An 8-foot-tall, wooden carving of the fabled Northwest beast was reported stolen Monday from a chiropractic office on Southwest Dash Point Road.

Tim Payne, who’s had a practice in Federal Way for two decades, propped up the statue near his business’ secluded driveway more than five years ago. His family says he is fascinated with the lore of Bigfoot, which is why he chose the creature instead of a wooden bear or gorilla.
Although intimidating, Bigfoot welcomed guests and served as a landmark for lost passers-by. Payne said he paid $1,400 to the friend of one of his patients to carve it.

Payne couldn’t believe his eyes when he pulled into work Monday morning. Someone had apparently stolen the statue along with the chain that secured it to the fence. All he found were tire marks leaving the scene.

“Oh my goodness,” he remembers saying. “Someone finally got him.”

The news shocked Chantel Wilson, one of Payne’s two daughters and massage therapists at the family-run office. She said the beast was part of the family, no matter how much hairier it is than the rest of them.

Wilson’s three children often climbed the statue. Around town, people would describe how they couldn’t help but look at it.
“We would say, ‘If you see the Sasquatch, our office is the next right,’” she said.

Even authorities som