Cryptozoology, BioForteana, Zoological Oddities, Unusual Natural History

Cryptid Guide

Asian Cryptids

Anthropoid Apes: Orangutan-like
Reported from Assam, Burma, China, and Vietnam
Heuvelmans 1986

Giant Orangutan
Historically reported from Borneo
Arment 2004

Anthropoid Ape: Yeti
Reported from India and Himalayas, Kashmir, Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim, and Bangladesh
Heuvelmans 1986

Hominoid: Hairy dwarf
Reported from Sri Lanka, Sumatra, and Borneo
Heuvelmans 1986

Hominoids: Neandertal-like
Reported from Caucasus Mts.; Pamir Mts.; Altay and Sayan Mts.; Verkhoyansk Range and Chukotska Peninsula; Iran; Afghanistan; China; Tibet; Mongolia; Burma; Laos; Cambodia; Vietnam; Malaysia
Heuvelmans 1986

Hominoids: Giant hairy hominoids
Reports from Tibet, Sikkim, Bangladesh, Burma, China, and North Vietnam
Heuvelmans 1986

Bear: White bear
Reported from Shennongjia mountain forests, Hubei Province, China
Heuvelmans 1986, Shuker 1997

Bear: White Bear of Kamchatka
Reported from Kamchatka peninsula, Russia
Shuker 1997

Bear: Giant Black Bear of Kamchatka
Reported from Kamchatka peninsula, Russia
Shuker 1997

Bear-like animal
Reported from Murung River, Borneo
Hall 1993

Feline: Blue Tigers
Sporadically reported from Fujian Province, China
Heuvelmans 1986; Shuker 1989

Feline: Melanistic tigers
Sporadically reported from India, Bangladesh, Burma, etc.
Shuker 1989

Feline: Russian mystery panther
Reported from the province of Orel, Russia
Shuker 1989

Feline: mystery cat
Reported from Hong Kong
Shuker 1989

Feline: Cigau
Unpatterned tannish fur, short tail, ruff around neck
Reported from Sumatra [east of Mount Kerinci]
Shuker 1998d

Feline: Small 'horned' feline
Reported from Alor and Solor of the Lesser Sundras
Shuker 1998d

Feline: Tiger-like feline
Reported from Iriomote, Ryukyu Islands
Shuker 1998d

Feline: Black & brown tiger-like feline
Reported from Khao Sok National Park, Thailand
Shuker 1998d

Feline-like: Chuti
Reported from Nepal [Choyang and Iswa Valleys]
Possibly the striped hyaena
Shuker 1998d

Horned Jackal (anomalous)
Reported from Sri Lanka
Shuker 1997

Canine: Small fox-like canid
Reportedly photographed by WWF Indonesia from Borneo
News reports, 2005

Canine: Small wolf-like canids
Possible feral dogs or perhaps remnant Japanese dwarf wolves [or hybrids]
Reported from Japan (Chichibu district)
Shuker 1998d

Bear-like animal
Reported from along the Kedang Murung River, Borneo
Eberhart 2002

Bear: Tree Bear
Reported from Nepal, possibly based on juvenile Asiatic black bears
Eberhart 2002

Civet: Unknown species
Tail collected from Indonesian island of Seram
Shuker 1998d

Mammoths: surviving remnants
Reported from Siberia
Heuvelmans 1986; Shuker 1995b

Dwarf elephants
Reported from India, official search found nothing
News reports 2005

Tapir: possible range extension
Reported from Borneo
Shuker 1992

Pig-like animal: Pukau
Reported from Borneo
Shuker 1992

Schomburgk's Deer: Remnant population
Antlers collected in 1990 in Laos
Shuker 1998d

Mongolian "Goat-Antelope"
Reported from Dundgovi Province, Mongolia
Eberhart 2002

Loris: Loris with long, bushy tail
Reported from India [Lushai Hills]
Named Nycticebus caudatus, possibly extinct
Shuker 1998d

Loris: Unidentified species
Larger than slow loris and much paler
Reported from animal market in Hanoi, Vietnam
Shuker 1998d

Giant Pangolin-like animal (Veo)
Reported from Rintja, Lesser Sundas
Shuker 1998b; Shuker 2000b

Bats: Giant Bats
Reported from Vietnam, Java, and Philippines
Heuvelmans 1986

Bat-like: Orang bati ('Flying Man')
Seram, Indonesia accounts
Possible giant bats
Shuker 1998d

"Two-tongued" furry quadrupeds
Reported from Malayan jungles
Shuker 1997

Devil-Bird
Reported from Sri Lanka and India
Shuker 1997

Dodos: Surviving remnants
Reported from Mauritius and certain other islands
Shuker 1997

Pink-headed duck: Surviving remnants
Reported from India, Tibet
Shuker 1998d

White Sea-Raven
Reported by Steller off Bering Island; probable misidentification
Shuker 2000b

Pheasant: Large, possibly flightless argus pheasant
Named Argusianus bipunctatus in 1871 on single feather
Possibly from Java or Tioman; probably extinct
Shuker 1998d

Gallinaceous bird: Chicken-like, known as Alovot
Reported from Sumatra
Possibly species of Polyplectron
Shuker 1998d

Owl: unidentified species of Strix
Reported from Andaman and Nicobar islands
Shuker 1998d

Hummingbird-like
Reported from Sumatra
Might be large moths
Shuker 1998d

Lake Monsters: "Long-necked Sea-lions"
Reported from former Soviet Union and Japan
Heuvelmans 1986

Lizard: Large monitor-like species (buru, etc.)
Reported from India and nearby countries
Heuvelmans 1986

Lizard: Large monitors
Reported from Malaya
Hall 1993

Dinosaur-like animal: sauropod
Reported from Pahang, Malaysian Peninsula
Heuvelmans 1986

Dinosaur-like animal: sauropod
Reported from Lake Patenggang, Java
Heuvelmans 1986

Snake: Tzuchinoko
Reported from mountains of Japan and Korea
Heuvelmans 1986

Snake: Cryptophidion annamense
Reported from Vietnam, known only from photo
Wallach & Jones 1992

Snake: Giant Pythons (up to 40 feet)
Reported from India, Bangladesh, and Thailand
Heuvelmans 1986

Snake: Giant Snakes
Reported from Far Eastern province of Russia bordering China
Stonehill 1994

Giant toad-like animals
Reported from near Wuhnun, Hubei Province, China
Shuker 1997

Fish: Giant red salmon-like fish
Reported from Lake Hanas, China
Bille 1995

Fish: 6-foot-long lungfish
Reported from Vietnam
Shuker 1998d

Fish: Bioluminescent "mudskipper"
Reported from Indonesian island of Seram
Shuker 1998d

Ray: Giant freshwater ray, unknown species
Reported from Mekong River, Thailand and Laos
Sehm 1993-1996

Mongolian "Death Worm"
Postulated as snake, amphisbaenid, annelid
Reported from the Gobi, Mongolia
Shuker 1995

Bioluminescent Spider
Reported from Myanmar
Arment 2006

Bioluminescent Spider
Reported from India
Arment 2006