Tassie Tiger search attracts cranky critics

In November, the CFZ launched a project to find evidence for a surviving population of Thylacines in Tasmania, Australia.

A team of 10 – five from the UK, five from Australia – went ‘in search of’ the Tasmanian Tiger, the first of several planned expeditions over a two-year period.

While we’ve had a few bouquets and ‘good onyas’, we’ve also received a few brickbats and nasty asides, which is mildly amusing all things considered.

We've even spent some time in the past few days directly responding to some of these ill-founded criticisms.

So here are the general criticisms and our responses to them, to save us time, as we won’t be visiting every cyber bolthole to personally respond to critics or address inaccuracies.

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Criticism: It was a success, when clearly it wasn’t.

We never claimed it was! Put it down to journalistic licence – not everything you read is going to be verbatim, folks.

The journalist made the quote up (Wow, really? Never!). Her original question was “So it wasn’t a roaring success, was it?” His reply: “If you judge the word success as having a body or video of the animal as success, then no, our trip was not a success, but it was successful in that we collected many recent eyewitness statements and some scat for analysis.” (Not verbatim, but you get the drift.)

This trip is merely the first stage in a series of largely self-funded trips to be conducted over the next two years to gauge whether there is sufficient evidence of the Thylacine’s survival.

You can read our aims here: http://www.cfzaustralia.com/2013/10/toyota-backs-biggest-search-yet-for.html

Criticism: You created the perception that outsiders (outside Tasmania, that is) are coming to solve the mystery!

No, we didn’t. We have been liaising with some Tasmanians for many years. We have travelled down almost every year for the past eight years or so.

This is a wildlife mystery that transcends state lines and international borders.

We can’t control media interpretations or individual perceptions.

Criticism: We have ignored the previous excellent work by other researchers.

No, we haven’t.

We have been at pains to continually mention the work of countless other researchers including some of the luminaries in the field – David Fleay, Stephen Sleightholme, Eric Guiler, Heinz Moeller, Col Bailey, Bob Paddle, and Nick Mooney, to name a few.

Indeed, we are referring to their knowledge to inform what we are doing for our own project.

The media edit, omit and relay information as they see fit – we have no control over the final news product.

Criticism: The time period in the field is too short.

We would have loved to stay longer but we are all governed by financial obligations and mundane work-a-day concerns. This was the first of many trips over a two-year period.

Anyone want to sponsor us for some fulltime research? ☺

Criticism: We had too many people, or we didn’t have enough people.

The number of people on the trip is really irrelevant – members were split into teams to canvass areas, set up camera traps and interview witnesses.

There was not, as some people might imagine, a conga line of cryptozoologists shuffling through the Australian bush.

Criticism: We didn’t have the right background/expertise/knowledge to be undertaking the expedition.

Bear in mind that many of the great zoological rediscoveries of ‘Lazarus’ species (those species labelled extinct that have been ‘rediscovered’) have been made by everyday people, including naturalists (surviving night parrot population), fishermen (coelacanth, subsequently handed to a museum curator), teenagers (the Bermuda petrel was found by a 15yo boy, and subsequently a naturalist and ornithologist), and bushwalkers (the NZ Takahe was discovered by a bushwalker who also happened to be a doctor of medicine).

Many if not all scientists are at some stage informed in their discoveries by the knowledge of local people who are aware of the species but have felt no need to either classify them or study them in-depth. Seldom are these discoveries the work of just one person.

The team collectively is well read on the subject of Thylacines, have studied the scats and tracks of Australian (and in particular Tasmanian) wildlife, and plotted maps of contemporary sightings to inform the direction of the project.

The team is also liaising with scientists and other naturalists over any interesting discoveries we come across.

Like any good expedition, it’s all about teamwork both within and beyond the immediate team of people who travelled to Tasmania.

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If you think you can do better by all means get involved – the more the merrier, and we just might collectively achieve something great!

If you think it’s all a waste of time, well, that’s fine too. But don’t waste your time or ours by moaning about it and expecting a reply.

In the meantime, we’ll just get on with it. As I’m sure every one of you has had personal experience of by now, the Internet can be a fantastic time sink.

Better we all spend our time doing something rather than just talking about doing, or rubbishing those out there who are doing. We're not the only ones out there looking, after all :-)

And to our loyal readers, supporters, and peers – thanks for rallying behind our multi-faceted project. Let's hope some good comes of it.

Credible witnesses and interesting scats - compelling evidence?

It had been considered extinct for nearly 80 years, but the Tasmanian tiger has been declared alive and kicking by an intrepid group of British naturalists.

A team of investigators from the Centre for Fortean Zoology, which operates from a small farmhouse in north Devon, is currently in Tasmania hunting down clues to prove the thylacine, commonly known as the Tassie tiger, still exists.

The group claims to have gathered compelling evidence of the thylacine’s presence in remote parts of Tasmania’s north-west, despite the last known animal dying in Hobart Zoo on 7 September 1936.

The Centre for Fortean Zoology said it has talked to several “highly credible” witnesses of the thylacine and has found animal faeces that could belong to the beast. The droppings have been preserved in alcohol and are being sent awayfor DNA analysis.

The cryptozoologist team, which has previously attempted to find the yeti and boasts that has evidence of a mysterious Indonesian ape that walks on two legs, is one week into a fortnight-long trip to discover if the thylacine still exists.

Richard Freeman, zoological director of the organisation, told Guardian Australia he has “no doubt” the species still roams isolated areas of Tasmania.

“The area is so damn remote, there are so many prey species and we have so many reliable witnesses who know the bush that I’d say there is a reasonable population of them left,” he said. “I’d say there are more of them around in the world than Javan rhinos.” The World Wildlife Fund estimates that there are just 35 Javan rhinos left.

Freeman said he had spoken to a forestry worker who had seen an animal in daylight in 2011 which was distinctive because of its striped rear end, long stiff tail and “weird rolling motion, almost like a cow” when it walked.

A government wildlife marksman and several local people had spotted the same distinctive type of animal in recent years, Freeman said.

He admitted that no pawprints or dead thylacines have been found, attributing this to the sparse rocky ground of the region and the ferociousness of Tasmanian devils, which swiftly devour animal corpses when they discover them.

However, Freeman said he had heard reports of distinctive thylacine kills, where prey is effectively disembowelled, as well as the discovery of the droppings.

“If we get the DNA from them, that’ll be interesting,” he said. “They are far too big for a Tasmanian devil and it can’t be a dog. Why would a dog be so far out there? It’s a very remote area.

“We’ve been baiting and also setting up camera traps. We’ve seen a lot of devils and a feral cat, but nothing else so far. It’s only been up for a week, though, and it can take months. In the UK, we saw deer, otters and even a woman taking a pee on a bush before we saw anything interesting.”

The thylacine, which looked much like a striped, elongated dog, was zealously hunted by European settlers. They were trapped, snared, shot and poisoned, due to fears the animal would ravage sheep stocks.

Several attempts have been found to prove the animal still exists, although the Tasmanian government states that there is “no conclusive evidence” it lives on.

That won’t deter Freeman, who plans several return trips to prove mainstream science wrong.

“I’ll be coming back again and again,” he said. “The people who say they’ve seen it have nothing to gain and everything to lose. I’d say there is a population of at least 300 of them.

Read more at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/11/zoologists-on-the-hunt-for-tasmanian-tiger-declare-no-doubt-species-still-alive

Meet the Cryptozoologist: Jonathan McGowan

Jonathan McGowan on the big cat trail in Dorset.

How did you first get involved in researching strange and mysterious creatures?
I first got interested in searching for strange creatures when I saw out-of-place large cats in the early 1980s, and also having a fascination for the Loch Ness Monster, the Yeti and Bigfoot.

What were some of the early influences in your life?
My early influences were Arthur C. Clarke's mysterious world and books about Bigfoot.

Have you personally seen one of these creatures?
I have seen more than 20 large cats in UK, no sightings of yeti or Bigfoot.

What creatures particularly interest you?
The Yeti and Bigfoot interest me more than any other.

What cryptids are most likely to exist in your opinion?
The Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine), and the Yeti.

What’s your favourite?
I don't do favorites, but I love the Yeti and Bigfoot, if it exists. My favourite Australian cryptid has got to be the Queensland Tiger.

Have you developed any theories around where the more unusual animals - i.e. yowies/bigfoot - have come from?
I have developed some theories about most cryptids.

Have you written any books/articles?
I have just completed my book on big cats, which is yet to be edited let alone published, but I hope it gets out soon.

Do you have a website? How can people contact you?
My website is not so much about cryptids but generally natural history with a 'big cat' blog. You can visit it here - www.thenaturalstuff.co.uk.

How many mystery animal reports would you receive a year?

I receive hundreds of reports of large cats a year.

What’s the closest you’ve personally come to finding something?
I have been a metre away from a leopard in Dorset and also a puma. On expedition with the CFZ we found evidence of a Yeti and also an Orang Pendek.

What’s next for you - any trips planned? Books or articles to write? Talks to give?
I'll be joining the CFZ team on expedition to Tasmania, and probably Sumatra again at some time in the future. I give many talks on big cats and I am due to give a talk on the Yeti.

Could you share some of your favourite cryptozoology book titles with us?
I like all books on cryptozoology, especially those on the huge apes, and big cats. Australian Big Cats: An Unnatural History of Panthers is one of the best.

Jonathan McGowan on expedition in Sumatra in 2011 with David, his guide.

Climate change didn't cause extinction of megafauna in Australia

Researchers have ruled out climate change as the cause of extinction of most of Australia’s giant animals, including giant kangaroos, three metre-tall flightless birds and the Tasmanian tiger, around 50,000 years ago.

There has been much debate over the cause of the extinction of Australian’s giant animals or ‘megafauna’, says Professor Patrick De Deckker from the ANU Research School of Earth Sciences.

“The extinction happened around the same time as humans moved into the area, which also coincided with a change in the type of plant food available to megafauna,” Professor De Deckker said.

“These events have led to several theories of the cause of extinction, including climate change. But the timing of these events was uncertain. We didn’t know which one happened first, so we couldn’t begin to understand what could have caused the extinction.”

Professor De Deckker and his ANU colleagues, in collaboration with a team in the Netherlands, analysed a sediment core taken from the sea bed, off the coast of Kangaroo Island in the offshore canyons of the Murray River.

“Sediment cores provide a record of the past,” said Professor De Deckker. “From the core we were able to reconstruct sea-surface temperature over the past 135,000 years, as well as variations in the type of vegetation in the Murray Basin, allowing us to piece together the order of these events.”

The team found that sea-surface temperature varied by only 3°C at the time of the extinction – a minor variation compared to other times in the record – indicating that the extinction did not occur in a period of major climate change.

The core also revealed a shift in vegetation type immediately after the megafaunal extinction.

“Before and during the extinction period, 70 per cent of the vegetation was typical of northern Australia today. Immediately after the extinction, this value dropped to 35 per cent,” said Professor De Deckker.

“Some people have suggested that this dramatic change in food sources might have been the cause of the megafaunal extinction, but we’ve shown that this was in fact a result of the extinction. Our idea is that with fewer herbivores around to eat them, substantial fuel remained in the landscape, which eventually led to massive fires.

“Our work unveiled the presence of a compound in the core that is produced as a result of plant material burning. This compound appeared after the megafaunal extinction and lasted some 3,000 years.”

Professor Tim Flannery predicted this finding two decades ago.

“The nature and relative timing of these events turns out to be exactly as first hypothesised by Professor Tim Flannery in 1990,” said Professor De Deckker.

“Professor Flannery suggested that the abrupt extinction of the herbivorous megafauna meant shrubs grew unchecked, increasing the amount of flammable material. This explanation has caused considerable and ongoing controversy, but is now supported by our evidence.

“While clearly demonstrating significant ecosystem after-effects of megafaunal extinction, the evidence from the core does not provide an explanation for the cause of the extinction, it does not support climate change as a cause.

The research is published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Meet the Cryptozoologist: Nick Redfern

How did you first get involved in researching strange and mysterious creatures?

When I was about 5 or 6, my parents took me to Scotland for a week's holiday, and we spent a day at Loch Ness. I still have a couple of very fragmented memories of my dad telling me the story of the monster, and the idea that there was a colony of dinoasurs in the loch. For a young kid, this was great news! And very exciting news too. So, while the other kids at school were reading books like the Secret Seven and the Famous Five, I was digging into books on weird and unsolved mysteries, many of a cryptozoological nature.

What were some of the early influences in your life?Certainly at the top of the list in terms of my early influences were the books of John Keel and Brad Steiger. I got into the work of both authors when I was about 11 and I was fascinated by their work because they focused on so many weird things, and both wrote in great, atmospheric fashion. I never met Keel, but I'm friends now with Brad, who I'm pleased to say is a great guy. Plus, I liked the fact that both guys very much thought out of the mainstream paranormal box.

Have you personally seen one of these creatures?The closest I've come to seeing these creatures is, in terms of Bigfoot, finding footprints, the occasional so-called "Bigfoot teepee" and even hearing tree-knocks and things like that. Not having definitive proof doesn't make me lose enthusiasm though. Certainly enthusiasm is vital to ensure I keep running around, doing what I'm doing.

What creatures particularly interest you? I'm very interested in the reports of so-called "British Bigfoot"-style beasts. I recently wrote a 300-page book on this very subject called "Wildman." It's published by Jon Downes' CFZ Press. Many people would be surprised to know the sheer scale of such reports: they're everywhere, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland. And reports go back centuries. But, the British Bigfoot is clearly paranormal (however we might define that term), and definitely not a flesh and blood ape. Anyone who says it is, is talking bollocks.

What cryptids are most likely to exist in your opinion? In terms of flesh and blood creatures, I'm absolutely certain the Orang-Pendek exists, and I'm certain we will have proof of it too. Also, some lake monsters, but I don't go with the plesiosaur theories, however. Maybe giant eels could be a better candidate in some cases.

What’s your favourite? Without doubt, my favourite cryptid is a creature known as the Man-Monkey. It's an ape-like creature that has been seen for almost a century and a half near a very old, tree-shrouded stretch of canal in north Staffordshire, England, only a very short drive from where I lived as a kid. Having lived so close, I have been able to do a lot of studies of the place and the witness reports. The Man-Monkey definitely looks ape-like, but has many qualities of a spectral creature, some sort of phantom. Definitely a weird one!

What’s your favourite Australian cryptid? My favourite Australian cryptid is definitely Megalania. I would love that one to still be with us. Maybe it is! It would be incredible to see something like a 25-foot-long monitor lizard in the wilds of Australia. In fact, if there was one expedition I could go on, I'd say a search for Megalania would be it.

Have you developed any theories around where the more unusual animals - i.e. yowies/bigfoot - have come from? 
My personal opinion on the Yowie, Bigfoot, the British apes etc is that they are clearly paranormal in nature. Now, the way that word is used provokes all sorts of theories: that it could be some dimension-hopping thing, a Tulpa-style created thought-form, or something even stranger. But, the overwhelming elusiveness of the creatures, coupled with reports of these things vanishing in the blink of an eye lead me to believe we are dealing with creatures that are not normal, flesh and blood animals.

Have you written any books/articles? Yes, I've written about 25 books altogether, on various Fortean puzzles, including a number of cryptoological titles, including "Man-Monkey;" "There's Something in the Woods;" "Wildman;" and with good mate Ken Gerhard, "Monsters of Texas."
Do you have a website? Yes, people can contact me at my "World of Whatever" blog at http://nickredfernfortean.blogspot.com I update the blog most days and it covers a wide range of Fortean issues.

What’s the closest you’ve personally come to finding something?It depends really. But at least a couple per week, varying from the British Bigfoot to werewolves, or out of place animals (like big cats) to Mothman type creatures. It's pretty varied.

Probably the footprints and tree-knocking, that kind of thing.

What’s the farthest you’ve traveled to go ‘in search of’ mystery animals? I've been on a number of expeditions to Puerto Rico in search of the Chupacabras; to the mountains of Wisconsin in pursuit of large, unidentified winged creatures; to the forests of east Texas looking for Bigfoot, the list goes on.

What’s next for you - any trips planned? Books or articles to write? Talks to give?I'm always lecturing on the subject. I live just outside Dallas, Texas and I do quite a bit of lecturing on cryptozoology for local schools. And I generally do about 2 or 3 lectures a month on average. I have a new book out in May from New Page Books called "Monster Files". It's a study of what government agencies know about cryptids.

Could you share some of your favourite cryptozoology book titles with us? Yes, sure. Some of my favourites are my good mate Jon Downes' "The Owlman and Others"; John Keel's "The Mothman Prophecies"; Gray Barker's book on Mothman, "The Silver Bridge"; Linda Godfrey's "Hunting the American Werewolf"; and F.W. Holiday's "The Dragon and the Disc".

What advice would you give anyone getting into the field of cryptozoology?I'd say don't be put off by people who tell you that it's all nonsense or that you shouldn't follow your dreams. It's not nonsense and you should follow your dreams. Plus, there's no reason why someone new to Bigfoot or Nessie research, or whatever else, might be the person who solves the mystery. Also, have an understanding of nature and environments, as some places can be harsh, hot and difficult. And be prepared for a great time and adventurous expeditions in exotic places.

Meet the Cryptozoologist: Michael Newton

How did you first get involved in researching strange and mysterious creatures?
As a Cub Scout, back around 1958, I saw articles on Bigfoot and Nessie in Boy's Life magazine. That same year, Reader's Digest published an article on Nessie, and of course Bigfoot was in headlines during '58, near where I lived in California at the time. In high school I read On the Track of Unknown Animals and Abominable Snowmen: Legend Come to Life. I've been collecting any reports and publications I could find ever since.

What were some of the early influences in your life?
Crypto-wise, after the early articles I've mentioned, Dr. Heuvelmans and Ivan Sanderson opened a broader world of possibilities with their various books and Sanderson's articles in what were once called 'men's adventure' magazines. As a child, of course, I was caught up in the dinosaur craze of the 1950s and early '60s, collecting many toys and models. I also had a small menagerie of reptiles, amphibians and arachnids at home. I've leaned toward writing from a very early age, typing little 'books' on an Underwood portable that was a gift from my aunt, illustrating them with drawings and photos clipped from the aforementioned men's magazines and popular monster-movie magazines of that era. Writers whose work convinced me I should try it for real, in nonfiction, were Robert Leckie (military history) and David Chalmers (Hooded Americanism). Chalmers in particular, coupled with current events from my youth (the Freedom Rides, etc.), inspired me to write about the Ku Klux Klan, with five books on the subject published so far and one more forthcoming next year.

Have you personally seen one of these creatures?
Back in 2005 I found a small cougar attacking one of my house cats. Cougars are officially extirpated from Indiana, since the late 19th century.

What creatures particularly interest you? 
Giant snakes and lizards; kongamato and reported living dinosaurs, although I think they're the least likely to be found at this point.

What cryptids are most likely to exist in your opinion? 
While I hope they're all out there, some of the more 'mundane' seem most likely. Surviving Eastern cougars are pretty well confirmed in the United States, despite official reticence to admit it. Large unknowns at sea also seem very plausible, along with creatures in vast wilderness areas where anything could be hiding.

What’s your favourite? 
If I have to pick one, I'd say Nessie, based in equal parts on the mystery and my love of the area around Loch Ness. But living pterosaurs and dinos tug at my heart strings, along with giant anacondas in the Amazon. Wish I could have gone to look for one or both while there was time, alas.

What’s your favourite Australian cryptid? 
I'm particularly fond of Yowies and reports of surviving Megalania, but think some of the mystery cats or a relict thylacine are more likely to be confirmed, in my opinion. Some great books on cryptids Down Under have emerged in the past decade or so, and I'm always pleased to see them.

Have you developed any theories around where the more unusual animals - i.e. yowies/bigfoot - have come from? 
I've always thought Bigfoot/Yeti/et al. spread out from Asia in various directions. I suppose Yowie could have crossed the same land bridges from Southeast Asia that presumably led to Australia's first human habitation, and perhaps big cats likewise, since some of their sightings predate solutions hinging on abandonment of military mascots during World War II.

Have you written any books/articles? 
I've published 12 books and 37 articles in the crypto field, all listed on my website (see below). The latest release is Globsters, from CFZ Press, with Strange Ohio Monsters coming next year in a (hopefully) continuing series of state-by-state cryptid surveys from Schiffer.

Do you have a website? 
Yes. It's www.michaelnewton.homestead.com

What’s the closest you’ve personally come to finding something?
My cougar sighting (#3 above) would be the closest to an actual discovery, although it got away. Report-wise, I try to stay current with Internet newsgroups and blogs, plus clipping anything that turns up in the general media and grabbing the latest books available. I've only received a handful of reports personally, as a result of queries I sent around while working on various books, and once in response to a book already published.

What’s the farthest you’ve traveled to go ‘in search of’ mystery animals? 
Loch Ness, Scotland. I've been there eight or nine times since the mid-1980s. I'd love to go again, but it doesn't seem to be in the cards. Thankfully, my last trip over—in 2010—was unexpectedly extended by the Icelandic volcano's eruption that grounded air traffic for several additional days. There are much worse places to be stuck than Scotland!

What’s next for you - any trips planned? Books or articles to write? Talks to give?
There's no travel scheduled, sadly, but as noted above, I do have another book—Strange Ohio Monsters—due for release sometime in 2013. I've also submitted a fourth manuscript to CFZ Press, titled Hoaxed!—which examines evidence for and against some supposed cryptozoological frauds including the Patterson film, the 1934 surgeon's photo of Nessie, and so on. No word back so far as to whether Jon Downes has cleared it for publication, but I'm hopeful. I always have other ideas in the works, as in continuing around the USA for more state-by-state surveys of cryptids in the Strange Monsters series, but never know what time will permit me to finish.

Could you share some of your favourite cryptozoology book titles with us? 
Anything by Dr Karl Shuker or Bernard Heuvelmans (though sadly, most of his work is still unavailable in English; a scandal in my opinion). As noted above, some early work by Jerome Clark and Loren Coleman also peaked my interest.

What advice would you give anyone getting into the field of cryptozoology? 
Study as much of the existing literature as possible and keep track of late-breaking news from the Web and mainstream media. Back in 1970, John Keel wrote that wherever you live on Earth, someone within 200 miles has reported seeing some kind of strange creature within your lifetime. That may include something as simple as 'misplaced' species officially unknown from your vicinity, or something truly startling. Scores of previously unknown species are discovered every year, not always from remote locations. If you have the wherewithal, get out and poke around in forests, caves, lakes, wherever. Who knows what you might find?

Owners discover slashed horses - big cat attack?

CFZ Australia reps were called out last week to examine two horses in the Hawkesbury, NSW area that are sporting strange claw marks on their backs and rear legs.

The footage above shows the marks clearly.

The horses freely roam a large fenced area, but there is no barbed wire for them to come into contact with, only an electric fence.

So what caused the injuries?

Incidentally, one of the owners has seen a large black cat on the property, which in his words "was no moggy". 

As readers of this blog will know, the Hawkesbury area has been something of a hot spot for sightings of large black cats and unusual livestock attacks for at least the past 10 years.

Merry Christmas from CFZ Australia

It's that time of year again - all the best for you and yours!

The CFZ Australia team

Cryptozoology Journal comes to Australia

The Australian orders for Volume One of The Journal of Cryptozoology will be sent out shortly.

Thank you everyone for your support, this will be an unbeatable read!

Read more about the journal here.

The Journal of Cryptozoology debuts!

Volume One (November 2012) of The Journal of Cryptozoology is now available, and contains two excellent Australian reports (see below). Buy it here!

Following the demise of Cryptozoology (published by the now-defunct International Society of Cryptozoology), there has been no peer-reviewed scientific journal devoted to cryptozoology for quite some time. 

The Journal of Cryptozoology has been launched to remedy this situation and fill a notable gap in the literature of cryptids and their investigation. 

For although some mainstream zoological journals are beginning to show slightly less reluctance than before to publish papers with a cryptozoological theme, it is still by no means an easy task for such papers to gain acceptance, and, as a result, potentially significant, serious contributions to the subject are not receiving the scientific attention that they deserve. 

Now, however, they have a journal of their own once again, and one that adheres to the same high standards for publication as mainstream zoological periodicals.

This volume contains:

• Editorial - Karl P.N. Shuker

• A Digital Search Assistant for Cryptozoological Field Expeditions - Andrew May

• The Queensland Tiger: Further Evidence on the 1871 Footprint - Malcolm Smith

• The Second 'Scapasaurus' (Re)Discovered - Markus Hemmler

• Identifying 'Jaws', the Margaret River Mammal Carcase - Darren Naish

CFZ exhibition promotional video

Check out the promotional video for the upcoming exhibition at the CFZ HQ in the United Kingdom!

CFZ Australia t-shirts now available

They're back!

Order your custom CFZ Australia t-shirt, and support the Centre for Fortean Zoology (and get a great t-shirt!).

Touching tribute to cryptozoologist's missing wife

The wife of our good friend, cryptozoologist Lars Thomas, is still missing.

Lars thanked everyone this week for rallying behind his search for his missing wife Jeanett Rask Thomas.

He also penned this heartfelt tribute to his wife.

Please take a moment to read it.

Happy Easter CFZers!

On the Track of Unknown Animals - Episode 56

The latest episode of the CFZ monthly webTV show brings you news on CFZ activities within cryptozoology and natural history as well as the latest cryptozoological, and monster-hunting news from around the world.



This episode brings you:

• CFZ in spring
• Russia expedition
• Almasty droppings
• Saskia the intern
• Waders on Northam Burrows: Oyster catchers
• Trail cams
• frogspawn
• A penguin in the woods?
• Mystery cat research
• Strange beast in Illinois
• Feeding seagulls
• Corinna looks at out of place birds
• New and Rediscovered: New gecko
• New and Rediscovered: New shark
• New and Rediscovered: New frog

New Journal of Cryptozoology announced

A new peer-reviewed scientific journal devoted to mystery animals is being published by the CFZ Press.

The journal fills a void left by the closure of the International Society of Cryptozoology in 1998 and the cessation of its journal Cryptozoology, which folded in 1996.

According to the journal Cryptozoology, the ISC served "as a focal point for the investigation, analysis, publication, and discussion of all matters related to animals of unexpected form or size, or unexpected occurrence in time or space."

It's an exciting development for the world of cryptozoology, and a boon for Australia - two of the peer review panel members are Australians: Colin Groves (ANU) and David Waldron (Ballarat University). The panel will also include Tom Gilbert, Christine Janis, Paul LeBlond, Adrienne Mayor, Darren Naish, Charles Paxton, Brian Regal, and Lars Thomas.

Announcing the new journal, editor Dr Karl Shuker said it would "fill a notable gap in the literature of cryptids and their investigation. For although some mainstream zoological journals are beginning to show slightly less reluctance than before to publish papers with a cryptozoological theme, it is still by no means an easy task for such papers to gain acceptance, and, as a result, potentially significant, serious contributions to the subject are not receiving the scientific attention that they deserve. Now, however, they have a journal of their own once again, and one that adheres to the same high standards for publication as mainstream zoological periodicals."

Dr Shuker also outlined the accepted definition of a cryptid for the purposes of the journal: "For the purposes of relevance to this journal, a cryptid is a creature that is known to the local people sharing its domain (ethnoknown) but unrecognised by scientists. Such a creature may be any of the following:

1) A species or subspecies apparently unknown to science, including alleged prehistoric survivors (e.g. mokele-mbembe).

2) A species or subspecies presently unknown to science in the living state, but which is known to have existed in historical times and allegedly still persists today (e.g. thylacine).

3) A species or subspecies known to science but allegedly existing as a natural occurrence in a location outside its scientifically-recognised current geographical distribution (e.g. puma in the eastern USA).

4) A species or subspecies known to science but allegedly existing as an artificial occurrence (i.e. due to human intervention) in a location outside its scientifically-recognised geographical distribution (e.g. alien big cats in Britain).

5) An unrecognised non-taxonomic variant of a known species or subspecies (e.g. Fujian blue tiger; prior to its scientific recognition, the journal's logo creature, the king cheetah, was another example from this category).

In addition, papers dealing with fabulous, mythological beasts will be considered for publication in the journal if their subjects have direct relevance to cryptids (e.g. reviewing the similarity between a given lake monster from folklore and cryptids reported in that same lake in modern times)."

Read more about the journal's submission guidelines here.

On the Track of Unknown Animals - Episode 55

It's On The Track time again (well, actually we're a little behind in sharing it - this ep actually came out last week!). Jon and the CFZ have put together another entertaining and educational episode of the cryptozoological world's favourite monthly program.




This episode brings you:

• CFZ in spring
• Waders on Northam Burrows: Shelduck/redshanks/dunlin/curlew/whimbrel
• Starling flocks
• Great ape prints
• Orang pendek research
• The mammoth hoax
• The Iceland wurm,
• mystery tracks,
• CFZ at Batnstaple Museum
• Chupacabras that isn't
• Playing with chainsaws
• frogspawn
• The ditches of Huddisford
• Corinna looks at out of place birds
• New and Rediscovered: New chameleon
• New and Rediscovered: New seasnake
• New and Rediscovered: New bat
• New and Rediscovered: New caecilians
• New and Rediscovered: New moth
• New and Rediscovered: New lizard
• Searching for Lars' wife
• WW2012
• Fortean Fiction
• Journal of Cryptozoology

The weirdest weekend ever...

Big cats stalking the bush?

Dr Darren Naish gave Australian Big Cats: An Unnatural History of Panthers a very respectable thumbs-up recently on his very popular Scientific American blog.

He writes in part, in Williams and Lang’s Australian Big Cats: do pumas, giant feral cats and mystery marsupials stalk the Australian outback?:

"A long term interest and involvement in Australian and world mysteries led Michael Williams and Rebecca Lang to research and produce what is now the definitive volume on Australian mystery big cats; it’s titled Australian Big Cats: An Unnatural History of Panthers (Williams & Lang 2010).

"At 434 pages, it’s substantial. It’s also highly readable, nicely formatted and very well illustrated. The authors have collated a vast amount of information gleaned not only from published sources but also from interviews with both eyewitnesses and people who have examined evidence firsthand.

"Williams and Lang clearly travelled widely across the country, photographing locations, people, documents, taxiderm specimens and so on at what must have been great personal expense. They obtained freedom of information acts and other previously undisclosed documents. A lengthy appendix (c. 120 pages) includes copies of numerous letters and documents produced by government officials, veterinarians, ecologists, geneticists and others. The volume is fully referenced (though with the citations given at the bottom of the respective pages, rather than at the end of the text) and with an index.

"So, to anyone seriously interested in mystery animals, mystery big cats or Australian mammals in general, this book is a must-have..."

Read more at http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/tetrapod-zoology/2012/02/13/williams-and-langs-australian-big-cats/?print=true

Thylacine hunting 'a waste of money'

People should stop wasting time and money looking for the Tasmanian tiger, according to new Australian research.

Dr Diana Fisher and Dr Simon Blomberg from the University of Queensland's school of biological sciences report their findings in a recent issue of Conservation Biology.

Since the last wild thylacine was captured in 1933, there have been ongoing searches and numerous unconfirmed sightings of the carnivorous marsupial.

But, says Fisher, such efforts are misguided.

"There's been more search efforts for the thylacine than any other mammal globally," she says.

"I think that's just a waste of money."

What do you think?