Saturday, September 17, 2011

Crows and Yowies The Herald
Seeing is believing, but is it enough for proof? A tale of two enterprising birds taking advantage of a cat where one distracts the cat while the other nabs a bite of meat is easily believed because of its mundane nature and someone observed their shenanigans. But why is it so difficult to accept an eyewitness account of coming face to face with a yowie? Elsewhere in the field of maverick science, Australian Geographic notes that Birds of a Feather Talk Together, relating tales of domesticated birds teaching wild birds to speak English. Wrapping up this roundup is Cryptomundo's rumination upon the Caddy Carcass Comportment and the upcoming display of a full-scale model at the new digs for the International Cryptozoology Museum.
Return to Valley of the Skookum/Conference Updates



Once again Nessie has reared her heads from 'neath the cold waves of her eponymous loch. Jon Rowe of Lewiston was lucky enough to capture her on film while photographing an early morning rainbow. But does the New Nessie Photo, in fact, show two black throated diver birds? North of the border, MetroNews deems Banff-area Bigfoot reports 'credible'. Todd Standing of Sylvanic is quoted as saying, "Some of the sightings are four years old ... to go through them all would be a lifetime’s work."
Stolen Bigfoot costumes are the reason your local newspaper has a crime blotter



Residents along the eastern coast of the Iberian peninsula near Orihuela reported seeing a huge snake in 1970. Reliable witnesses described it as being three and a half meters long with a head the size of a child's. After several fruitless days, the search for the monster snake was called off and the story was heaped upon the slushpile of history. Phantoms and Monters reports that elsewhere in Europe the game is afoot for hunting down the wily Alp in Austria. It's described as a giant bat with elongated limbs, demonically vampiric bearing, and humanoid features that brings nightmares to slumbering folk. Experts propose the Alp is a subspecies of flying fox, which is long-lived and few in number. Has the famous Chinese wild man been caught on film? Cryptomundo links to possible footage, in Cantonese, of the beast. But an astute, Cantonese-speaking reader notes the footage was from the USA. In lighter but equally confusing news, io9 reports that someone stole a Bigfoot costume along with copper tubing from a home in Colorado, in Stolen Bigfoot costumes are the reason your local newspaper has a crime blotter. Why would someone want to steal a Bigfoot costume?

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Canada's unofficial legendary beast is best known among First Nation storytellers as a cautionary spirit manifesting the vices of greed and gluttony, hunting down those worthy of joining its ranks. Even if it must possesses its victim to perpetuate horrors in the remotest corners of the countryside, there would be no end to tales of gaunt, gray homonids leaving scarlet trails in the midnight snow. Encounters are few and far between, and no wonder considering their malevolent nature. Should we be protecting the wendigo or should we be protecting ourselves from it? Elsewhere, in A Newly-Published Review, the Journal of Scientific Exploration gives high praise to Karl Shuker's recent book, Alien Zoo.








Monday, September 12, 2011

In this corner, looming seven feet tall and tipping the scales at 320 pounds, is former World Heavyweight Champion Nikolai Valuev. His opponent, hailing from the Shoriya Mountains and making a name for himself since 2005 in remotest Siberia, is a full head taller and considerably heavier, the Russian Yeti! The big palooka has a decidedly fortean outlook: "I'll draw my own conclusions once I've been there," while the Yeti remarks "Am I afraid of Nikolai Valuev? Of course not, I'd be pleased to speak with him - without witnesses." No word if there will be any confusion telling one from the other during the expedition. Closer to home, Fred Andrews tells Reuters of A Southern-Fried Version of Bigfoot. While producing his film Creature, Andrews found himself unearthing the rich history of the bayou as it relates to things that go bloop in the swamp. He details the Letiche, the Honey Island Swamp Monster, along with zombies and werewolves.In a similar vein the delightful Dr. Beachcombing discusses at length Eighteenth-Century Scandinavian Merfolk, called "sea-apes" in bygone times, sharing accounts that may be our nautical nieces and nephews or wayward manatees. Cryptomundo provides more information regarding the Kandahar Cougar with photographic evidence casting doubt on their identification ascaracals.


Representative Bartlett Lobbies for Closest Human Relative


Cochrane Eagle Article


Sunday, September 11, 2011

Humanity's supremacy has been argued to be the fruit of years ofinterbreeding with Neanderthals. Recent studies into australopithecines remains evince intriguing hallmarks of modern and primitive homonids suggesting that homo sapiens isn't that particular about its partners. Could we be the distillation of the best and the worst of our cousins and ancestors? Meanwhile in Indonesia, the Orang pendek Quest Begins in Sumatra, an expedition led by Adam Davies, with Richard Freeman here discussing the appearance of this cryptohomonid and its possible place on our twisted evolutionary vine. Continuing coverage of the controversy over the Utah Bigfoot Videotape continues apace at Cryptomundo as the videographer weighs in with his two cents. Rounding out our corral of cryptid chronicles, Phantoms & Monsters asks the question What Was It? Strange Winged Creature in Arizona, where a concerned citizen recounts his sighting of a creature defying classification. Bat? Giant moth? Owl? You be the judge.