Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman

Clemson Panther Alerts

In an era of university shootings, campuswide notices from college law enforcement that there is a danger on the grounds of the university are taken a lot more seriously than they use to be. On Sunday, December 16, 2007, such warnings went out across the campus of Clemson University in South Carolina, not about a rampage shooter, but regarding the sightings of a cryptid cat, a panther. One Cryptomundo reader forwarded the following note and two campus alerts: I work at Clemson University in upstate South Carolina. We receive news alert broadcasts from time to time, through email from campus [...]

Maine Mountain Lion Study Group

A group of Dexter Regional High School students and their teacher-adviser Regan McPhetres plan to investigate and prove the existence of mountain lions in Maine. McPhetres, who along with another teacher ran a similar program from 1992 through 2001 in the Winslow-Waterville area, believes there is plenty of evidence that the elusive creatures have a presence in Maine. “There’s evidence they exist around us,” McPhetres said Sunday, despite the reluctance of some state officials to embrace the findings. He said confirmed sightings have been reported in Vermont, New Hampshire and New Brunswick. Mountain lions are supposed to be extinct east [...]

Foja Mountains’ “Lost World” Mammals

Martua Sinaga holds this 1.4 kg giant rat that is probably a species new to science. Photo by Bruce M Beehler On Sunday night, December 16, 2007, the CBS program “60 Minutes” ran a segment on the research discoveries of Bruce M. Beehler in Indonesia’s remote Foja Mountains of western New Guinea. The discovery of this so-called “lost world” was a media event earlier on February 7, 2007 (see here). A probable new species of pygmy possum in the genus Cercartetus (Pygmy Possum). Photo by Bruce M Beehler The earlier media treatments of the findings had gotten somewhat overblown (see [...]

Beast of Bolivia Track

What is it? Felid? Canid? Unknown? Identify the mystery imprint. The first image shown is the track of the so-called “Beast of Bolivia.” The following ones are various felid, canid, and other track images shown for comparison. What do you think the animal is that made the first track? The Beast of Bolivia imprint compared to a human hand. Dog track. Puma or mountain lion track. Comparison of felid tracks. Canid vs felid tracks. Felid vs canid tracks. Bear tracks. Coyote tracks. Coyote tracks. Raccoon track. Otter tracks. Thanks to “Mnynames” for pointing out where to find the first image.