Thylacoleo carnifex The January 25, 2007, issue of Nature announced the first analysis of a treasure trove of fossils unearthed in southern Australian underground caves in the Nullarbor plains. Hundreds of fossils were extremely well preserved, from the the middle Pleistocene (200,000 and 800,000 years ago). They constitute a veritable Rosetta stone for ice age Australia. We discovered 69 species of mammals, birds and reptiles, including a remarkable eight new species of kangaroo, the most common of which sported unusually large brow ridges. – Palaeontogist Gavin Prideaux Western Australia Museum Bert Robert, on left, Mike Morwood, right. The most impressive [...]
Loren Coleman
“Hidden” Frog Found
Talk about your “hidden animal.” Now we know why they call cryptozoology the study of “hidden animals.” (It’s a joke, herpers.) Above is shown one of the rare members of the Nannophrys frogs, from Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon, which frequently remains as a historical artifact in their scientific names). Craig Heinselman has posted at Strange Ark that there has been a new species of frog (shown below) described from Sri Lanka. It is a new species of endemic frog belonging to the genus Nannophrys. Heinselman notes: “In 2004 and 2005, nine specimens of the amphibian were collected. These [...]
Cryptozoology: First Use?
Cryptozoology, as you know, means “the study of hidden animals.” In 1955, Belgian zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans wrote a groundbreaking book in French, a now classic opus entitled (in English) On the Track of Unknown Animals. But in the 1955 French and the 1958 English editions, you will not find the word “cryptozoology,” in any language. The first (known) published use of the word “cryptozoology” in French, occurred in 1959 in a book by wildlife biologist Lucien Blancou, dedicated to “Bernard Heuvelmans, master of cryptozoology.” In 1961, Ivan T. Sanderson’s Abominable Snowmen: Legend Come to Life was first published. Sanderson’s book [...]
Super Sunday Goes Ape
Who would have thought that CBS News on Super Bowl Sunday would attempt to tackle the Skunk Ape? Well, that is exactly what happened on “CBS Sunday Morning,” on February 4, 2007. Correspondent Bill Geist did one of his folksy and friendly stories from the field. Geist is one of the best parts of “Sunday Morning,” and routinely does a roadside America-type report. Even though they are funny, as opposed to getting the feeling Geist is trying for ridicule, he honestly appears to enjoy this kind of journalism about unusual attractions and weird stops during his travels. Geist calmly began [...]
Russian Relic Hominids
Since Boris Porshnev’s time, the hypothesis that the Caucasus Almasty is a Neanderthal has existed.
Death by Sea Serpent?
In response to my “Sea Serpent Snatching?” blog, cryptozoologist Matt Bille, author of 2006′s Shadows of Existence, sent along a comment. He mentioned that there has been only one known case of the possible killing of humans by a Sea Serpent. I asked Matt to expand on this, and submit a guest blog on the account. He agreed and you will find his welcome overview of the incident below. Matt with a friend. Matt Bille’s contribution on this intriguing Sea Serpent case follows. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Death by Sea Serpent? By Matt Bille In the modern history of “sea serpents,” we have [...]
Extinct Parrot Found
This is a story about finding hidden treasures right before your eyes, in this case (pun intended), the beautiful Paradise Parrot of Australia. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The University of Aberdeen Zoology Museum (UK) has taken care of a case of mounted Australian birds, one of which is the spectacular but sadly extinct Paradise Parrot (Psephotus pulcherrimus). Nature-lover Michael Middleton, from the [Aberdeen] city centre, donated the exotic birds after the case that held them developed woodworm. It prompted him to scan the internet for more information on the assortment of stuffed birds, totalling three parrots, a pardalote, a kookaburra, a wild budgie [...]
Great Auk
Chad Arment’s Coachwhip Publications has announced the release of The Great Auk, or Garefowl. Below is Arment’s overview of the contents. Grieve’s classic text on the Great Auk provides a wealth of information on early knowledge of this extinct bird: records of specimens (birds and eggs), lists of former breeding-grounds, and stories from sailors and explorers who had first-hand sightings of the auks before they disappeared. Discussion ranges from archaeology to etymology: where the garefowl got its name. (And, are they the true “penguins”?) First published in 1885, this scarce reprint brings back to light the detailed scholarship of one [...]
Euro Stego
One of the first dinosaur names that all dino-crazy kids (myself included) learns to pronounce and links to pictures of that tiny-headed, plates-on-the-back image is the “Stegosaurus.” This is the kind of chart presently found on Strategic Transitions learning software that will soon have to be revised. Ask any kid interested in dinosaurs: Where are Stegosaurus found? The answer always has been: The American West, of course. That response is no longer true. News services from China to the USA are flashing the new discovery of a Stegosaurus in Portugal. This recent finding of the first Stegosaurus fossil in Europe [...]
Berkshire Beast Blarney?
A copy (above) of an allegedly actual mountain lion (puma, cougar) track sold commercially by Acorn Products. As you may recall, in the recent posting entitled “Eastern Cougar Catfights”, I discussed the on-going battles between the older pro-eastern felid group, Eastern Puma Research Network (EPRN), and the newer more debunking Eastern Cougar Foundation (ECF). ECF member and mushroom expert Joseph Lankalis has “demanded” that I publish his contribution below, before it goes up on the eastern cougar page. To demonstrate how personal this feud has become, sure, I’ll post this. Lankalis’ argument may have some merit but the way he [...]
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