Jean-Jacques Barloy, 74, the remarkable naturalist and great French cryptozoologist, died on January 26, 2013, peacefully during his sleep.
Jean-Jacques Barloy was born in France in 1939 and earned a doctorate in zoology, specializing in ornithology, the scientific study of birds. Barloy was also a natural history journalist and the author of hundreds of French articles, along with a small number of books, related to cryptozoology.
Two of his books are Serpent de mer et monsters aquatiques, which was published in 1978 and deals with Sea Serpents and Les survivants de L’ombre, which was published in 1985.
In the 1980s, Jean-Jacques Barloy was credited as being one of the first scientists ever to utilize computers in the analysis of data pertaining to cryptozoological phenomenon, most notably the Beast of Gevaudan. He appeared as a guest on several French television and radio programs discussing cryptozoology.
A close friend and disciple of cryptozoologist Bernard Heuvelmans, Barloy wrote the well-respected biography on Heuvelmans’ life entitled, Bernard Heuvelmans: Un Rebelle de la Science (Bernard Heuvelmans: A Science Rebel), published in February 2007.
Jean-Jacques Barloy won the “Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2008″ (category essay) for his biography of Heuvelmans.
Barloy authored the following books:
Serpent de mer et monsters aquatiques (1978)
Les survivants de L’ombre (1985)
Bernard Heuvelmans: Un Rebelle de la Science (2007)
Thanks to Benoit Grison for this initial news of Barloy’s passing.
Those cryptozoologists limited to english, such as myself, are always hoping for someone to at least pass on some of the ideas if not actually translate the whole works…
RIP.
Does it ever occur to some people that the popularity of cryptozoological works might not stem just from crankiness, insanity or the need to believe, but rather from a sneaking suspicion that science isn’t discharging all of its responsibilities?
It occurs to some of us. Here’s one.
I too would very much like to see these tomes in English even though I can read them in French. Jean-Jacques’ Les Survivants de L’Ombre is a terrific book and has influenced me over the years.
Anyone out there game to take on this project?