Folklore

“Flying Dinosaurs”

Two new publications have appeared on the little-discussed subject of what is popularly referred to as "flying dinosaurs." These two works, however, are at separate ends of the cryptozoology continuum. One is a non-fiction review of the sightings over North America of pterodactyl-like creatures, and the other is a comic graphic novel. Intriguingly, their promotional imagery is reminiscent of each other. In Volume 10, Number 2 of the journal Wonders, cryptozoologist and the journal’s editor Mark A. Hall tackles living dinosaurs, first in an article about ones that soar. The flying variety over his home continent are detailed. Also Hall [...]

Hoan Kiem’s Giant Turtle

In the midst of a very long article reviewing the eating establishments and the The Ho Chi Minh Museum of Hanoi, Vietnam, there’s a surprising update on the Old City’s most famous cryptid. Photograph of the Hoan Kiem Lake’s Giant Turtle. Credit Vietnam.net Here’s what we learn from Simon Busch, in the January 28th edition of London’s Financial Times: The turtle of Hoan Kiem Lake sounds terribly lonely. Such experts as there are on this most elusivecreature, Vietnam’s only slightly less fabulous version of the Loch Ness Monster, contend furiously over its likely age and its species – even its [...]

Reconsidering Mermaids

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Often it’s merely a good line drawing. Cryptozoologist Mark A. Hall passes along a delightful “editorial cartoon” for our consideration in rethinking some issues and comments involved in Merbeing theorizing and debunking. Enjoy! Please click on the image for the full-size cartoon. Thanks to Mia B. Smith, Permissions Coordinator at American Scientist, who informs me the copyright for this cartoon is Bill Long, 2005.

Emela-Ntouka: Africa’s Killer of Elephants

Cryptomundo Exclusive The Emela-ntouka has been an unknown animal of some confusion in Africa. A few chroniclers have felt it was merely another named cryptid representing the sightings of the Mokele-mbembe. But as revealed by an image seen here for the first time, it appears to be a beast unlike the saurapod-like Mokele-mbembe. Click on image for larger size Copyright: Michel Ballot – Mokélé – Mbembé CAMEROUN 2004 On page 219 of one of my recent field guides, written with Patrick Huyghe, we noted, among several different kinds of alleged “dinosaurs” in Africa, “one animal is called by locals the [...]