Media Appearances

Internet’s First Cryptid: Chupacabras

Let us celebrate the 11th anniversary of the first cryptid of the Internet Age: Chupacabras. In August and September 1995, the chupacabras (Spanish for "goatsucker" – the singular and plural forms) seemed to erupt on the cryptozoological landscape. I’m not talking about the mangy dogs that have been mistaken for Chupacabras in recent years. No, I mean the sightings – as if out-of-the-blue – of large, upright, goat-sucking, spiked creatures that were seen in Puerto Rico in increasing numbers a mere eleven years ago. Researchers such as Scott Corrales and Jorge Martin have since backtracked the critters through Indian lore [...]

Irwin’s Sense of Humor

Did Steve Irwin have a sense of humor? Of course he did. View “Steve Irwin Wrestling Gators Mascot”. Thanks to my son Caleb for this suggestion.

Gone Where The Goblins Go

Ding-dong the dog is dead Which old dog? The wicked dog Ding-dong the wicked dog is dead Wake up you sleepyhead Rub your eyes, get out of bed Wake up the wicked dog is dead He’s gone where the goblins go. The story of the Maine Mutant or Mystery Beast of Turner, Maine, has just begun. Scholars, scoundrels, and skeptics will write about the case for years, attempting to prove that it says something sinister about the gullibility of humans. But the story is one deeper than that, of media, madness, and mayhem, of jealousy, joining, and journeys. But we’ve [...]

100% Dog

+++++UPDATE++++ See my September 2, 2006, update on this story, at “Gone Where The Goblins Go”. +++++++++ The Lewiston, Maine, Sun Journal, in a late online update for September 1, 2006, is reporting that DNA results show that the animal carcass found on the side of Route 4 in Turner, Maine, belonged to a species that is 100% dog, according to HealthGene of Toronto. Check back tomorrow for more details from Mark LaFlamme’s discussion and my thoughts on the matter. Here I am with the carcass of the beast, a wee dog that grew to be a Maine Mutant Monster. [...]

Lassie & Nessie

The new Lassie movie opens September 1, 2006, and I predict it will be a runaway hit with babyboomers who use the excuse their kids want to go see it. For Cryptomundo readers, I hope someone reports back soon on what happens during the appearance of the Loch Ness Monster and lochside researchers (Edward Fox playing one of them) during Nessie’s cameo in the motion picture. Set just before World War II, this cinema version returns us to its original plot apparently, but was the Loch Ness Monster in the first version of this?

Menagerie of Three: Beast, Blunders, and Bradley

Your humble Cryptomundo cryptozoologist Loren Coleman examines the carcass of the beast or more correctly, what is left of it. In the background are, from left to right, Michelle O’Donnell and Debi Bodwell. This is a Sun Journal photograph by Douglas Van Reeth. Used by permission. Click to enlarge. The August two weeks of the Maine Mutant’s silly season have passed. Surprisingly, the media aftermath has been mild. I noticed on Friday, August 25, 2006, in California, John Boston’s (a/k/a Mr. Santa Clarita Valley) column in The Signal, “Where’s a Hairy MH When You Need One?”, attempted to be humorous, [...]

Sun Journal: Creature Looks Like A Canine

Click on image for full-size version Photograph by Michelle O’Donnell. Used by permission. The body of the dead animal found in Turner, Maine, according to DNA tests conducted on behalf of and paid for by the Lewiston newspaper, the Sun Journal, belonged to a member of the genus Canis, not a Tasmanian devil, not a rodent, not a Chupacabras, not a hyena, not a werewolf, not an Eastern Bigfoot, and/or not from any wild species speculations that were heard over the last ten days. Nevertheless, it is important to understand, the real Mystery Beast is still out there! Readers of [...]