Weekly News Round-up 2/15/12

Top Secret Writers.com posted an article about the Cryptozoology Museum in Maine. You can read it here.

A sonar image captured in Loch Ness earned a man a cash prize for best Nessie sighting. Inverness Courier has the full article here.

Also, my teams co-founder, Marcus, is going to be a guest on Blog Talk Radios Tod and June Broadcast with Shadow Chasers Investigations. You can check out the details here.

Creature Feature: The Waitoreke

Not all cryptids are giant, monstrous creatures. Some, like the Waitoreke, are simply animals whose existence has yet to be proven by science. The Waitoreke, an otter-like creature believed by some to be living in New Zealand, may not be a monster but that doesn’t mean it’s not interesting.

Its name comes from a Maori phrase that means ‘disappear into water.” The Waitoreke is thought to live in swamps and has a dark brown coat. It’s considered by some to be related to otters, beavers, seals, or even the platypus. If this creature exists, it could be something special because New Zealand’s has no living native land mammals.

Of course there’s always the possibility that the Waitoreke is actually some sort of imported and misidentified animal. Most of the evidence of this animal comes from witness sightings which aren’t always the most accurate source. Butt it’s always possible that the Waitoreke is a real living animal. Maybe someday we will know for sure. Or maybe it will stay hidden in the water and in people’s imaginations.

What do you think? Do you think the Waitoreke could be a real animal?

Creature Feature: The Ahool

Is it  bird? A Plane? Nope, it’s just an Ahool.

Some of you may be wondering just what an Ahool is. It’s one of the less common cryptids, and generally thought to be a giant bat spotted throughout Java. It has grey fur, large claws and loves to snack on fish it catches in local rivers. Its name comes from the sound it makes and most locals really believe it exists.

It’s not terribly far fetched for people to be spotting giant flying creatures above them. Several large birds, including large owls, live in Java. It’s easy to misidentify something spotted above you. Estimating distances from the ground is no easy task. Add a dark night and a scary sound and you have yourself a legend.

And, just maybe, there really is a large bat hanging around. It wouldn’t be the first surprise nature has thrown at us. Real or not, the Ahool has people watching the skies, searching for something unknown.

Coleman, Loren and Clark, Jerome. Crypto-zoology A to Z. The Encyclopedia of Loch Ness Monsters, Sasquatch, Chupacabras, and Other Authentic Mysteries of Nature. New York. Fireside. 1999

Creature Feature: The Yeren

This Chinese primate has been stirring up controversy for centuries. While some think it’s a descendant of Gigantopithecus others believe it to be more of a mythical creature tied to the magic rooted tradition of China. It could simply be an unidentified primate that’s stayed mostly hidden from human eyes. It’s said to have reddish or occasionally white hair and be mostly peaceful. It’s a bit smaller than the American Bigfoot as well. Most of the knowledge about the Yeren comes from stories and personal sightings of the creature.

People all over the world continue to see strange primates in the wild. Maybe they really are seeing these creatures. I’d love for someone to come forward with some compelling evidence of their existence. But it’s also possible that people are seeing what they want to see-another creature like them. People will continue to pass the stories of these ape-like creatures to others over the years and they will live on in the legends and stories we tell. And why not? Those stories are a lot of fun. They give us something to hope for, something to search for. And we’re going to keep searching.

Weekly News Roundup

Strange and new creatures are everywhere to be found this week!

People in Milwaukee have been claiming to see a Chupacabra and someone got a picture. It's posted on wisn.com. I'm inclined to think the animal is actually a fox but you can be the judge.

http://www.wisn.com/r/25474009/detail.html

A new animal was discovered in Madagascar-check out the article and photos at wildmadagascar.com

http://news.mongabay.com/2010/1010-vontsira_madagascar.html

And in Kenya an antelope in need of a razor was photographed. The images are available at mongabay.com

http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0819-hance_strangeantelope.html

Creature Feature: The Djinn

The Djinn (or Jinn) are creatures rooted in Arabian folklore.  They are the basis for the modern genie, although the original creatures are usually much darker in nature, sometimes being referred to as demons. They are also mention in the Qu’ran and are taught in Islam to be creatures similar to humans in their ability to choose from right and wrong. Said to be created by Allah from smokeless flame, the Djinn are often portrayed as mischievous beings who constantly try to trick humans into getting into trouble. The Djinn are also capable of shifting forms but because they abide to the physical laws of their form, they tend to not stay in one shape for long.

What makes the Djinn interesting is that it’s believed they will be held accountable for their actions. Giving a supernatural creature an element of accountability and humanity makes it easier for us to relate to them. If they have to choose between right and wrong, they can’t be that much different from us. Except for, of course, all their cool super abilities.

There are still many people who believe in the existence of the Djinn, much as many Christians believe in the existence of angels and demons. And really, there’s not a huge difference. Both religions believe in the creation of inhuman beings that serve some greater function in the scheme of things. And both Christian demons and the Islamic Djinn will ultimately have to pay some price for their actions. Their existence is a reminder that out actions matter. And sooner or later those actions are going to catch up with us.

Creature Feature: The Wendigo

The Wendigo is a creature rumored to exist in some tribes native to North America. Supposedly the Wendigo is a cannibal, a human turned beast, whose hunger for flesh can’t be controlled. It lives a solitary existence in the forest and is often associated with cold, barren climates. Its appearance ranges from close to human, with leathery skin to almost wolf-like and covered with a coat of dark hair. It’s also reported to look thin and skeletal.

It isn’t just some random monster to be feared though. Ultimately, it represents what can be come of someone if they do something unthinkable-eat human flesh. The Wendigo is especially scary because at least part of it is human.  It’s the physical representation of the dark side in us.

Monsters and fantasy creatures often serve important teaching roles in society about what is (and isn’t) acceptable.  Just as we tell children to behave so that boogey man won’t get them, the tribes told each other not to consume human flesh so they wouldn’t turn into horrible beasts. In times of famine and starvation, it was important that people didn’t turn on each other. The Wendigo legend helped prevent them from seeing each other as a food source.

Beyond being a creature of legend, there are still people who believe the Wendigo exists. There have been numerous sightings of a bigfoot like creature in Minnesota attributed to the Wendigo. The Wendigo has also been thought to be responsible for several disappearances in the woods. Even if this monster is little more than a local legend, it’s fun to think of the possibility of it lurking through the forest, as long as you don’t have to run into it.

Creature Feature: Vampires and why we (still) love them

I want to start doing a regular feature that discusses a creature from legends, folklore, or crypto zoology. Here's the first in the series! I'm starting with a classic but I hope to focus more on relatively unkown creatures in the future.

Vampires have become more than just a legend in today’s world. They’re everywhere you look. On tv. On bookshelves. Even on the forgotten world of radio. It’s hard not to notice something that has taken over so much of popular culture. Everybody is talking about them and they aren’t showing any signs of going away any time soon. But why are they so popular? Why is it that vampires are truly proving their immortality? Let’s take a look.

-Vampires are able to violate every rule of society and usually get away with it. Murder? No problem! Unbelievable supernatural abilities like shape-shifting and flying? Why not? They get to do all the cool stuff we wish we could get away with. We mere humans know we will never get away with much of anything so it’s fun to live through a world where rules are meant to be broken.

-They symbolize so many different things it can be hard to keep up. This is great because it means they appeal to people for different reasons. They can be symbols or immortality, divinity, addiction, sexuality, and death, just to name a few. Vampires are whatever we want them to be. Which brings me to my next point.

-Vampires are constantly changing. They have evolved with the times, morphing from the image of death to a creature known for its beauty and strength. Sure, there are still plenty of dark, violent vampire stories out there but the ones that illuminate the internal struggle of misunderstood creatures are immensely popular. People want the hope that even evil can change sides. And today’s vampire lore is giving them that hope. As long as vampires continue to change with the times, they aren’t going anywhere.