Alaska Indians Claim They Have Seen Them Running About.
The Stickeen Indians positively assert that within the last five years they have frequently seen animals which, from the descriptions given, must have been mastodons.
Last spring, while out hunting, one of the Indians came across a series of large tracks, each the size of the bottom of a salt barrel, sunk deep in the moss. He followed the curious trail for some miles, finally coming out in full view of his game, says The Philadelphia Ledger.
As a class these Indians are the bravest of hunters, but the proportions of this new spectacle of game filled the hunter with terror, and he took to swift and immediate flight. He described the creature as being as large as a post trader’s store, with great, shining, yellowish white tusks, and a mouth large enough to swallow a man with one gulp. He further says that the animal was undoubtedly of the same species as those whose bones and tusks lie all over that section of the country.
The fact that other hunters have told of seeing these monsters browsing on the herbs up along the river gives a certain probability to the story. Over on Forty Mile Creek bones of mastodons are quite plentiful. One ivory tusk, nine feet long, projects from one of the sand dunes on that creek, and single teeth have been found so large that they would be a good load for one man to carry. I believe that the mule-footed hog still exists; also that live mastodons play tag with the aurora every night over on Forty Mile Creek in Alaska.
P/S:it hurts when we realise that we lost something special from the earth
Thursday, April 26, 2007
'Lost world' found in Indonesian jungle
Scientists said on Tuesday that they had found a "Lost World" in an Indonesian mountain jungle, home to dozens of exotic new species of birds, butterflies, frogs and plants.
"It's as close to the Garden of Eden as you're going to find on Earth," said Bruce Beehler, co-leader of the U.S., Indonesian, and Australian expedition to part of the cloud-shrouded Foja mountains in the west of New Guinea.
Indigenous peoples living near the Foja range, which rises to 2,200 meters (7,218 feet), said they did not venture into the trackless area of 3,000 square kilometers (1,200 square miles) -- roughly the size of Luxembourg or the U.S. state of Rhode Island.
The team of 25 scientists rode helicopters to boggy clearings in the pristine zone.
"We just scratched the surface," Beehler told Reuters. "Anyone who goes there will come back with a mystery."
The expedition found a new type of honeyeater bird with a bright orange patch on its face, known only to local people and the first new bird species documented on the island in over 60 years. They also found more than 20 new species of frog, four new species of butterfly and plants including five new palms.
And they took the first photographs of "Berlepsch's six-wired bird of paradise", which appears in 19th century collections but whose home had previously been unknown.
The bird i named after six fine feathers about 4 inches (10 centimeters) long on the head of the male which can be raised and shaken in courtship displays.
The expedition also took the first photographs of a Golden-fronted bowerbird in front of a bower made of sticks, while he was hanging up blue forest berries to attract females.
It found a rare tree kangaroo, previously unsighted in Indonesia. Beehler said the naturalists reckoned that there was likely to be a new species of kangaroo living higher altitudes.
The scientists visited in the wet season, which limited the numbers of flying insects. "Any expedition visiting in the dry season would probably discover many more butterflies," he said.
Beehler, who works at Conservation International in Washington, said the area was probably the largest pristine tropical forest in Asia. Animals there were unafraid of humans.
"I suspect there are some areas like this in Africa, and am sure that there are similar places in South America," he said.
Around the world, pristine areas are under increasing threat from expanding human settlements and pollution. A U.N. meeting in Brazil in March will seek ways to slow the currently accelerating rate of extinctions.
Beehler said the Indonesian government was doing the right thing by keeping the area off limits to most visitors -- including loggers and mineral prospectors.
The scientists cut two trails about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) long, leaving vast tracts still to be explored.
P/S:the world is special because we will never know all the things live on earth
"It's as close to the Garden of Eden as you're going to find on Earth," said Bruce Beehler, co-leader of the U.S., Indonesian, and Australian expedition to part of the cloud-shrouded Foja mountains in the west of New Guinea.
Indigenous peoples living near the Foja range, which rises to 2,200 meters (7,218 feet), said they did not venture into the trackless area of 3,000 square kilometers (1,200 square miles) -- roughly the size of Luxembourg or the U.S. state of Rhode Island.
The team of 25 scientists rode helicopters to boggy clearings in the pristine zone.
"We just scratched the surface," Beehler told Reuters. "Anyone who goes there will come back with a mystery."
The expedition found a new type of honeyeater bird with a bright orange patch on its face, known only to local people and the first new bird species documented on the island in over 60 years. They also found more than 20 new species of frog, four new species of butterfly and plants including five new palms.
And they took the first photographs of "Berlepsch's six-wired bird of paradise", which appears in 19th century collections but whose home had previously been unknown.
The bird i named after six fine feathers about 4 inches (10 centimeters) long on the head of the male which can be raised and shaken in courtship displays.
The expedition also took the first photographs of a Golden-fronted bowerbird in front of a bower made of sticks, while he was hanging up blue forest berries to attract females.
It found a rare tree kangaroo, previously unsighted in Indonesia. Beehler said the naturalists reckoned that there was likely to be a new species of kangaroo living higher altitudes.
The scientists visited in the wet season, which limited the numbers of flying insects. "Any expedition visiting in the dry season would probably discover many more butterflies," he said.
Beehler, who works at Conservation International in Washington, said the area was probably the largest pristine tropical forest in Asia. Animals there were unafraid of humans.
"I suspect there are some areas like this in Africa, and am sure that there are similar places in South America," he said.
Around the world, pristine areas are under increasing threat from expanding human settlements and pollution. A U.N. meeting in Brazil in March will seek ways to slow the currently accelerating rate of extinctions.
Beehler said the Indonesian government was doing the right thing by keeping the area off limits to most visitors -- including loggers and mineral prospectors.
The scientists cut two trails about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) long, leaving vast tracts still to be explored.
P/S:the world is special because we will never know all the things live on earth
Island leopard deemed new species
Clouded leopards found on Sumatra and Borneo represent a new species, research by genetic scientists and the conservation group WWF indicates.
Until now it had been thought they belonged to the species that is found on mainland southeast Asia.
Scientists now believe the two species diverged more than one million years ago, and have evolved separately since.
With bodies up to 1.1m long, clouded leopards are the biggest predators on Borneo and one of Asia's largest cats.
The separation of the species was discovered by scientists at the US National Cancer Institute near Washington DC.
"Genetic research results clearly indicate that the clouded leopards of Borneo should be considered a separate species," said Dr Stephen O'Brien, head of the Institute's Laboratory of Genomic Diversity.
"DNA tests highlighted around 40 differences between the two species."
Tell tails
Supporting evidence came from examination of fur patterns. Leopards from Borneo and Sumatra have small "clouds" with many distinct spots within them, grey and dark fur, and twin stripes along their backs.
Their mainland cousins have large cloud markings on their skin with fewer, often faint, spots within the cloud markings, and are lighter and more tawny in colour.
"The moment we started comparing the skins of the mainland clouded leopard and the leopard found on Borneo, it was clear we were comparing two different species," said Dr Andrew Kitchener from the National Museums of Scotland.
"It's incredible that no-one has ever noticed these differences."
WWF, which maintains a large conservation operation on Borneo, estimates there are between 5,000 and 11,000 clouded leopards on the island, with a further 3,000 to 7,000 on Sumatra.
"The fact that Borneo's top predator is now considered a separate species further emphasises the importance of conserving the 'Heart of Borneo'," said WWF's Stuart Chapman, co-ordinator of a project seeking to preserve the island's wildlife.
The three governments with territory on the island - Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei - signed an agreement earlier this year pledging to protect the "Heart of Borneo", 200,000 square kilometres of rainforest in the middle of the island thought to be particularly high in biodiversity.
P/S:the new species have a lot special spots on them!
Until now it had been thought they belonged to the species that is found on mainland southeast Asia.
Scientists now believe the two species diverged more than one million years ago, and have evolved separately since.
With bodies up to 1.1m long, clouded leopards are the biggest predators on Borneo and one of Asia's largest cats.
The separation of the species was discovered by scientists at the US National Cancer Institute near Washington DC.
"Genetic research results clearly indicate that the clouded leopards of Borneo should be considered a separate species," said Dr Stephen O'Brien, head of the Institute's Laboratory of Genomic Diversity.
"DNA tests highlighted around 40 differences between the two species."
Tell tails
Supporting evidence came from examination of fur patterns. Leopards from Borneo and Sumatra have small "clouds" with many distinct spots within them, grey and dark fur, and twin stripes along their backs.
Their mainland cousins have large cloud markings on their skin with fewer, often faint, spots within the cloud markings, and are lighter and more tawny in colour.
"The moment we started comparing the skins of the mainland clouded leopard and the leopard found on Borneo, it was clear we were comparing two different species," said Dr Andrew Kitchener from the National Museums of Scotland.
"It's incredible that no-one has ever noticed these differences."
WWF, which maintains a large conservation operation on Borneo, estimates there are between 5,000 and 11,000 clouded leopards on the island, with a further 3,000 to 7,000 on Sumatra.
"The fact that Borneo's top predator is now considered a separate species further emphasises the importance of conserving the 'Heart of Borneo'," said WWF's Stuart Chapman, co-ordinator of a project seeking to preserve the island's wildlife.
The three governments with territory on the island - Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei - signed an agreement earlier this year pledging to protect the "Heart of Borneo", 200,000 square kilometres of rainforest in the middle of the island thought to be particularly high in biodiversity.
P/S:the new species have a lot special spots on them!
Island leopard deemed new species
Clouded leopards found on Sumatra and Borneo represent a new species, research by genetic scientists and the conservation group WWF indicates.
Until now it had been thought they belonged to the species that is found on mainland southeast Asia.
Scientists now believe the two species diverged more than one million years ago, and have evolved separately since.
With bodies up to 1.1m long, clouded leopards are the biggest predators on Borneo and one of Asia's largest cats.
The separation of the species was discovered by scientists at the US National Cancer Institute near Washington DC.
"Genetic research results clearly indicate that the clouded leopards of Borneo should be considered a separate species," said Dr Stephen O'Brien, head of the Institute's Laboratory of Genomic Diversity.
"DNA tests highlighted around 40 differences between the two species."
Tell tails
Supporting evidence came from examination of fur patterns. Leopards from Borneo and Sumatra have small "clouds" with many distinct spots within them, grey and dark fur, and twin stripes along their backs.
Their mainland cousins have large cloud markings on their skin with fewer, often faint, spots within the cloud markings, and are lighter and more tawny in colour.
"The moment we started comparing the skins of the mainland clouded leopard and the leopard found on Borneo, it was clear we were comparing two different species," said Dr Andrew Kitchener from the National Museums of Scotland.
"It's incredible that no-one has ever noticed these differences."
WWF, which maintains a large conservation operation on Borneo, estimates there are between 5,000 and 11,000 clouded leopards on the island, with a further 3,000 to 7,000 on Sumatra.
"The fact that Borneo's top predator is now considered a separate species further emphasises the importance of conserving the 'Heart of Borneo'," said WWF's Stuart Chapman, co-ordinator of a project seeking to preserve the island's wildlife.
The three governments with territory on the island - Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei - signed an agreement earlier this year pledging to protect the "Heart of Borneo", 200,000 square kilometres of rainforest in the middle of the island thought to be particularly high in biodiversity.
P/S:the new species have a special spots on them!
Until now it had been thought they belonged to the species that is found on mainland southeast Asia.
Scientists now believe the two species diverged more than one million years ago, and have evolved separately since.
With bodies up to 1.1m long, clouded leopards are the biggest predators on Borneo and one of Asia's largest cats.
The separation of the species was discovered by scientists at the US National Cancer Institute near Washington DC.
"Genetic research results clearly indicate that the clouded leopards of Borneo should be considered a separate species," said Dr Stephen O'Brien, head of the Institute's Laboratory of Genomic Diversity.
"DNA tests highlighted around 40 differences between the two species."
Tell tails
Supporting evidence came from examination of fur patterns. Leopards from Borneo and Sumatra have small "clouds" with many distinct spots within them, grey and dark fur, and twin stripes along their backs.
Their mainland cousins have large cloud markings on their skin with fewer, often faint, spots within the cloud markings, and are lighter and more tawny in colour.
"The moment we started comparing the skins of the mainland clouded leopard and the leopard found on Borneo, it was clear we were comparing two different species," said Dr Andrew Kitchener from the National Museums of Scotland.
"It's incredible that no-one has ever noticed these differences."
WWF, which maintains a large conservation operation on Borneo, estimates there are between 5,000 and 11,000 clouded leopards on the island, with a further 3,000 to 7,000 on Sumatra.
"The fact that Borneo's top predator is now considered a separate species further emphasises the importance of conserving the 'Heart of Borneo'," said WWF's Stuart Chapman, co-ordinator of a project seeking to preserve the island's wildlife.
The three governments with territory on the island - Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei - signed an agreement earlier this year pledging to protect the "Heart of Borneo", 200,000 square kilometres of rainforest in the middle of the island thought to be particularly high in biodiversity.
P/S:the new species have a special spots on them!
Mystery apes of central Africa are chubby chimps
A tribe of apes living in remote forests in the northern Democratic Republic of Congo are unusually large chimpanzees, not a new species of giant ape or a chimp-gorilla hybrid, New Scientist says.
Zoologists became excited after people living around Bili, a town about 200 kilometres (120 miles) east of the Ebola River, recounted tales of seeing hugeferocious apes with a taste for killing lions.
From photographs, the creatures were estimated to weigh about 100 kilos (220 pounds) and their footprints, at up to 34 centimetres (13.6 inches), were longer than a gorilla’s.
But a year-long hunt by Cleve Hicks and colleagues from the University of Amsterdam shows there is only a “negligible” chance that the enigmatic apes are a new branch of the primate tree.
Hicks were able to observe the animals for a total of 20 hours.
“I see nothing gorilla about them. The females definitely have a chimp’s sex swellings, they pant-hoot and tree-drum, and so on,” he told the British science weekly, whose report appears in Saturday’s issue.
Samples of a DNA recovered from faeces also put the animals in a recognised subspecies of chimp, Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii.
Even so, the Bili apes are unusual, as they have a gorilla-like crest on their skulls and howl during the full moon.
About 18 kms (11 miles) northwest of Bili, Hicks came across a large community of the animals that apparently had never met a human before.
“It’s fantastic. They surround us and show curiosity -- even the adult males. It is these guys we want to study,” said Hicks.
P/S:chubby chimps ya..wonder what makes them so chubby?
Zoologists became excited after people living around Bili, a town about 200 kilometres (120 miles) east of the Ebola River, recounted tales of seeing hugeferocious apes with a taste for killing lions.
From photographs, the creatures were estimated to weigh about 100 kilos (220 pounds) and their footprints, at up to 34 centimetres (13.6 inches), were longer than a gorilla’s.
But a year-long hunt by Cleve Hicks and colleagues from the University of Amsterdam shows there is only a “negligible” chance that the enigmatic apes are a new branch of the primate tree.
Hicks were able to observe the animals for a total of 20 hours.
“I see nothing gorilla about them. The females definitely have a chimp’s sex swellings, they pant-hoot and tree-drum, and so on,” he told the British science weekly, whose report appears in Saturday’s issue.
Samples of a DNA recovered from faeces also put the animals in a recognised subspecies of chimp, Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii.
Even so, the Bili apes are unusual, as they have a gorilla-like crest on their skulls and howl during the full moon.
About 18 kms (11 miles) northwest of Bili, Hicks came across a large community of the animals that apparently had never met a human before.
“It’s fantastic. They surround us and show curiosity -- even the adult males. It is these guys we want to study,” said Hicks.
P/S:chubby chimps ya..wonder what makes them so chubby?
'Brazilian Stonehenge' discovered
Brazilian archaeologists have found an ancient stone structure in a remote corner of the Amazon that may cast new light on the region's past.
The site, thought to be an observatory or place of worship, pre-dates European colonisation and is said to suggest a sophisticated knowledge of astronomy.
Its appearance is being compared to the English site of Stonehenge.
It was traditionally thought that before European colonisation, the Amazon had no advanced societies.
The archaeologists made the discovery in the state of Amapa, in the far north of Brazil.
A total of 127 large blocks of stone were found driven into the ground on top of a hill.
The layout suggests a temple or an observatory
Well preserved and each weighing several tons, the stones were arranged upright and evenly spaced.It is not yet known when the structure was built, but fragments of indigenous pottery found at the site are thought to be 2,000 years old.
What impressed researchers was the sophistication of the construction.
The stones appear to have been laid out to help pinpoint the winter solstice, when the sun is at its lowest in the sky.
It is thought the ancient people of the Amazon used the stars and phases of the moon to determine crop cycles.
Although the discovery at Amapa is being compared to Stonehenge, the ancient stone circle in southern England, the English site is considerably older.
It is thought to have been erected some time between 3000 and 1600 BC.
P/S:seem like the mystery not only at England..
The site, thought to be an observatory or place of worship, pre-dates European colonisation and is said to suggest a sophisticated knowledge of astronomy.
Its appearance is being compared to the English site of Stonehenge.
It was traditionally thought that before European colonisation, the Amazon had no advanced societies.
The archaeologists made the discovery in the state of Amapa, in the far north of Brazil.
A total of 127 large blocks of stone were found driven into the ground on top of a hill.
The layout suggests a temple or an observatory
Well preserved and each weighing several tons, the stones were arranged upright and evenly spaced.It is not yet known when the structure was built, but fragments of indigenous pottery found at the site are thought to be 2,000 years old.
What impressed researchers was the sophistication of the construction.
The stones appear to have been laid out to help pinpoint the winter solstice, when the sun is at its lowest in the sky.
It is thought the ancient people of the Amazon used the stars and phases of the moon to determine crop cycles.
Although the discovery at Amapa is being compared to Stonehenge, the ancient stone circle in southern England, the English site is considerably older.
It is thought to have been erected some time between 3000 and 1600 BC.
P/S:seem like the mystery not only at England..
Saturday, April 21, 2007
The Cohomo Monster
In 1972, a wave of Bigfoot sightings swept through the Peoria area of Central Illinois. It all started in late May, when 18 year old Randy Emert and some friends reported seeing a ten foot tall creature resembling a Bigfoot. They described it has having white hair, quick moving, and makes screeching sounds. Randy said he had first heard about the monster from a friend a year earlier. He said that "there are tracks everywhere up there", referring to the wooded area along Cole Hollow Road, between East Peoria and Creve Coeur, where he and his friends had seen it. Many suspected it as being the famous "Momo" creature of Missouri. It became known as "Cohomo".
Many more sightings soon followed. On May 25, the East Peoria Police Department recieved over 200 phone calls of people saying they'd seen the creature. More reports arose until the police conducted a search of the creature in July. More than 100 volunteers searched the woods until one of them shot himself in the leg with a pistol. The manhunt, or should I say "Bigfoothunt" was called off.
But, the reports kept coming in. On July 25, a family from the nearby town of Eureka was celebrating a birthday party in Fondulac Park in Easp Peoria. They said they saw a figure standing in the woods nearby accompanied by strange lights behind it.
The next day, July 26, a woman was picking berries by an old coal mine on Route 98, 3 miles east of Route 2, in South Pekin at approaxamately 7:35 PM. She said she saw a Sasquatch-like creature near her and ran away, terrified. She left her purse behind.
The day after that, July 27, two people said they saw Cohomo swimming in the Illinois River. They said it looked like a cross between an ape and a caveman and smelled horrible. The police said they were "reliable citizens."
That same year a young boy named Rodney Erps was outside his family's rural home about 2 miles east of the Mackinaw River near South Pekin. He said he was 150-200 feet from their barn when he saw a massive figure exit out of the front door . He said that it was so big that it took up the entire space of the doorway. Terrified, he ran for the house. Their dogs began to bark and didn't stop for over three hours. A neighbor later said that he'd seen a huge shadow alongside the barn. When the police arrived, they found nothing. However, 2 months later, Rodney and his brother found a half eaten pig in the area he'd seen the creature before.
After this, the sightings ceased. The hype calmed and people forgot about Cohomo. There were several articles published on the local phenomena by the Pekin Daily Times.
P/S:i feel that this story kinda strange..
Many more sightings soon followed. On May 25, the East Peoria Police Department recieved over 200 phone calls of people saying they'd seen the creature. More reports arose until the police conducted a search of the creature in July. More than 100 volunteers searched the woods until one of them shot himself in the leg with a pistol. The manhunt, or should I say "Bigfoothunt" was called off.
But, the reports kept coming in. On July 25, a family from the nearby town of Eureka was celebrating a birthday party in Fondulac Park in Easp Peoria. They said they saw a figure standing in the woods nearby accompanied by strange lights behind it.
The next day, July 26, a woman was picking berries by an old coal mine on Route 98, 3 miles east of Route 2, in South Pekin at approaxamately 7:35 PM. She said she saw a Sasquatch-like creature near her and ran away, terrified. She left her purse behind.
The day after that, July 27, two people said they saw Cohomo swimming in the Illinois River. They said it looked like a cross between an ape and a caveman and smelled horrible. The police said they were "reliable citizens."
That same year a young boy named Rodney Erps was outside his family's rural home about 2 miles east of the Mackinaw River near South Pekin. He said he was 150-200 feet from their barn when he saw a massive figure exit out of the front door . He said that it was so big that it took up the entire space of the doorway. Terrified, he ran for the house. Their dogs began to bark and didn't stop for over three hours. A neighbor later said that he'd seen a huge shadow alongside the barn. When the police arrived, they found nothing. However, 2 months later, Rodney and his brother found a half eaten pig in the area he'd seen the creature before.
After this, the sightings ceased. The hype calmed and people forgot about Cohomo. There were several articles published on the local phenomena by the Pekin Daily Times.
P/S:i feel that this story kinda strange..
MONSTERS FROM THE MOUND
Some old historians dissed reports of bizarre finds from Western New York, but most acknowledged mystery. We should be suspicious of stories from frontier papers that stood to gain plenty from tall tales. These are from historical texts.
When the Whites arrived, Western New York was littered with the works of earlier people. Stone walls, graded roads, and fortifications were reported, though most commonly these markers were earthen mounds or enclosures. The Native Americans seldom had any tradition about the people who had put them in place. Most of us now believe that the influence of the Mississippian (Mound-Builder) culture was behind them. The settlement and the plow have been lethal to most of these fragile works, and even the old mound-fanatic E. G. Squier confessed ruefully in 1849 that the Western Door held little any more worth looking at. As these works were destroyed in the last century a stablefull of curiosities seems to have come out.
T. Apoleon Cheney notes (in Illustrations of the Ancient Monuments of Western New York) that a twelve-foot high elliptical mound above Cattaraugus County’s Conewango Valley held eight big skeletons. Most crumbled, but a thigh bone was found to be 28” long. Exquisite stone points, enamelwork, and jewelry (like that of Mexico or Peru) were also unearthed in the area. The mound looked like those of the Old World.
Cheney also mentions a skeleton seven-foot-five (with an unusually thick skull) from a Chautauqua County site near Cassadaga Creek. Inside a very old mound near Cassadaga Lake were some large skeletons that were examined by medical gentlemen.” One measured nearly nine feet. (In 1938 Charles Hunnington of Randolph was so inspired by Doc Cheney’s finds that he made two giant “wooden Indian” statues, probably still at the museum in Little Valley.)
The History of Cattaraugus County notes the town of Carrollton’s “Fort Limestone,” whose rough figure-eight enclosed five acres. In 1851 the removal of a stump turned up a mass of human bones. Some were enormous. Franklinville’s Marvin Older virtually gamboled about the site with them: a skull fit over his size seven-and-a-half head; a rib curved all the way around him, a shinbone went from his ankle to above his knee, and a jaw - with bodacious molars - went over his own. Its first owner had probably stood eight feet tall.
Stafford Cleveland’s History and Directory of Yates County refers to skeletons from a conical burial mound by Keuka Lake in the early 1800’s. A Penn Yan doctor found that many were seven footers. (Tales of ghosts and buried treasure cling to this vicinity as well.)
Turner’s History of the Holland Purchase reports an ancient three-acre earth fort in Orleans county (about one and a half miles west of Shelby Center) that covered seven- and eight-foot skeletons. Their skulls were well developed in front, broad between the ears, and flattened on top. Also, Turner notes that, upon digging a cellar on his town of Aurora farm, Charles P. Pierson found a giant of his own.
The 1879 History of Allegany County noted a circular mound between Philip’s Creek and the Genesee in the village of Belmont. Several feet high and fifteen or so in diameter, it disgorged human bones, some very large, when the railroad was made in 1849 and 1850.
Giant human skeletons don’t ring any bells with us. Some think the Scandinavians were in Western New York, and they were considered virtual giants in the ancient world (whose people were traditionally much shorter than those now). Many Vikings would seem tall even today, but they were not routinely seven-footers.
Not all the humanlike skeletons found about the Western Door were so surely human. Several old histories discuss the two very bizarre skulls taken in the early 1820’s from a mound on Tonawanda Island near Buffalo. One early writer notes each "portentous, protruding lower jaw and canine forehead." Another adds that the burial customs were entirely unlike those of the region’s natives.
Our County and Its People (Truman C. White, 1898) mentions skeletons that seem to have been "platycnemic" - flat-shinned. In the bluff at Fort Porter (Buffalo) one such skeleton was found near ancient implements. Burials of up to three such skeletons have been found high up on river or lake banks about the region. Their flat shins and "other skeletal peculiarities" were thought due to climbing and living in trees. These are odd stories to make up.
In nature’s evident experiments toward Homo sapiens, some of the discontinued models were very large (Gigantopithecus comes to mind); none are thought to have set foot or dragged knuckle on any American soil. Jess Stearn (in Montezuma’s Serpent) cites finds from the American southwest implying some giant, bestial hominid was here. Jim Brandon’s Weird America lists two such accounts from just outside the Western Door. An eight-footer turned up in an Ellisburg, PA mound (near Wellsville, NY) in 1886. The same year a team of professors and professionals found dozens of huge, oddly-skulled humans in a mound in Sayre, PA (near Elmira, NY). They averaged seven feet, though some were taller, and some had horny knobs on their foreheads. Several went to the American Investigating Museum in Philadelphia, into which they disappeared. Modern fans of Bigfoot (seen in almost all the states of the Union) might rejoice at historical testimony of monster bones; for the rest of us the matter is just... weird.
P/S:source from Mason C. Winfield,the author of "Shadows of the Western Door," a research-survey of Western New York's paranormal mysteries. The book included information on ghosts, UFOs, Bigfoot, ancient mysteries, giant skeletons, secret societies, cult activity, etc.
When the Whites arrived, Western New York was littered with the works of earlier people. Stone walls, graded roads, and fortifications were reported, though most commonly these markers were earthen mounds or enclosures. The Native Americans seldom had any tradition about the people who had put them in place. Most of us now believe that the influence of the Mississippian (Mound-Builder) culture was behind them. The settlement and the plow have been lethal to most of these fragile works, and even the old mound-fanatic E. G. Squier confessed ruefully in 1849 that the Western Door held little any more worth looking at. As these works were destroyed in the last century a stablefull of curiosities seems to have come out.
T. Apoleon Cheney notes (in Illustrations of the Ancient Monuments of Western New York) that a twelve-foot high elliptical mound above Cattaraugus County’s Conewango Valley held eight big skeletons. Most crumbled, but a thigh bone was found to be 28” long. Exquisite stone points, enamelwork, and jewelry (like that of Mexico or Peru) were also unearthed in the area. The mound looked like those of the Old World.
Cheney also mentions a skeleton seven-foot-five (with an unusually thick skull) from a Chautauqua County site near Cassadaga Creek. Inside a very old mound near Cassadaga Lake were some large skeletons that were examined by medical gentlemen.” One measured nearly nine feet. (In 1938 Charles Hunnington of Randolph was so inspired by Doc Cheney’s finds that he made two giant “wooden Indian” statues, probably still at the museum in Little Valley.)
The History of Cattaraugus County notes the town of Carrollton’s “Fort Limestone,” whose rough figure-eight enclosed five acres. In 1851 the removal of a stump turned up a mass of human bones. Some were enormous. Franklinville’s Marvin Older virtually gamboled about the site with them: a skull fit over his size seven-and-a-half head; a rib curved all the way around him, a shinbone went from his ankle to above his knee, and a jaw - with bodacious molars - went over his own. Its first owner had probably stood eight feet tall.
Stafford Cleveland’s History and Directory of Yates County refers to skeletons from a conical burial mound by Keuka Lake in the early 1800’s. A Penn Yan doctor found that many were seven footers. (Tales of ghosts and buried treasure cling to this vicinity as well.)
Turner’s History of the Holland Purchase reports an ancient three-acre earth fort in Orleans county (about one and a half miles west of Shelby Center) that covered seven- and eight-foot skeletons. Their skulls were well developed in front, broad between the ears, and flattened on top. Also, Turner notes that, upon digging a cellar on his town of Aurora farm, Charles P. Pierson found a giant of his own.
The 1879 History of Allegany County noted a circular mound between Philip’s Creek and the Genesee in the village of Belmont. Several feet high and fifteen or so in diameter, it disgorged human bones, some very large, when the railroad was made in 1849 and 1850.
Giant human skeletons don’t ring any bells with us. Some think the Scandinavians were in Western New York, and they were considered virtual giants in the ancient world (whose people were traditionally much shorter than those now). Many Vikings would seem tall even today, but they were not routinely seven-footers.
Not all the humanlike skeletons found about the Western Door were so surely human. Several old histories discuss the two very bizarre skulls taken in the early 1820’s from a mound on Tonawanda Island near Buffalo. One early writer notes each "portentous, protruding lower jaw and canine forehead." Another adds that the burial customs were entirely unlike those of the region’s natives.
Our County and Its People (Truman C. White, 1898) mentions skeletons that seem to have been "platycnemic" - flat-shinned. In the bluff at Fort Porter (Buffalo) one such skeleton was found near ancient implements. Burials of up to three such skeletons have been found high up on river or lake banks about the region. Their flat shins and "other skeletal peculiarities" were thought due to climbing and living in trees. These are odd stories to make up.
In nature’s evident experiments toward Homo sapiens, some of the discontinued models were very large (Gigantopithecus comes to mind); none are thought to have set foot or dragged knuckle on any American soil. Jess Stearn (in Montezuma’s Serpent) cites finds from the American southwest implying some giant, bestial hominid was here. Jim Brandon’s Weird America lists two such accounts from just outside the Western Door. An eight-footer turned up in an Ellisburg, PA mound (near Wellsville, NY) in 1886. The same year a team of professors and professionals found dozens of huge, oddly-skulled humans in a mound in Sayre, PA (near Elmira, NY). They averaged seven feet, though some were taller, and some had horny knobs on their foreheads. Several went to the American Investigating Museum in Philadelphia, into which they disappeared. Modern fans of Bigfoot (seen in almost all the states of the Union) might rejoice at historical testimony of monster bones; for the rest of us the matter is just... weird.
P/S:source from Mason C. Winfield,the author of "Shadows of the Western Door," a research-survey of Western New York's paranormal mysteries. The book included information on ghosts, UFOs, Bigfoot, ancient mysteries, giant skeletons, secret societies, cult activity, etc.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Encounters With Green Children
There are two different yet similar reports of strange green-skinned children found abandoned near villages in Europe. The first account dates back to the 12th century near Suffolk, England.
Local farmers found a boy and a girl weeping in a field. They brought the children to the home of Sir Richard de Calne in the village of Woolpit.
The children spoke no English and refused to eat food. They both wore oddly-coloured clothing of unkown materials. Eventually they began to eat beans exclusivly after going without food for several days, but only after they were shown how to open the stalks.
Both children were soon baptised. The boy grew weak shortly after and eventually died. The girl survived, learned to speak English, and eat other food. Her skin turned to a normal colour.
When asked about her origins, the girl described a place with no sun where all the inhabitants were of green colour. She claimed that she and the boy were separated from their people as they wandered in a large cavern and, upon exiting, were "struck sensless by the excessive light of the sun and the unusual temperature of the air." A separate recorded account states that the girl said she came from a place called St. Martin's Land where the people were all Christian.
Despite the bizarre accounts of the children's origins, some suggest that the children were lost and had wandered from the nearby village of Fordham St. Martin. Malnourishment gave their skin a greenish colour.
The second account of green children comes from Banjos, Spain in August of 1887. A boy and a girl of greenish colour were found abandoned near a cave. They did not speak Spanish and wore unfamiliar clothing. Their eyes were described as Oriental in appearance.
As with the first account from England, both children refused to eat at first. The boy grew weak and died, but the girl survived, learned Spanish, and explained that she and her companion came from a sunless land. The account differes from the first as the girl was reported to have claimed they had been caught up in a whirlwind and found themselves in the cave. The girl died in 1892.
Neither of these reports describe any other strange activity in the area such as UFOs. The children's true origins were never discovered. While some suggest the green children were aliens from another world or dimension, the rational explanation would be that the children were lost and undernourished. In any case, these events still remain a mystery. What is odd is that both accounts, although happening hundreds of years appart, are strikingly similar. Perhaps they are a retelling of the same story.
P/S:if they are green coloured..and came from a place without sun..i wonder where is it the place..
Local farmers found a boy and a girl weeping in a field. They brought the children to the home of Sir Richard de Calne in the village of Woolpit.
The children spoke no English and refused to eat food. They both wore oddly-coloured clothing of unkown materials. Eventually they began to eat beans exclusivly after going without food for several days, but only after they were shown how to open the stalks.
Both children were soon baptised. The boy grew weak shortly after and eventually died. The girl survived, learned to speak English, and eat other food. Her skin turned to a normal colour.
When asked about her origins, the girl described a place with no sun where all the inhabitants were of green colour. She claimed that she and the boy were separated from their people as they wandered in a large cavern and, upon exiting, were "struck sensless by the excessive light of the sun and the unusual temperature of the air." A separate recorded account states that the girl said she came from a place called St. Martin's Land where the people were all Christian.
Despite the bizarre accounts of the children's origins, some suggest that the children were lost and had wandered from the nearby village of Fordham St. Martin. Malnourishment gave their skin a greenish colour.
The second account of green children comes from Banjos, Spain in August of 1887. A boy and a girl of greenish colour were found abandoned near a cave. They did not speak Spanish and wore unfamiliar clothing. Their eyes were described as Oriental in appearance.
As with the first account from England, both children refused to eat at first. The boy grew weak and died, but the girl survived, learned Spanish, and explained that she and her companion came from a sunless land. The account differes from the first as the girl was reported to have claimed they had been caught up in a whirlwind and found themselves in the cave. The girl died in 1892.
Neither of these reports describe any other strange activity in the area such as UFOs. The children's true origins were never discovered. While some suggest the green children were aliens from another world or dimension, the rational explanation would be that the children were lost and undernourished. In any case, these events still remain a mystery. What is odd is that both accounts, although happening hundreds of years appart, are strikingly similar. Perhaps they are a retelling of the same story.
P/S:if they are green coloured..and came from a place without sun..i wonder where is it the place..
Yeti from Russia's Vyatka
Moscow explorers discovered a wigwam of a creature unknown to science in the snow-covered forest
Members of the Kosmopoisk association have returned from an expedition to Russia's Kirov Region where they searched for a bigfoot that allegedly lived in that region. Kosmopoisk leader Vadim Chernobrov says the expedition has discovered a den occupied by a mysterious giant and an underground passage dug obviously not by a human.
Ivan Konovalov has been working as a forest warden for 30 years in the Kirov Region. At first, the man did not plan to stay in that region for long, however he had an important meeting in November 1985 and changed his mind. Ivan Konovalov tells about that meeting: "It was snowing on the day when I was walking along the fir wood and suddenly heard snap of twigs. I turned around and saw an awesome creature covered with dark hair that was much taller than me. It smelt strongly. The beast leant against a pine tree and started bending it down to the ground. The tree was rather thick, but it cracked under the creature's burden. Then the creature started breaking the tree against the knee. Its hands were as thick and long as its legs. Quite of a sudden, the creature felt something and turned its "face" to me. I saw two black eyes and the impression at the bottom of the eyes deeply impressed me. I still remember the look of the eyes. Then the creature flung the tree and quickly left. But I stood thunderstruck and could not move a finger."
After that awesome meeting the forest warden was anticipating another meeting with the bigfoot. However, the man did not doubt that it was a snowman. Ivan Konovalov thinks the creature unknown to science has some mysterious capabilities resembling hypnosis.
It was only twice that he managed to come across the creature face to face. Another time Ivan Konovalov met with a she-yeti and a baby. They noticed the forest warden and ran deep into the forest emitting sounds resembling dog's barking.
Hunter Vasily Kapustin tells that he has seen numerous footprints of a snowman, but came across the creature only once. A hairy creature attacked a young elk, shouldered it and directed toward the forest. When the yeti saw the hunter it was at first confused, then looked at the man with astonishment, emitted some indistinct sound and rushed into the deep forest. Vasily Kapustin felt as if he stood for 15 minutes and then went toward his village. But when he came home it turned out he had spent about four hours in the forest! He had a headache and felt as if he had a hangover. But the hunter was an abstainer. He made an effort to get back to the place where he came across the yeti and discovered the footprints of an enormous naked foot looking very much like a human foot, but wider and bigger in fact. The snow on the site was spotted with blood of the baby elk obviously. However, it was not clear how the creature managed to escape through the deep forest and broke no branches and left practically no traces.
Vadim Chernobrov, the leader of the expedition tells that hunters are as a rule not talkative men; but they enjoy respect of the local population. Locals do believe that some strange forest creatures exist in fact. Those who have ever come across such creatures are treated as people's heroes there.
The two hunters helped the expedition to search the place. Vadim Chernobrov tells that the group set up a tent camp in a big meadow. "I had many baits that were to help us catch a yeti. On the first night the group was really very tired and did not arrange the baits. The baits remained in my tent. The group put out the fire and appointed a man on duty for the night. When we woke up early in the morning we saw a torn side of my tent as if someone attempted to get inside of the tent. My rucksack stood half a meter away from the torn side of the tent. But the man on duty was on the top of a tall pine tree clutching at branches. The guy had a hatchet, and all branches were cut under his feet. It took us much effort to take him down from the tree. He was white from terror, his hands and legs were trembling and he could hardly speak. In two hours he started crying and said he wanted to go back home. His home was far from the tent camp, however the man was so terror-stricken that he wouldnot stay there."
On the next nights, the group chose more experienced people to be on duty. But they did not see anything scary at all. Baits laid around the tent camp brought no success. However, when members of the expedition went deep into the forest in broad daylight they discovered strange things there: trees broken so neatly as if someone chopped firewood there and incisions on trees made either with teeth or with claws.
It was only once that the expedition was actually rewarded for the persistence: the group discovered a den made of stems of trees in the middle of a forest clearing. The den of five square meters did not resemble people or animal's habitation. Vadim Chernobrov together with some members of the group walked around the den and then decided to get inside.
The floor of the den was laid out with logs and rotten leaves, the walls were strong and did not let the cold wind pass through. There was nobody inside of the den. There was some construction covered with sticks in the middle of the "room". Under the sticks, there was a hole of about one meter in diameter leading deep under the ground. The hole was highly likely very deep as a stone thrown down emitted no sound at all. The expedition decided it was an underground passage. However, the group had no special equipment to come down the passage. They just charted the site to get back to it later.
The leader of the expedition says it is now important to gather many experts, biologists, zoologists and doctors to organize another expedition to the mysterious site in the Kirov Region.
Alexey Rozanov, a correspondent member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Paleontology Institute says that yeti is one of the most mysterious puzzles of present-day science. Opinions still differ whether yeti exists or not. Some people believe there is no documented evidence proving existence of yeti; all photos and videos allegedly showing yeti are falsifications. Others say that yetis are in fact baboons, huge monkeys, and Himalayan bears about two meters tall. There is an opinion that yeti is an offshoot of the primates developing parallel to human beings. At the time when human brain and intellect developed, yeti acquired some extrasensory capabilities. Some researchers believe that people's hairy neighbors can not only hypnotize, but also levitate, become invisible or cure any diseases with a glance. There are even more fantastic hypotheses saying that yetis are wood-goblins, demons or some beings from the parallel world. Unfortunately, there is not single evidence proving any of the fantastic suggestions.
Legends about yeti go back to the antiquity; it was mentioned for the first time about 4 thousand years ago, crypt-zoologist, doctor of biological science Alexander Bayanov tells. More information about yeti appears every year. Japan mountaineers left for the Himalayas in August 2002 to search for yeti; they got back from the expedition absolutely confident that yeti actually existed. The mountaineers brought about ten pictures of yeti footprints taken on the slopes of the Dhaulakhari mountain and told they had seen an apelike creature quickly running about the mountain slopes. There is evidence provided by an American mountain-skier who came across two hairy creatures when he descended from Everest. He says the creatures were neither animals nor humans. The meeting ended like any other story connected with yeti: the creatures suddenly disappeared.
In two months, it was reported from Pakistan that a hairy creature near the settlement of Haripura attacked a 20-year-old native. The creature seized the guy's shoulder and scratched him, but when the native cried, the creature got scared and ran away. Doctors examined the guy's wounds, but could not say what the creature actually was.
A hairy very tall creature was also once seen in Russia near the cities of St.Petersburg and Tomsk. A mummified paw of some ancient animal belonging to none of the known to science species was discovered in Russia's Altai Mountains. Vice-president of the Russian Association of Vet Anatomists Yury Malafeyev took an X-ray photograph of the paw and made a conclusion that it looked very much like a human hand, but covered with red fur and of a bigger size.
P/S:if those creatures are real..i wonder how do they feel on human?
Members of the Kosmopoisk association have returned from an expedition to Russia's Kirov Region where they searched for a bigfoot that allegedly lived in that region. Kosmopoisk leader Vadim Chernobrov says the expedition has discovered a den occupied by a mysterious giant and an underground passage dug obviously not by a human.
Ivan Konovalov has been working as a forest warden for 30 years in the Kirov Region. At first, the man did not plan to stay in that region for long, however he had an important meeting in November 1985 and changed his mind. Ivan Konovalov tells about that meeting: "It was snowing on the day when I was walking along the fir wood and suddenly heard snap of twigs. I turned around and saw an awesome creature covered with dark hair that was much taller than me. It smelt strongly. The beast leant against a pine tree and started bending it down to the ground. The tree was rather thick, but it cracked under the creature's burden. Then the creature started breaking the tree against the knee. Its hands were as thick and long as its legs. Quite of a sudden, the creature felt something and turned its "face" to me. I saw two black eyes and the impression at the bottom of the eyes deeply impressed me. I still remember the look of the eyes. Then the creature flung the tree and quickly left. But I stood thunderstruck and could not move a finger."
After that awesome meeting the forest warden was anticipating another meeting with the bigfoot. However, the man did not doubt that it was a snowman. Ivan Konovalov thinks the creature unknown to science has some mysterious capabilities resembling hypnosis.
It was only twice that he managed to come across the creature face to face. Another time Ivan Konovalov met with a she-yeti and a baby. They noticed the forest warden and ran deep into the forest emitting sounds resembling dog's barking.
Hunter Vasily Kapustin tells that he has seen numerous footprints of a snowman, but came across the creature only once. A hairy creature attacked a young elk, shouldered it and directed toward the forest. When the yeti saw the hunter it was at first confused, then looked at the man with astonishment, emitted some indistinct sound and rushed into the deep forest. Vasily Kapustin felt as if he stood for 15 minutes and then went toward his village. But when he came home it turned out he had spent about four hours in the forest! He had a headache and felt as if he had a hangover. But the hunter was an abstainer. He made an effort to get back to the place where he came across the yeti and discovered the footprints of an enormous naked foot looking very much like a human foot, but wider and bigger in fact. The snow on the site was spotted with blood of the baby elk obviously. However, it was not clear how the creature managed to escape through the deep forest and broke no branches and left practically no traces.
Vadim Chernobrov, the leader of the expedition tells that hunters are as a rule not talkative men; but they enjoy respect of the local population. Locals do believe that some strange forest creatures exist in fact. Those who have ever come across such creatures are treated as people's heroes there.
The two hunters helped the expedition to search the place. Vadim Chernobrov tells that the group set up a tent camp in a big meadow. "I had many baits that were to help us catch a yeti. On the first night the group was really very tired and did not arrange the baits. The baits remained in my tent. The group put out the fire and appointed a man on duty for the night. When we woke up early in the morning we saw a torn side of my tent as if someone attempted to get inside of the tent. My rucksack stood half a meter away from the torn side of the tent. But the man on duty was on the top of a tall pine tree clutching at branches. The guy had a hatchet, and all branches were cut under his feet. It took us much effort to take him down from the tree. He was white from terror, his hands and legs were trembling and he could hardly speak. In two hours he started crying and said he wanted to go back home. His home was far from the tent camp, however the man was so terror-stricken that he wouldnot stay there."
On the next nights, the group chose more experienced people to be on duty. But they did not see anything scary at all. Baits laid around the tent camp brought no success. However, when members of the expedition went deep into the forest in broad daylight they discovered strange things there: trees broken so neatly as if someone chopped firewood there and incisions on trees made either with teeth or with claws.
It was only once that the expedition was actually rewarded for the persistence: the group discovered a den made of stems of trees in the middle of a forest clearing. The den of five square meters did not resemble people or animal's habitation. Vadim Chernobrov together with some members of the group walked around the den and then decided to get inside.
The floor of the den was laid out with logs and rotten leaves, the walls were strong and did not let the cold wind pass through. There was nobody inside of the den. There was some construction covered with sticks in the middle of the "room". Under the sticks, there was a hole of about one meter in diameter leading deep under the ground. The hole was highly likely very deep as a stone thrown down emitted no sound at all. The expedition decided it was an underground passage. However, the group had no special equipment to come down the passage. They just charted the site to get back to it later.
The leader of the expedition says it is now important to gather many experts, biologists, zoologists and doctors to organize another expedition to the mysterious site in the Kirov Region.
Alexey Rozanov, a correspondent member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Paleontology Institute says that yeti is one of the most mysterious puzzles of present-day science. Opinions still differ whether yeti exists or not. Some people believe there is no documented evidence proving existence of yeti; all photos and videos allegedly showing yeti are falsifications. Others say that yetis are in fact baboons, huge monkeys, and Himalayan bears about two meters tall. There is an opinion that yeti is an offshoot of the primates developing parallel to human beings. At the time when human brain and intellect developed, yeti acquired some extrasensory capabilities. Some researchers believe that people's hairy neighbors can not only hypnotize, but also levitate, become invisible or cure any diseases with a glance. There are even more fantastic hypotheses saying that yetis are wood-goblins, demons or some beings from the parallel world. Unfortunately, there is not single evidence proving any of the fantastic suggestions.
Legends about yeti go back to the antiquity; it was mentioned for the first time about 4 thousand years ago, crypt-zoologist, doctor of biological science Alexander Bayanov tells. More information about yeti appears every year. Japan mountaineers left for the Himalayas in August 2002 to search for yeti; they got back from the expedition absolutely confident that yeti actually existed. The mountaineers brought about ten pictures of yeti footprints taken on the slopes of the Dhaulakhari mountain and told they had seen an apelike creature quickly running about the mountain slopes. There is evidence provided by an American mountain-skier who came across two hairy creatures when he descended from Everest. He says the creatures were neither animals nor humans. The meeting ended like any other story connected with yeti: the creatures suddenly disappeared.
In two months, it was reported from Pakistan that a hairy creature near the settlement of Haripura attacked a 20-year-old native. The creature seized the guy's shoulder and scratched him, but when the native cried, the creature got scared and ran away. Doctors examined the guy's wounds, but could not say what the creature actually was.
A hairy very tall creature was also once seen in Russia near the cities of St.Petersburg and Tomsk. A mummified paw of some ancient animal belonging to none of the known to science species was discovered in Russia's Altai Mountains. Vice-president of the Russian Association of Vet Anatomists Yury Malafeyev took an X-ray photograph of the paw and made a conclusion that it looked very much like a human hand, but covered with red fur and of a bigger size.
P/S:if those creatures are real..i wonder how do they feel on human?
Apelike Creature Reported in Angol
According to information in our files, we can say that Mr. Luis B.T., a well-known jeweler and native artisan of the 9th Region, retold a strange experience that befell his son-in-law in the winter of 2006.
Luis’s son-in-law, a truck driver with an erratic schedule, could not believe what he was seeing on the road in June 2006 near midnight between a stretch of road from Los Angeles to Muchén. On that day he wasn’t carrying an assistant, so there are no other witnesses to his observation. But he does remember driving at an average speed without any further remarks. Suddenly, on a particular stretch of road on which no other cars were present, he noticed that there was a strange animal on his right, on the blacktop. It was very still and had the appearance of an ape, with short arms and long legs. He managed to hit the brakes about 10 meters from this animal, but the simian creature did not make a move and slowly turned its head toward the truck. That’s when the driver noticed that its eyes were sparkling red, and that the configuration or fur on its body was very odd, covered by something similar to short whitish feathers.
The trucker felt a shudder of fear, faced with such an strange situation. He stopped the engine and allowed several seconds to elapse, with the creature staring at him as he quaked with fear. The animal walked slowly and crossed the road, never taking its eyes off the driver. As the witness recalls, the simian entity was thickset, stood approximately over one meter tall, had a head proportioned to its body and a large muzzle. It made no sound whatsoever. At no time did its extremities touch the pavement and it maintained itself upright throughout, like a small man.
The driver was able to get a good look at the creature and kept his headlights on at all time. He added that the creature’s attitude was defiant throughout the event, while passive.
An effort is being made at this time to compile more information regarding this strange experience, which remained unpublished and under strict family secrecy.
P/S:i wonder if the scary beasts are real..what will happen to the world?
Luis’s son-in-law, a truck driver with an erratic schedule, could not believe what he was seeing on the road in June 2006 near midnight between a stretch of road from Los Angeles to Muchén. On that day he wasn’t carrying an assistant, so there are no other witnesses to his observation. But he does remember driving at an average speed without any further remarks. Suddenly, on a particular stretch of road on which no other cars were present, he noticed that there was a strange animal on his right, on the blacktop. It was very still and had the appearance of an ape, with short arms and long legs. He managed to hit the brakes about 10 meters from this animal, but the simian creature did not make a move and slowly turned its head toward the truck. That’s when the driver noticed that its eyes were sparkling red, and that the configuration or fur on its body was very odd, covered by something similar to short whitish feathers.
The trucker felt a shudder of fear, faced with such an strange situation. He stopped the engine and allowed several seconds to elapse, with the creature staring at him as he quaked with fear. The animal walked slowly and crossed the road, never taking its eyes off the driver. As the witness recalls, the simian entity was thickset, stood approximately over one meter tall, had a head proportioned to its body and a large muzzle. It made no sound whatsoever. At no time did its extremities touch the pavement and it maintained itself upright throughout, like a small man.
The driver was able to get a good look at the creature and kept his headlights on at all time. He added that the creature’s attitude was defiant throughout the event, while passive.
An effort is being made at this time to compile more information regarding this strange experience, which remained unpublished and under strict family secrecy.
P/S:i wonder if the scary beasts are real..what will happen to the world?
The Wendigo
In the mythology of the Algonquian-speaking tribes of Native Americans, the Wendigo is a malevolent supernatural creature. It is usually described as a giant with a heart of ice; sometimes it is thought to be entirely made of ice. Its body is skeletal and deformed, with missing lips and toes. The first accounts of the Wendigo myth by explorers and missionaries date back to the 17th century. They describe it rather generically as a werewolf, devil, or cannibal. The Wendigo was usually presumed to have once been human. Different origins of the Wendigo are described in variations of the myth.
A hunter may become the Wendigo when encountering it in the forest at night, or when becoming possessed by its spirit in a dream. When the cannibalistic element of the myth is stressed, it is assumed that anyone who eats corpses in a famine becomes a Wendigo as a result. The only way to destroy a Wendigo is to melt its heart of ice. In recent times, it has been identified with Sasquatch or Bigfoot by cryptozoologists, but there is little evidence in the indigenous folklore for it being a similar creature.
Perhaps this myth was used as a deterrent and cautionary tale among northern tribes whose winters were long and bitter and whose hunting parties often were trapped in storms with no recourse but to consume members of their own party. It could be indicative of starvation that the Wendigo is said to consume moss and other unpalatable food when human flesh is unavailable.
Its physical deformities are suggestive of starvation and frostbite, so the Wendigo may be a myth based on a personification of the hardships of winter and the taboo of cannibalism. In some stories a Wendigo will follow a lone wanderer for a long time. When the prey becomes suspicious and turns around the Wendigo always manages to get out of sight by hiding behind a tree. After a while the followed person starts to become hysterical and runs until he makes an error. The Wendigo then strikes. If someone actually survives a Wendigo attack they get the Wendigo-fever: after a night of nightmares and pain in their legs--indeed, the Wendigo itself often has no feet--Wendigo-fevered people strip themselves naked and run into the forest screaming.
P/S:according to myth..Wendigo is a wolf faced but human bodied creature..that's kinda interesting!
A hunter may become the Wendigo when encountering it in the forest at night, or when becoming possessed by its spirit in a dream. When the cannibalistic element of the myth is stressed, it is assumed that anyone who eats corpses in a famine becomes a Wendigo as a result. The only way to destroy a Wendigo is to melt its heart of ice. In recent times, it has been identified with Sasquatch or Bigfoot by cryptozoologists, but there is little evidence in the indigenous folklore for it being a similar creature.
Perhaps this myth was used as a deterrent and cautionary tale among northern tribes whose winters were long and bitter and whose hunting parties often were trapped in storms with no recourse but to consume members of their own party. It could be indicative of starvation that the Wendigo is said to consume moss and other unpalatable food when human flesh is unavailable.
Its physical deformities are suggestive of starvation and frostbite, so the Wendigo may be a myth based on a personification of the hardships of winter and the taboo of cannibalism. In some stories a Wendigo will follow a lone wanderer for a long time. When the prey becomes suspicious and turns around the Wendigo always manages to get out of sight by hiding behind a tree. After a while the followed person starts to become hysterical and runs until he makes an error. The Wendigo then strikes. If someone actually survives a Wendigo attack they get the Wendigo-fever: after a night of nightmares and pain in their legs--indeed, the Wendigo itself often has no feet--Wendigo-fevered people strip themselves naked and run into the forest screaming.
P/S:according to myth..Wendigo is a wolf faced but human bodied creature..that's kinda interesting!
Andean Wolf
Andean Wolf ( Dasycyon Hagenbecki ) This is mysterious canid from Andes. In 1927 year Lorenz Hagenbeck got some skin from dealer in Buenos Aires, and he told him that come from Andes. A few years afterwards in 1947 Germany dr. Ingo Krumbiegel researched this skin and said that belong to new and still indescribable species from high, peaks of Andes. Ten years earlier, Krumbiegel found skull similar to omnivorous canid about 31 centimetres, (but not belong to Maned wolf who skulls are smaller, about 24 cm.), from gatherings come from Andes. But in 1945 skull was lost after the war. In 1960 a few scientists told, that fur belong only to domestic dog(possibly do mongrel of sheep dog), not to wild dog from Andes. In 1995 year research DNA confirmed this. But only fur was bad, but skull really could belong to new species wild dog come from Andes . We waiting for again discovery of Andean Hagenbeck wolf in Andes mountains..
P/S:what a attractive and mysterious animal..
P/S:what a attractive and mysterious animal..
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Europe's Oldest Civilisation
Archaeologists have discovered Europe's oldest civilisation, a network of dozens of temples, 2,000 years older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids.
More than 150 gigantic monuments have been located beneath the fields and cities of modern-day Germany, Austria and Slovakia. They were built 7,000 years ago, between 4800BC and 4600BC.
Their discovery, revealed today by The Independent, will revolutionise the study of prehistoric Europe, where an appetite for monumental architecture was thought to have developed later than in Mesopotamia and Egypt.
In all, more than 150 temples have been identified. Constructed of earth and wood, they had ramparts and palisades that stretched for up to half a mile. They were built by a religious people who lived in communal longhouses up to 50 metres long, grouped around substantial villages. Evidence suggests their economy was based on cattle, sheep, goat and pig farming.
Their civilisation seems to have died out after about 200 years and the recent archaeological discoveries are so new that the temple building culture does not even have a name yet.
Excavations have been taking place over the past few years - and have triggered a re-evaluation of similar, though hitherto mostly undated, complexes identified from aerial photographs throughout central Europe.
Archaeologists are now beginning to suspect that hundreds of these very early monumental religious centres, each up to 150 metres across, were constructed across a 400-mile swath of land in what is now Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and eastern Germany.
The most complex excavated so far - located inside the city of Dresden - consisted of an apparently sacred internal space surrounded by two palisades, three earthen banks and four ditches.
The monuments seem to be a phenomenon associated exclusively with a period of consolidation and growth that followed the initial establishment of farming cultures in the centre of the continent.
It is possible that the newly revealed early Neolithic monument phenomenon was the consequence of an increase in the size of - and competition between - emerging Neolithic tribal or pan-tribal groups, arguably Europe's earliest mini-states.
After a relatively brief period - perhaps just one or two hundred years - either the need or the socio-political ability to build them disappeared, and monuments of this scale were not built again until the Middle Bronze Age, 3,000 years later. Why this monumental culture collapsed is a mystery.
The archaeological investigation into these vast Stone Age temples over the past three years has also revealed several other mysteries. First, each complex was only used for a few generations - perhaps 100 years maximum. Second, the central sacred area was nearly always the same size, about a third of a hectare. Third, each circular enclosure ditch - irrespective of diameter - involved the removal of the same volume of earth. In other words, the builders reduced the depth and/or width of each ditch in inverse proportion to its diameter, so as to always keep volume (and thus time spent) constant .
Archaeologists are speculating that this may have been in order to allow each earthwork to be dug by a set number of special status workers in a set number of days - perhaps to satisfy the ritual requirements of some sort of religious calendar.
The multiple bank, ditch and palisade systems "protecting" the inner space seem not to have been built for defensive purposes - and were instead probably designed to prevent ordinary tribespeople from seeing the sacred and presumably secret rituals which were performed in the "inner sanctum" .
The investigation so far suggests that each religious complex was ritually decommissioned at the end of its life, with the ditches, each of which had been dug successively, being deliberately filled in.
"Our excavations have revealed the degree of monumental vision and sophistication used by these early farming communities to create Europe's first truly large scale earthwork complexes," said the senior archaeologist, Harald Staeuble of the Saxony state government's heritage department, who has been directing the archaeological investigations. Scientific investigations into the recently excavated material are taking place in Dresden.
The people who built the huge circular temples were the descendants of migrants who arrived many centuries earlier from the Danube plain in what is now northern Serbia and Hungary. The temple-builders were pastoralists, controlling large herds of cattle, sheep and goats as well as pigs. They made tools of stone, bone and wood, and small ceramic statues of humans and animals.
They manufactured substantial amounts of geometrically decorated pottery, and they lived in large longhouses in substantial villages.
One village complex and temple at Aythra, near Leipzig, covers an area of 25 hectares. Two hundred longhouses have been found there. The population would have been up to 300 people living in a highly organised settlement of 15 to 20 very large communal buildings.
P/S:it's a big discovery i think...
More than 150 gigantic monuments have been located beneath the fields and cities of modern-day Germany, Austria and Slovakia. They were built 7,000 years ago, between 4800BC and 4600BC.
Their discovery, revealed today by The Independent, will revolutionise the study of prehistoric Europe, where an appetite for monumental architecture was thought to have developed later than in Mesopotamia and Egypt.
In all, more than 150 temples have been identified. Constructed of earth and wood, they had ramparts and palisades that stretched for up to half a mile. They were built by a religious people who lived in communal longhouses up to 50 metres long, grouped around substantial villages. Evidence suggests their economy was based on cattle, sheep, goat and pig farming.
Their civilisation seems to have died out after about 200 years and the recent archaeological discoveries are so new that the temple building culture does not even have a name yet.
Excavations have been taking place over the past few years - and have triggered a re-evaluation of similar, though hitherto mostly undated, complexes identified from aerial photographs throughout central Europe.
Archaeologists are now beginning to suspect that hundreds of these very early monumental religious centres, each up to 150 metres across, were constructed across a 400-mile swath of land in what is now Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and eastern Germany.
The most complex excavated so far - located inside the city of Dresden - consisted of an apparently sacred internal space surrounded by two palisades, three earthen banks and four ditches.
The monuments seem to be a phenomenon associated exclusively with a period of consolidation and growth that followed the initial establishment of farming cultures in the centre of the continent.
It is possible that the newly revealed early Neolithic monument phenomenon was the consequence of an increase in the size of - and competition between - emerging Neolithic tribal or pan-tribal groups, arguably Europe's earliest mini-states.
After a relatively brief period - perhaps just one or two hundred years - either the need or the socio-political ability to build them disappeared, and monuments of this scale were not built again until the Middle Bronze Age, 3,000 years later. Why this monumental culture collapsed is a mystery.
The archaeological investigation into these vast Stone Age temples over the past three years has also revealed several other mysteries. First, each complex was only used for a few generations - perhaps 100 years maximum. Second, the central sacred area was nearly always the same size, about a third of a hectare. Third, each circular enclosure ditch - irrespective of diameter - involved the removal of the same volume of earth. In other words, the builders reduced the depth and/or width of each ditch in inverse proportion to its diameter, so as to always keep volume (and thus time spent) constant .
Archaeologists are speculating that this may have been in order to allow each earthwork to be dug by a set number of special status workers in a set number of days - perhaps to satisfy the ritual requirements of some sort of religious calendar.
The multiple bank, ditch and palisade systems "protecting" the inner space seem not to have been built for defensive purposes - and were instead probably designed to prevent ordinary tribespeople from seeing the sacred and presumably secret rituals which were performed in the "inner sanctum" .
The investigation so far suggests that each religious complex was ritually decommissioned at the end of its life, with the ditches, each of which had been dug successively, being deliberately filled in.
"Our excavations have revealed the degree of monumental vision and sophistication used by these early farming communities to create Europe's first truly large scale earthwork complexes," said the senior archaeologist, Harald Staeuble of the Saxony state government's heritage department, who has been directing the archaeological investigations. Scientific investigations into the recently excavated material are taking place in Dresden.
The people who built the huge circular temples were the descendants of migrants who arrived many centuries earlier from the Danube plain in what is now northern Serbia and Hungary. The temple-builders were pastoralists, controlling large herds of cattle, sheep and goats as well as pigs. They made tools of stone, bone and wood, and small ceramic statues of humans and animals.
They manufactured substantial amounts of geometrically decorated pottery, and they lived in large longhouses in substantial villages.
One village complex and temple at Aythra, near Leipzig, covers an area of 25 hectares. Two hundred longhouses have been found there. The population would have been up to 300 people living in a highly organised settlement of 15 to 20 very large communal buildings.
P/S:it's a big discovery i think...
Ancient pyramid found in Mexico
Archaeologists have discovered an ancient pyramid buried under a hill on the outskirts of Mexico City.
The site will not be fully explored because of its religious significance
The pyramid is said to be 1,500 years old and was built by the same ancient people who constructed the Teotihuacan complex, known as the City of the Gods.
Parts of the structure have been badly damaged as the hill has been used for decades to stage re-enactments of the crucifixion of Christ during Holy Week.
The religious celebration is attended by as many as one million devotees.
Measuring 150m (492 feet) on each of its four sides, the 18-metre (59-foot) tall pyramid was carved out on a natural hillside around 500 AD.
It was abandoned in about 800 AD, when the Teotihuacan culture collapsed for unknown reasons.
Cultural legacy
"When they first saw us digging there, the local people just couldn't believe there was a pyramid," archaeologist Jesus Sanchez said, who has been exploring the site since 2004.
The same ancient people are believed to have built Teotihuacan
It was only when the slopes and shapes of the pyramid, the floors with altars were found, that they finally believed us. The majority of the people now feel happy and proud, and have helped out a lot in protecting the relics," he added.
Iztapalapa hillside, known as Hill of the Star, overlooks one of Mexico City's poorest and most dangerous neighbourhoods.
Local people began re-enacting the Passion of Christ there in 1833, to give thanks for divine protection during a cholera epidemic - a ritual which now draws as many as a million spectators every year.
The site will not be fully explored because it is now considered a religious centre in its own right, said Mr Sanchez of the National Institute of Anthropology and History.
"Both the pre-Hispanic structure and the Holy Week rituals are part of our cultural legacy, so we have to look for a way to protect both cultural values."
P/S:seem that ancient human are very clever...
The site will not be fully explored because of its religious significance
The pyramid is said to be 1,500 years old and was built by the same ancient people who constructed the Teotihuacan complex, known as the City of the Gods.
Parts of the structure have been badly damaged as the hill has been used for decades to stage re-enactments of the crucifixion of Christ during Holy Week.
The religious celebration is attended by as many as one million devotees.
Measuring 150m (492 feet) on each of its four sides, the 18-metre (59-foot) tall pyramid was carved out on a natural hillside around 500 AD.
It was abandoned in about 800 AD, when the Teotihuacan culture collapsed for unknown reasons.
Cultural legacy
"When they first saw us digging there, the local people just couldn't believe there was a pyramid," archaeologist Jesus Sanchez said, who has been exploring the site since 2004.
The same ancient people are believed to have built Teotihuacan
It was only when the slopes and shapes of the pyramid, the floors with altars were found, that they finally believed us. The majority of the people now feel happy and proud, and have helped out a lot in protecting the relics," he added.
Iztapalapa hillside, known as Hill of the Star, overlooks one of Mexico City's poorest and most dangerous neighbourhoods.
Local people began re-enacting the Passion of Christ there in 1833, to give thanks for divine protection during a cholera epidemic - a ritual which now draws as many as a million spectators every year.
The site will not be fully explored because it is now considered a religious centre in its own right, said Mr Sanchez of the National Institute of Anthropology and History.
"Both the pre-Hispanic structure and the Holy Week rituals are part of our cultural legacy, so we have to look for a way to protect both cultural values."
P/S:seem that ancient human are very clever...
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Ancient Sea Monster Remains Found in Argentina
Argentine scientists have discovered the remains of a fierce sea monster that terrorized Pacific waters in the age of the dinosaurs. The researchers are calling it Godzilla after the legendary movie monster, but it really was an ancestor of modern crocodiles.
What has a head like a meat eating dinosaur and a tail like a fish? An ancient sea reptile called a dakosaur.
Millions of years ago when dinosaurs ruled the land, these early crocodiles dominated the oceans, but they never seem to have caught the public's imagination as dinosaurs have.
Perhaps this will change with the discovery of a 135- million-year-old dakosaur skull and two lower jaws in the Patagonia desert of southern Argentina. The researchers who describe it in the journal Science call it Dakosaurus andiniensis, the Andean Dakosaur, to contrast it to those that swam in other parts of the world at the time. What a contrast it is.
"At first glance, it was evident that Dakosaurus andiniensis was truly unique among marine crocodiles," said Diego Pol, an expert on ancient animals at the Ohio State University.
He took part in the research and says the creature was distinct from its crocodile cousins of the Jurassic era because it had a tall, short head shaped like a bullet and large, powerful, serrated teeth that seem to belong in a dinosaur's mouth.
These features indicate that it was a predator capable of gobbling reptiles and other large sea life, filling a niche eventually taken over by large sharks. In contrast, other dakosaurs and their modern crocodile descendants have long, thin snouts and many thin teeth suitable for feeding on smaller, more agile prey such as fish.
"We find these results extremely interesting because they indicate that the diversity of crocodiles back in the Jurassic was much greater than expected," he added.
Based on the size of the skull, Mr. Pol and his colleagues from the National University of La Plata, Argentina estimate that the creature was four meters long. They infer its body shape based on a computer program that analyzed the fossils and found that they most resemble the early crocodile branch that had flippers and a fish-like tail instead of four feet and a tail like modern crocodiles.
"This analysis revealed that the anatomical changes along the evolution of the Dakosaurus lineage were clearly the most drastic evolutionary change in the history of marine crocodiles. This places the 135-million-year-old Dakosaurus andiniensis not only as one of the most recent members of this family, but also as the most bizarre marine crocodile known today," he explained.
The National Geographic Society in Washington, which sponsored the research, says dakosaurs were only one of the monsters that cavorted in the world's oceans between 250 million and 65 million years ago. Back then shallow seas and a lack of significant marine predators created new opportunities for many reptiles that had first developed on land. They included such beasts as giant ichthyosaurs that might have reached 25 meters in length and plesiosaurs with seven-meter-long necks reminiscent of the fabled Loch Ness monster in Scotland.
Diego Pol says that all dakosaurs became extinct by the end of the Cretaceous era 65 million years ago, leaving us with only a fraction of the crocodile diversity of that long ago time.
"This pattern of extinctions is what we see in the fossil record of all species. It is fairly common to see that a species or family has its own moment where it diversifies and later goes extinct. The most famous case of this is the large dinosaurs that disappeared by the end of the Cretaceous," he said.
You might call these ferocious meat-eating dakosaurs, the dinosaurs of the sea, animals that shared the world at the same time.
Although they are no longer around, their smaller crocodile descendants, who split their time between land and water, are no friendlier and might just as well be avoided.
P/S:sometimes i think about why humans so dreaming about monsters..i believed that the monsters will only be threat to human being..
What has a head like a meat eating dinosaur and a tail like a fish? An ancient sea reptile called a dakosaur.
Millions of years ago when dinosaurs ruled the land, these early crocodiles dominated the oceans, but they never seem to have caught the public's imagination as dinosaurs have.
Perhaps this will change with the discovery of a 135- million-year-old dakosaur skull and two lower jaws in the Patagonia desert of southern Argentina. The researchers who describe it in the journal Science call it Dakosaurus andiniensis, the Andean Dakosaur, to contrast it to those that swam in other parts of the world at the time. What a contrast it is.
"At first glance, it was evident that Dakosaurus andiniensis was truly unique among marine crocodiles," said Diego Pol, an expert on ancient animals at the Ohio State University.
He took part in the research and says the creature was distinct from its crocodile cousins of the Jurassic era because it had a tall, short head shaped like a bullet and large, powerful, serrated teeth that seem to belong in a dinosaur's mouth.
These features indicate that it was a predator capable of gobbling reptiles and other large sea life, filling a niche eventually taken over by large sharks. In contrast, other dakosaurs and their modern crocodile descendants have long, thin snouts and many thin teeth suitable for feeding on smaller, more agile prey such as fish.
"We find these results extremely interesting because they indicate that the diversity of crocodiles back in the Jurassic was much greater than expected," he added.
Based on the size of the skull, Mr. Pol and his colleagues from the National University of La Plata, Argentina estimate that the creature was four meters long. They infer its body shape based on a computer program that analyzed the fossils and found that they most resemble the early crocodile branch that had flippers and a fish-like tail instead of four feet and a tail like modern crocodiles.
"This analysis revealed that the anatomical changes along the evolution of the Dakosaurus lineage were clearly the most drastic evolutionary change in the history of marine crocodiles. This places the 135-million-year-old Dakosaurus andiniensis not only as one of the most recent members of this family, but also as the most bizarre marine crocodile known today," he explained.
The National Geographic Society in Washington, which sponsored the research, says dakosaurs were only one of the monsters that cavorted in the world's oceans between 250 million and 65 million years ago. Back then shallow seas and a lack of significant marine predators created new opportunities for many reptiles that had first developed on land. They included such beasts as giant ichthyosaurs that might have reached 25 meters in length and plesiosaurs with seven-meter-long necks reminiscent of the fabled Loch Ness monster in Scotland.
Diego Pol says that all dakosaurs became extinct by the end of the Cretaceous era 65 million years ago, leaving us with only a fraction of the crocodile diversity of that long ago time.
"This pattern of extinctions is what we see in the fossil record of all species. It is fairly common to see that a species or family has its own moment where it diversifies and later goes extinct. The most famous case of this is the large dinosaurs that disappeared by the end of the Cretaceous," he said.
You might call these ferocious meat-eating dakosaurs, the dinosaurs of the sea, animals that shared the world at the same time.
Although they are no longer around, their smaller crocodile descendants, who split their time between land and water, are no friendlier and might just as well be avoided.
P/S:sometimes i think about why humans so dreaming about monsters..i believed that the monsters will only be threat to human being..
Dire Wolf
The Dire Wolf was a powerful creature, but now he is extinct. The Dire Wolf lived during the last Ice Age and it ranged all throughout the Western Hemisphere. The Dire Wolf became extinct over 10,000 years ago. Over 3,600 Dire Wolves have been recovered from Rancho La Brea. That's more than any other species of mammal that has been recovered from Rancho La Brea. The large number of Dire Wolves found at Rancho La Brea implies that, like the Saber-Toothed Cat, they may have hunted in packs. Since they hunted in packs, more than just one wolf got caught in the tar pits. the Dire Wolf was a close relative to the Timber Wolf, which has also been recovered from Rancho La Brea. The only difference between the Dire Wolf and the Timber Wolf is the size of their teeth and the Dire Wolf is a little bit smaller than the Timber Wolf. The Dire Wolf had slightly larger teeth than the Timber Wolf. These dental differences suggest that the Dire Wolf could crush bones more efficiently. Modern Timber Wolves are often kicked or stepped on while chasing and capturing such large animals such as moose. The fossils of Dire Wolves sometimes show similar types of injuries. These Dire Wolves may have been injured while hunting either some extinct horses or bison. Another name for the Dire Wolf is Canis Dirus. The case you see above contains more than 400 Dire Wolf skulls. WOW!! That's a lot! Carnivores have been uncovered way more than the omnivores which puts the Dire Wolf in there. The Dire Wolf has more bones that have been uncovered than any other animal found.
P/S:the size of a Dire Wolf actually is about 2 times of a normal adult..
P/S:the size of a Dire Wolf actually is about 2 times of a normal adult..
Okapis rediscovered
Thought extinct for 47 years in the Congo’s Virunga National Park, the okapis have been rediscovered!
Okapis are important in the history of romantic natural history. The animal was used to symbolize the International Society of Cryptozoology (1982-1995), and was the centerpiece of the organization’s logo.
The okapi (Okapia johnstoni) is a beautiful animal, a true “living fossil”. I have observed them in St. Louis, Chicago, San Diego, and every zoo I can find that has any. Last weekend, I was able to observe for several minutes over the space of three hours, the 21-year-old male, born in the San Diego Zoo, and now in captivity at the San Antonio Zoo. Zookeepers Charlene and Ramone were kind enough to discuss the specimen with me, and Ramone even engaged (via petting and feeding) and coaxed the animal to be a little less shy about starting its morning routine, before I left for Maine. Unnecessary but appreciated.
For years in the 19th century, Europeans brushed aside tales from the native peoples of the Congo, the pygmies, about a creature said to look like a cross between a zebra and a giraffe. That would all change at the turn of the twentieth century. Sir Harry Johnston gained the trust of a band of Congolese pygmies when he rescued them from a German showman who was trying to abduct and show them at the 1900 Paris Exhibition.
Johnston then began hearing stories from them about the okapi, a mule-sized animal animal with zebra stripes. In 1901, Johnston secured and sent a whole skin, two skulls, and a detailed description of the okapi to London. First found in what is now the Virunga in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in 1901, the okapis were thought to have died out, nevertheless in recent years, in the very site of their discovery.
Now, on Friday, June 9, 2006, an announcement has been made that conclusive proof of the existence of okapis in the Congo’s Virunga National Park has been confirmed. This re-discovery of these animals is a remarkable story of survival, as they have not been found there since 1959. A recent survey of the area by conservation group World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) found 17 okapi tracks and other evidence of its presence. No sightings of the elusive animal were documented but its tracks were taken as “absolute proof of the creature’s recent activity in the park,” reported Reuters.
“The rediscovery of okapis in Virunga National Park is a positive sign,” said Marc Languy, of WWF’s Eastern Africa Regional Programme. “As the country is returning to peace, it shows that the protected areas in this troubled region are now havens for rare wildlife once more. Except for mountain gorillas, which have shown an increase in population due to important conservation efforts, most wildlife in the park (Virunga) have heavily suffered from poaching. The population of hippopotamus, for example, has dropped from 29,000 in the mid-1970s to less than 1,000 today,” Languy commented.
This is good news to hear about the okapis
P/S:i believed that those extinct animals not really extinct..maybe they just 'hidding' at somewhere that human cant find them out
Okapis are important in the history of romantic natural history. The animal was used to symbolize the International Society of Cryptozoology (1982-1995), and was the centerpiece of the organization’s logo.
The okapi (Okapia johnstoni) is a beautiful animal, a true “living fossil”. I have observed them in St. Louis, Chicago, San Diego, and every zoo I can find that has any. Last weekend, I was able to observe for several minutes over the space of three hours, the 21-year-old male, born in the San Diego Zoo, and now in captivity at the San Antonio Zoo. Zookeepers Charlene and Ramone were kind enough to discuss the specimen with me, and Ramone even engaged (via petting and feeding) and coaxed the animal to be a little less shy about starting its morning routine, before I left for Maine. Unnecessary but appreciated.
For years in the 19th century, Europeans brushed aside tales from the native peoples of the Congo, the pygmies, about a creature said to look like a cross between a zebra and a giraffe. That would all change at the turn of the twentieth century. Sir Harry Johnston gained the trust of a band of Congolese pygmies when he rescued them from a German showman who was trying to abduct and show them at the 1900 Paris Exhibition.
Johnston then began hearing stories from them about the okapi, a mule-sized animal animal with zebra stripes. In 1901, Johnston secured and sent a whole skin, two skulls, and a detailed description of the okapi to London. First found in what is now the Virunga in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in 1901, the okapis were thought to have died out, nevertheless in recent years, in the very site of their discovery.
Now, on Friday, June 9, 2006, an announcement has been made that conclusive proof of the existence of okapis in the Congo’s Virunga National Park has been confirmed. This re-discovery of these animals is a remarkable story of survival, as they have not been found there since 1959. A recent survey of the area by conservation group World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) found 17 okapi tracks and other evidence of its presence. No sightings of the elusive animal were documented but its tracks were taken as “absolute proof of the creature’s recent activity in the park,” reported Reuters.
“The rediscovery of okapis in Virunga National Park is a positive sign,” said Marc Languy, of WWF’s Eastern Africa Regional Programme. “As the country is returning to peace, it shows that the protected areas in this troubled region are now havens for rare wildlife once more. Except for mountain gorillas, which have shown an increase in population due to important conservation efforts, most wildlife in the park (Virunga) have heavily suffered from poaching. The population of hippopotamus, for example, has dropped from 29,000 in the mid-1970s to less than 1,000 today,” Languy commented.
This is good news to hear about the okapis
P/S:i believed that those extinct animals not really extinct..maybe they just 'hidding' at somewhere that human cant find them out
The Megalodon
Most people consider the most terrifying creature to reign on this planet to be the Great White shark. Its size and sheer ruthlessness can send chills down the spines of any man or beast. The Great White's ancestor, though, is supremely larger and was even more terrifying.
The shark, Carcharodon megalodon, was the greatest hunter the planet has ever seen. Due to the size of the fossilized teeth the creatures length can be found to be anywhere from sixty feet to two hundred feet. Most scientists agree on the sixty foot length; it all depends on where in the mouth the teeth where located. Since the megalodon's skeleton, like all sharks, was constructed of cartilage, it was easily decomposed in a matter of years. The only remains of the creatures are the gigantic teeth that are the size of a man's hand.
Many scientists believe the shark went extinct about two million years ago during the Pliocene epoch. Due to the changing earth climates and the evolution of prey, the Megalodon was thought to have become a creature that couldn't fend for itself. The beast lived in the warmer waters of the oceans and as the climates changed the waters eventually cooled.
There are theories, however, that the Carcharodon megalodon is still alive. Author Steve Alten, whose novels include Meg and The Trench, has pioneered the theory that the shark may still be alive. His theory has the creature slowly moving into the deeper descents of the ocean to find warmth. The shark's metabolism would slow down, and it would require less to eat, so the creature could thrive on the food sources in the deep trenches. Mr. Alten puts it best himself:
We know from fossilized teeth that Megalodon survived the extinction that killed off most of the marine animals 65 & 45 million years ago. In fact, we have teeth that showed Meg's may have been alive as near as 10,000 years ago. What eventually killed them off was the decrease in water temperatures, a result of the last ice age. However, the recent discover of hydrothermal vents (1977) and life forms at the bottom of the deepest parts of the ocean leave the possibility that some Megalodon may have survived by inhabiting these deeper, unexplored waters.
There have been several sightings of gigantic sharks, which could be Megalodon's. The only problem for the Megalodon, and perhaps our hope, is that the several miles of frigid ocean water is keeping the shark trapped. If it were to try and reach the surface, the creature would be killed by the drastic change in temperature.
If the creature still does exist miles under the surface, we can only hope that it never escapes without man's help.
P/S:that's why i m so interested to marine biology..maybe one day i might found a new species of marine creature
The shark, Carcharodon megalodon, was the greatest hunter the planet has ever seen. Due to the size of the fossilized teeth the creatures length can be found to be anywhere from sixty feet to two hundred feet. Most scientists agree on the sixty foot length; it all depends on where in the mouth the teeth where located. Since the megalodon's skeleton, like all sharks, was constructed of cartilage, it was easily decomposed in a matter of years. The only remains of the creatures are the gigantic teeth that are the size of a man's hand.
Many scientists believe the shark went extinct about two million years ago during the Pliocene epoch. Due to the changing earth climates and the evolution of prey, the Megalodon was thought to have become a creature that couldn't fend for itself. The beast lived in the warmer waters of the oceans and as the climates changed the waters eventually cooled.
There are theories, however, that the Carcharodon megalodon is still alive. Author Steve Alten, whose novels include Meg and The Trench, has pioneered the theory that the shark may still be alive. His theory has the creature slowly moving into the deeper descents of the ocean to find warmth. The shark's metabolism would slow down, and it would require less to eat, so the creature could thrive on the food sources in the deep trenches. Mr. Alten puts it best himself:
We know from fossilized teeth that Megalodon survived the extinction that killed off most of the marine animals 65 & 45 million years ago. In fact, we have teeth that showed Meg's may have been alive as near as 10,000 years ago. What eventually killed them off was the decrease in water temperatures, a result of the last ice age. However, the recent discover of hydrothermal vents (1977) and life forms at the bottom of the deepest parts of the ocean leave the possibility that some Megalodon may have survived by inhabiting these deeper, unexplored waters.
There have been several sightings of gigantic sharks, which could be Megalodon's. The only problem for the Megalodon, and perhaps our hope, is that the several miles of frigid ocean water is keeping the shark trapped. If it were to try and reach the surface, the creature would be killed by the drastic change in temperature.
If the creature still does exist miles under the surface, we can only hope that it never escapes without man's help.
P/S:that's why i m so interested to marine biology..maybe one day i might found a new species of marine creature
Storsjoodjuret
SWEDEN'S most famous lake monster, the Storsjoodjuret (the monster of Lake Storsjon) had a lot of coverage in the Swedish newspapers last summer following a video recording of the creature in July by Gun-Britt Widmark, 67, while boating on the lake off Ostersund with a party of pensioners. Whatever it was had humps and was 33 to 39 feet long.
Four people made a further sighting on July 22 from their verandah overlooking the lake. They watched a long, wave-like movement in the water, like the wash of a boat, though there was no boat in sight. Through binoculars they saw something rolling up and down in the water, breaking the surface every three seconds. It moved parallel with the Rodo bridge for a couple of minutes, then changed direction by 90 degrees, finally diving and disappearing under the bridge. One of them tried to capture the phenomenon on video, but it was too far away. Sten Rentzhog, director of the local Ostersund museum, has collected nearly 500 accounts of Storsjoodjuret sightings dating back to 1635. In recent years, most of these have coincided with the summer tourist season, leading sceptics to suspect a degree of public relations hype; but last July the paper Ostersunds Posten complained that the monster was poorly marketed compared with Nessie or some of the American lake monsters. There was no merchandise on sale apart from two postcards. Furthermore, the monster was seasonal long before there were any tourists, as can be seen from Dr Peter Olsson's study of 1899.
The folkloric explanation is that the lake monsters of this part of Sweden are seasonal because they migrate from the Gulf of Bothnia, where they spend the winter months, and it was said that sometimes in summer they were observed on land moving between the various lakes. Incidentally, Dr Olsson wondered if the monster might be an unknown species of giant seal, but readily admitted that seals should have been more noticeable in the winter, and noted the lack of breathing holes in the lake's ice.
In 1986, after 22 years of sporadic debate, the county administration of Jamtland (the district which encompasses the lake) declared that anyone trying to capture or kill the Storsjon monster could be prosecuted. The ruling had taken such a long time because lawyers required an "official" Linnaean name for the animal and naturally the zoological establishment would not acknowledge that the creature existed.
No one could decide if the matter should be dealt with under the Game Act or the Fishery Regulation Act. Scandinavian sophistry overcame the conundrum by invoking the Nature Conservation Act, prohibiting any threat to the unknown creature "while awaiting a determination of its species". This was prudent, as descriptions of the monster have changed over the years.
In the 19th century, nearly all the witnesses described a "waterhorse", its head surrounded by a long white mane floating in the water. Contemporary witnesses don't seem to notice its horse-like head and mane. My Swedish correspondent dryly describes the beast as a "camouflageon" - a hitherto unknown species of highly developed amphibian chameleon.
Olle Mattsson, an antiquarian at the Ostersund museum, has spent the last two years examining the museum's archives for historical observations of the monster, to which he has added many interviews with modern witnesses. His version of the "typical" monster is 10 to 16 feet long, 12 to 16 inches wide, dark grey or black with a small head. "All evidence indicates that there is a population [of the monsters]," he said. "They probably move together in a pack."
Although the local papers report two or three sightings every summer, Mr Mattsson believes that most witnesses keep quiet out of fear of ridicule - which seems rather odd, considering the large number of witnesses who have come forward. This is probably a modern gloss on the old taboo against mentioning encounters with the dangerous or unknown, especially to strangers.
P/S:i believed that monster fever affected the whole world..
Four people made a further sighting on July 22 from their verandah overlooking the lake. They watched a long, wave-like movement in the water, like the wash of a boat, though there was no boat in sight. Through binoculars they saw something rolling up and down in the water, breaking the surface every three seconds. It moved parallel with the Rodo bridge for a couple of minutes, then changed direction by 90 degrees, finally diving and disappearing under the bridge. One of them tried to capture the phenomenon on video, but it was too far away. Sten Rentzhog, director of the local Ostersund museum, has collected nearly 500 accounts of Storsjoodjuret sightings dating back to 1635. In recent years, most of these have coincided with the summer tourist season, leading sceptics to suspect a degree of public relations hype; but last July the paper Ostersunds Posten complained that the monster was poorly marketed compared with Nessie or some of the American lake monsters. There was no merchandise on sale apart from two postcards. Furthermore, the monster was seasonal long before there were any tourists, as can be seen from Dr Peter Olsson's study of 1899.
The folkloric explanation is that the lake monsters of this part of Sweden are seasonal because they migrate from the Gulf of Bothnia, where they spend the winter months, and it was said that sometimes in summer they were observed on land moving between the various lakes. Incidentally, Dr Olsson wondered if the monster might be an unknown species of giant seal, but readily admitted that seals should have been more noticeable in the winter, and noted the lack of breathing holes in the lake's ice.
In 1986, after 22 years of sporadic debate, the county administration of Jamtland (the district which encompasses the lake) declared that anyone trying to capture or kill the Storsjon monster could be prosecuted. The ruling had taken such a long time because lawyers required an "official" Linnaean name for the animal and naturally the zoological establishment would not acknowledge that the creature existed.
No one could decide if the matter should be dealt with under the Game Act or the Fishery Regulation Act. Scandinavian sophistry overcame the conundrum by invoking the Nature Conservation Act, prohibiting any threat to the unknown creature "while awaiting a determination of its species". This was prudent, as descriptions of the monster have changed over the years.
In the 19th century, nearly all the witnesses described a "waterhorse", its head surrounded by a long white mane floating in the water. Contemporary witnesses don't seem to notice its horse-like head and mane. My Swedish correspondent dryly describes the beast as a "camouflageon" - a hitherto unknown species of highly developed amphibian chameleon.
Olle Mattsson, an antiquarian at the Ostersund museum, has spent the last two years examining the museum's archives for historical observations of the monster, to which he has added many interviews with modern witnesses. His version of the "typical" monster is 10 to 16 feet long, 12 to 16 inches wide, dark grey or black with a small head. "All evidence indicates that there is a population [of the monsters]," he said. "They probably move together in a pack."
Although the local papers report two or three sightings every summer, Mr Mattsson believes that most witnesses keep quiet out of fear of ridicule - which seems rather odd, considering the large number of witnesses who have come forward. This is probably a modern gloss on the old taboo against mentioning encounters with the dangerous or unknown, especially to strangers.
P/S:i believed that monster fever affected the whole world..
Monsters of the Antarctic
In 1996, a meteorite found in Antarctica made headlines upon the announcement that fossilized microbes from Mars had fallen to Earth. Now further research from the desolate South Pole continent is providing more news of a fantastic nature, doing for the field of cryptozoology what it did for ufologists before. Scientists studying icebergs on the Antarctic seabed have discovered a variety of never-before-seen species of such immense size and peculiarity that they could rightly be called monsters.
Dr. Lloyd Peck, head of Nearshore Marine Biology for the British Antarctic Survey, announced that the frigid polar environment has brought about a sort of "gigantism" among a number of diverse marine life forms. There are Antarctic sea spiders measuring up to 13 inches across, which is a thousand times the size of the common European sea spider. Isopods, aquatic insects comparable to wood lice that normally grow to a length of 1.2 inches in warmer seas, have been found as long as 6.7 inches. Other giant creatures include 10-foot sponges and ribbon worms over nine feet long.
Peck explained that two primary conditions of the Antarctic are responsible for the evolution of these monsters: cold and isolation. The freezing temperatures cause marine life to have extremely low metabolic rates, which enables them to live longer and grow much larger than their relatives in more temperate oceans. The isolated and foreboding habitats of these species also help them to thrive, keeping them relatively free of encroaching predators -- and human beings.
Icebergs are a vital element in the shaping of the creatures' habitat, and a topic of special interest to Peck. Measuring acres across, giant icebergs routinely crash into the Antarctic seabed, laying waste to vast colonies of marine life like a naturally occurring nuclear blast.
"An iceberg obliterates everything short of bacteria, leaving a pristine environment," Peck said. While obviously detrimental to the organisms caught in its path, an iceberg's "cleansing" leaves behind a virginal habitat in which other species may then successfully propagate. The combination of these environmental factors has led Antarctica to spawn a hitherto unknown diversity of marine life which Peck says might compare to the exotic species of tropical seas.
P/S:maybe because of isolated condition..that's why those creatures evolved into monsters?
Dr. Lloyd Peck, head of Nearshore Marine Biology for the British Antarctic Survey, announced that the frigid polar environment has brought about a sort of "gigantism" among a number of diverse marine life forms. There are Antarctic sea spiders measuring up to 13 inches across, which is a thousand times the size of the common European sea spider. Isopods, aquatic insects comparable to wood lice that normally grow to a length of 1.2 inches in warmer seas, have been found as long as 6.7 inches. Other giant creatures include 10-foot sponges and ribbon worms over nine feet long.
Peck explained that two primary conditions of the Antarctic are responsible for the evolution of these monsters: cold and isolation. The freezing temperatures cause marine life to have extremely low metabolic rates, which enables them to live longer and grow much larger than their relatives in more temperate oceans. The isolated and foreboding habitats of these species also help them to thrive, keeping them relatively free of encroaching predators -- and human beings.
Icebergs are a vital element in the shaping of the creatures' habitat, and a topic of special interest to Peck. Measuring acres across, giant icebergs routinely crash into the Antarctic seabed, laying waste to vast colonies of marine life like a naturally occurring nuclear blast.
"An iceberg obliterates everything short of bacteria, leaving a pristine environment," Peck said. While obviously detrimental to the organisms caught in its path, an iceberg's "cleansing" leaves behind a virginal habitat in which other species may then successfully propagate. The combination of these environmental factors has led Antarctica to spawn a hitherto unknown diversity of marine life which Peck says might compare to the exotic species of tropical seas.
P/S:maybe because of isolated condition..that's why those creatures evolved into monsters?
Giant Anacondas
The Anaconda has long since been known in scientific circles as Eunectes murinus. The longest specimen that has been reliably recorded is twenty-four feet. For some time, this snake was thought to be thirty-seven and half feet long, but later investigations showed the snake had been stretched accidentally. The creature, which had been killed by Robert Lamon, was located in eastern Colombia in 1944.
Natives of the Amazon know of a creature, called Sucuriju gigante, so well that they can name each of the animals specifically. The snakes are known to grow up to at least sixty two feet in length and some reports have them growing up to one hundred fifteen feet!
Lieutenant Colonel Percy Fawcett was exploring the Rio Abunã, near the intersection of the Rio Negro in southern Brazil, when the head of a Giant Anaconda surfaced next to his canoe. Several feet of the creatures back also came to break the muddy water as it moved towards the riverbank. Without hesitation, Fawcett shot and killed the creature with his pistol. After paddling to the shore, he found the creature to be "a length of forty five feet out of the water and seventeen feet in it making a total of length of sixty two feet." The explorer also told of another species of snake, nicknamed the "Sleeper", which is said to be black and much larger.
Perhaps the most amazing report comes from Fort Tabatinga, on the River Oiapoc in the Guaporé territory. In 1948, the Rio de Janerio newspaper told of a snake that came ashore and measured one hundred fifteen feet in length. Soldiers fired at least five hundred machine gun bullets into the beast before it finally died. After the body was measured and photographed the carcass was pushed into the river to avoid the horrendous stench that would be caused by decomposition.
Although the creatures seem too large to live, due to their length and girth, some speculate it could be possible for the snakes to exist. If they remained in the river water the buoyancy could sustain the creature's life and counteract the effects of gravity.
Some reports give the snake's gargantuan size- but it must be noted that snakeskins are very easy to stretch. It would be impossible, however, for someone to stretch a skin if the snake is still wearing it.
P/S:i think u heard before the movies about giant anacondas..right?
Natives of the Amazon know of a creature, called Sucuriju gigante, so well that they can name each of the animals specifically. The snakes are known to grow up to at least sixty two feet in length and some reports have them growing up to one hundred fifteen feet!
Lieutenant Colonel Percy Fawcett was exploring the Rio Abunã, near the intersection of the Rio Negro in southern Brazil, when the head of a Giant Anaconda surfaced next to his canoe. Several feet of the creatures back also came to break the muddy water as it moved towards the riverbank. Without hesitation, Fawcett shot and killed the creature with his pistol. After paddling to the shore, he found the creature to be "a length of forty five feet out of the water and seventeen feet in it making a total of length of sixty two feet." The explorer also told of another species of snake, nicknamed the "Sleeper", which is said to be black and much larger.
Perhaps the most amazing report comes from Fort Tabatinga, on the River Oiapoc in the Guaporé territory. In 1948, the Rio de Janerio newspaper told of a snake that came ashore and measured one hundred fifteen feet in length. Soldiers fired at least five hundred machine gun bullets into the beast before it finally died. After the body was measured and photographed the carcass was pushed into the river to avoid the horrendous stench that would be caused by decomposition.
Although the creatures seem too large to live, due to their length and girth, some speculate it could be possible for the snakes to exist. If they remained in the river water the buoyancy could sustain the creature's life and counteract the effects of gravity.
Some reports give the snake's gargantuan size- but it must be noted that snakeskins are very easy to stretch. It would be impossible, however, for someone to stretch a skin if the snake is still wearing it.
P/S:i think u heard before the movies about giant anacondas..right?
Minhocão
One of the most extraordinary mystery beasts of the world is the Minhocão. Relatively unknown to the rest of the world, the Minhocão has been reported from the forests of South America since the 19th century. The Minhocão is commonly described as a giant worm-like animal up to 75 feet long, with black scaly skin and two tentacle-like structures protruding from its head. Known best as being a burrowing animal, the Minhocão is commonly blamed for houses and roads collapsing into the earth. It is also said to frequently visit the local lakes and rivers of the areas in which it's reported.
The first published reference to the Minhocão appeared in the American Journal of Science in an article written by Auguste de Saint-Hilaire. In the article Saint-Hilaire stated several instances where a Minhocão was seen near fords of rivers. Some of these reports had a Minhocão snatching livestock and dragging them underwater! All of instances he reported took place in the Brazilian province of Goyaz. Saint-Hilaire also stated his belief that the name Minhocão is derived from the Portuguese word meaning earthworm, minhoca.
Publications regarding the Minhocão ceased until 1877, when zoologist Fritz Müller wrote an article on the beast for a German publication Zoologische Garten. Müller's article included new information on the Minhocão, including reports of huge mysterious trenches that were so big they'd divert rivers and destroy orchards. Unlike Saint-Hilaire's article, Müller's included actual sightings of the Minhocão. The following is of one of these sightings, which took place in the Paranà State in the 1840s:
A black woman going to draw water from a pool near a house one morning ... saw a short distance off an animal which she described as being as large as a house moving off along the ground. ... In the same district a young man saw a huge pine suddenly overturned ... he found the surrounding earth in movement, and an enormous worm-like black animal in the middle of it, about twenty-five meters long, and with two horns on its head.
Müller also mentioned a story told by Lebino José dos Santos who had heard tales of a dead Minhocão being found near Arapehy, Uruguay. According to the tale the creature was found lodged between two rocks, the reputed skin was said to be "as thick as the bark of a pine-tree" and armored with "scales like those of an armadillo". A sighting of a live Minhocão near Lages, Brazil in 1870 by Francisco de Amaral Varella, he said he:
... saw lying on the bank of the Rio das Caveiras a strange animal of gigantic size, nearly one meter in thickness, not very long, and with a snout like a pig, but whether it had legs or not he could not tell. ... whilst calling his neighbors to his assistance, it vanished, not without leaving palpable marks behind it in the shape of a trench ...
With the end of the 19th century also came the end of Minhocão sightings. There are still large mysterious trenches from time to time, but no actual sightings. Some researchers believe that the Minhocão, sadly, went extinct, while others think it is more likely that Minhocãos are still seen, but are thought to be giant anacondas and end up being reported as giant anacondas. There is still the question of what the Minhocãos could possibly be. Some researchers take into account that it is said to be a giant earthworm. There are giant earthworms, but these species don't grow over 12 feet and are only native to Australia. Also despite their large sizes, these giant earthworms are only about an inch thick. Another fact that may debunk the giant earthworm theory is that earthworms are not predators like some reports state the Minhocão may be.
Some researchers say that the Minhocão are surviving glyptodont, a large armadillo-like animal believed to have gone extinct in the Pleistocene. Researchers say that the glyptodont would be capable of digging the mysterious trenches and burrowing underground, it also had and armored shell over it's back. What is normally not mentioned about the glyptodont is that it was not a borrowing animal and it was probably not capable of doing so. There is also the fact that they do not fit any descriptions of the Minhocão.
Yet another theory goes on to say that the Minhocão is a lepidosiren (serpentine South American lungfish). If a lepidosiren were to grow to a large enough size it could explain the sightings of Minhocão near waterways. The large trenches could also be caused by a lepidosiren when it unburrows itself from the ground and returns to the rivers. One of the most likely theories of the Minhocão's identity was proposed by cryptozoologist Karl Shuker. He believes that the Minhocão may be a form of caecilian, a worm-like burrowing amphibian. Caecilians are native to South America and some fit the description and lifestyle of Minhocão perfectly, only in a smaller form. The largest of the caecilians only gets up to 5 feet. If one species does grow to enormous lengths then the Minhocão mystery would be solved.
The true identity of the Minhocão will remain hidden until one can be caught or good footage of it can be obtained. However it seems unlike that we will ever know the truth. Without a sighting of an actual animal in over a 130 years it may be extinct by now. Hopefully this is not the case and some day soon a living Minhocão will be discovered in the rainforests of South America.
P/S:i think i watched the movie about this creature before..
The first published reference to the Minhocão appeared in the American Journal of Science in an article written by Auguste de Saint-Hilaire. In the article Saint-Hilaire stated several instances where a Minhocão was seen near fords of rivers. Some of these reports had a Minhocão snatching livestock and dragging them underwater! All of instances he reported took place in the Brazilian province of Goyaz. Saint-Hilaire also stated his belief that the name Minhocão is derived from the Portuguese word meaning earthworm, minhoca.
Publications regarding the Minhocão ceased until 1877, when zoologist Fritz Müller wrote an article on the beast for a German publication Zoologische Garten. Müller's article included new information on the Minhocão, including reports of huge mysterious trenches that were so big they'd divert rivers and destroy orchards. Unlike Saint-Hilaire's article, Müller's included actual sightings of the Minhocão. The following is of one of these sightings, which took place in the Paranà State in the 1840s:
A black woman going to draw water from a pool near a house one morning ... saw a short distance off an animal which she described as being as large as a house moving off along the ground. ... In the same district a young man saw a huge pine suddenly overturned ... he found the surrounding earth in movement, and an enormous worm-like black animal in the middle of it, about twenty-five meters long, and with two horns on its head.
Müller also mentioned a story told by Lebino José dos Santos who had heard tales of a dead Minhocão being found near Arapehy, Uruguay. According to the tale the creature was found lodged between two rocks, the reputed skin was said to be "as thick as the bark of a pine-tree" and armored with "scales like those of an armadillo". A sighting of a live Minhocão near Lages, Brazil in 1870 by Francisco de Amaral Varella, he said he:
... saw lying on the bank of the Rio das Caveiras a strange animal of gigantic size, nearly one meter in thickness, not very long, and with a snout like a pig, but whether it had legs or not he could not tell. ... whilst calling his neighbors to his assistance, it vanished, not without leaving palpable marks behind it in the shape of a trench ...
With the end of the 19th century also came the end of Minhocão sightings. There are still large mysterious trenches from time to time, but no actual sightings. Some researchers believe that the Minhocão, sadly, went extinct, while others think it is more likely that Minhocãos are still seen, but are thought to be giant anacondas and end up being reported as giant anacondas. There is still the question of what the Minhocãos could possibly be. Some researchers take into account that it is said to be a giant earthworm. There are giant earthworms, but these species don't grow over 12 feet and are only native to Australia. Also despite their large sizes, these giant earthworms are only about an inch thick. Another fact that may debunk the giant earthworm theory is that earthworms are not predators like some reports state the Minhocão may be.
Some researchers say that the Minhocão are surviving glyptodont, a large armadillo-like animal believed to have gone extinct in the Pleistocene. Researchers say that the glyptodont would be capable of digging the mysterious trenches and burrowing underground, it also had and armored shell over it's back. What is normally not mentioned about the glyptodont is that it was not a borrowing animal and it was probably not capable of doing so. There is also the fact that they do not fit any descriptions of the Minhocão.
Yet another theory goes on to say that the Minhocão is a lepidosiren (serpentine South American lungfish). If a lepidosiren were to grow to a large enough size it could explain the sightings of Minhocão near waterways. The large trenches could also be caused by a lepidosiren when it unburrows itself from the ground and returns to the rivers. One of the most likely theories of the Minhocão's identity was proposed by cryptozoologist Karl Shuker. He believes that the Minhocão may be a form of caecilian, a worm-like burrowing amphibian. Caecilians are native to South America and some fit the description and lifestyle of Minhocão perfectly, only in a smaller form. The largest of the caecilians only gets up to 5 feet. If one species does grow to enormous lengths then the Minhocão mystery would be solved.
The true identity of the Minhocão will remain hidden until one can be caught or good footage of it can be obtained. However it seems unlike that we will ever know the truth. Without a sighting of an actual animal in over a 130 years it may be extinct by now. Hopefully this is not the case and some day soon a living Minhocão will be discovered in the rainforests of South America.
P/S:i think i watched the movie about this creature before..
The Moca vampire
Coinciding with the overwhelming number of cattle mutilations occurring in the United States and in the rest of the world at that time, Puerto Ricans discovered that their livestock was being slain by a mysterious, unseen assailant. They would have been even more distressed to learn that the same situation would replay itself twenty years later, courtesy of the ubiquitous Chupacabras.
In February 1975, a Puerto Rican newspaper ran one of the very first headlines concerning the wave of mysterious animal deaths to occur in the vicinity of the small town of Moca, on the island’s western side.
The entity, dubbed “The Moca Vampire” by the press, kicked off its killing spree in Barrio Rocha, a sector of the town of Moca, where it took the lives of a number of animals in a grisly manner never seen before. Fifteen cows, three goats, two geese and a pig were found dead with bizarre perforations on their hides, suggesting that a sharp instrument had been inserted into the hapless bovines. Autopsies showed that the animals had been thoroughly relieved of blood, as if consumed by some predator.
On March 7, 1975, a cow belonging to Rey Jiménez was found dead in Moca’s Barrio Cruz, presenting deep, piercing wounds on its skull and a number of scratches around the wounds on its body. Jiménez’s cow was added to the growing list of victims, which now totaled well over thirty.
As the number of victims grew, the Moca Vampire acquired an identity of its own, much in the same way that the Chupacabras would twenty years later. Speculation as to its nature was rife: many believed it was a supernatural “bird”, like the one seen by María Acevedo, a Moca resident who noticed that a strange animal had landed on her home’s zinc rooftop in the middle of the night. According to Acevedo’s testimony, the bird pecked at the rusty rooftop and at the windows before taking flight, issuing a terrifying scream. Others more readily accepted any suggestion that it was a space alien, an occupant of the UFOs reported on an almost daily basis over Puerto Rico at the time. Some clung to the belief that a gigantic vampire bat had somehow made it from the mainland to the Caribbean, slaking its thirst on the local cattle. Only days later, farmer Cecilio Hernández notified authorities that the elusive Moca Vampire had slain thirty-four chickens on his property at some point during the night. The supernatural entity was by now responsible for ninety animal deaths in a two week period.
A faint ray of hope—soon to be dissipated by harsh reality—appeared during this critical moment in the crisis: another farmer, Luis Torres, became the man of the hour after slaying two enormous snakes (Puerto Rican boas) measuring an unheard-of length of six feet. Torres had captured the snakes as they stood ready to attack a 600-pound heifer. The media hailed this act of heroism as the “solution to the mutilation riddle”; citizens could finally issue a collective sigh of relief.
However, the Moca Vampire had its own agenda. On March 18, 1975, two goats belonging to Hector Vega, a resident of Moca’s Barrio Pueblo, were found drained of blood. Puncture marks on the goats’ necks were the unmistakable sign that the strange entity causing the deaths was still at large and hungrier than ever: it returned to Vega’s farm the following night to finish off ten more goats and wound another seven. The horrified farmer also discovered that ten additional goats had gone missing.
P/S:sounds creepy..dont u think so?
In February 1975, a Puerto Rican newspaper ran one of the very first headlines concerning the wave of mysterious animal deaths to occur in the vicinity of the small town of Moca, on the island’s western side.
The entity, dubbed “The Moca Vampire” by the press, kicked off its killing spree in Barrio Rocha, a sector of the town of Moca, where it took the lives of a number of animals in a grisly manner never seen before. Fifteen cows, three goats, two geese and a pig were found dead with bizarre perforations on their hides, suggesting that a sharp instrument had been inserted into the hapless bovines. Autopsies showed that the animals had been thoroughly relieved of blood, as if consumed by some predator.
On March 7, 1975, a cow belonging to Rey Jiménez was found dead in Moca’s Barrio Cruz, presenting deep, piercing wounds on its skull and a number of scratches around the wounds on its body. Jiménez’s cow was added to the growing list of victims, which now totaled well over thirty.
As the number of victims grew, the Moca Vampire acquired an identity of its own, much in the same way that the Chupacabras would twenty years later. Speculation as to its nature was rife: many believed it was a supernatural “bird”, like the one seen by María Acevedo, a Moca resident who noticed that a strange animal had landed on her home’s zinc rooftop in the middle of the night. According to Acevedo’s testimony, the bird pecked at the rusty rooftop and at the windows before taking flight, issuing a terrifying scream. Others more readily accepted any suggestion that it was a space alien, an occupant of the UFOs reported on an almost daily basis over Puerto Rico at the time. Some clung to the belief that a gigantic vampire bat had somehow made it from the mainland to the Caribbean, slaking its thirst on the local cattle. Only days later, farmer Cecilio Hernández notified authorities that the elusive Moca Vampire had slain thirty-four chickens on his property at some point during the night. The supernatural entity was by now responsible for ninety animal deaths in a two week period.
A faint ray of hope—soon to be dissipated by harsh reality—appeared during this critical moment in the crisis: another farmer, Luis Torres, became the man of the hour after slaying two enormous snakes (Puerto Rican boas) measuring an unheard-of length of six feet. Torres had captured the snakes as they stood ready to attack a 600-pound heifer. The media hailed this act of heroism as the “solution to the mutilation riddle”; citizens could finally issue a collective sigh of relief.
However, the Moca Vampire had its own agenda. On March 18, 1975, two goats belonging to Hector Vega, a resident of Moca’s Barrio Pueblo, were found drained of blood. Puncture marks on the goats’ necks were the unmistakable sign that the strange entity causing the deaths was still at large and hungrier than ever: it returned to Vega’s farm the following night to finish off ten more goats and wound another seven. The horrified farmer also discovered that ten additional goats had gone missing.
P/S:sounds creepy..dont u think so?
Lusca
The lusca is a name given to a sea monster reported from the Carribean. It has been suggested by cryptozoologists, that the lusca is a hypothesised giant octopus of immense size (Octopus giganteus). Many reports of the creature are from the blue holes, off Andros, one of the Bahamas. They are not to be confused with the known giant octopus, which is a member of the scientifically defined genus, Enteroctopus, and grow to about thirty feet in size.
The Lusca said to grow over 75 feet long, or even 200 feet long, although many skeptics dispute these claims as there are no proven cases of other species growing to half these lengths. Also to attack properly on the surface, the octopus would have to have one tentacle on the sea floor to balance itself, this would mean that such accounts, if real, would have to take place in relatively shallow water.
Other descriptions also mention that it can change colour, a characteristic it has in common with smaller octopuses. The supposed habitat is rugged underwater terrain, large undersea caves, the edge of the continental shelf etc, where large crustaceans can be found, which it is supposed they feed on.
P/S:i think Lusca is the same with the one appeared in the Pirates Of The Carribean 2..
The Lusca said to grow over 75 feet long, or even 200 feet long, although many skeptics dispute these claims as there are no proven cases of other species growing to half these lengths. Also to attack properly on the surface, the octopus would have to have one tentacle on the sea floor to balance itself, this would mean that such accounts, if real, would have to take place in relatively shallow water.
Other descriptions also mention that it can change colour, a characteristic it has in common with smaller octopuses. The supposed habitat is rugged underwater terrain, large undersea caves, the edge of the continental shelf etc, where large crustaceans can be found, which it is supposed they feed on.
P/S:i think Lusca is the same with the one appeared in the Pirates Of The Carribean 2..
The Champ
Reports of the Lake Champlain monster named Champ date back over a hundred years. The creature, which is said to resemble a plesiosaur, has been compared to the Loch Ness Monster in its appearance. Through the years, though, the description of Champ has changed drastically- from a gigantic snake-like creature to the now common plesiosaur body structure.
The first report of Champ stems from a New York Times article from July 9, 1873. The story outlines an encounter several railroad workers had with the creature as they laid track around the lake. The crew claimed to see the head of an enormous serpent, which was rapidly approaching their location. The creature then turned away and allowed the men a better view. The body "seemed to be covered with bright silver-like scales" and water would occasionally flow out of the creature's nostrils, like a fountain, up to twenty feet into the air. The head was snake like, with "small and piercing" eyes and a mouth with "two rows of teeth." The creature's tail resembled that of a fish.
The characteristics reported by the workers do not match up with modern day sightings or evidence. Missing are the now the commonly reported flippers and thick body. Soon after the initial sighting by the railroad crew, farmers began to report missing livestock. Upon investigation, tracks had been found which suggested the cattle had been dragged into the lake. Locals claimed to see "bright and hideous looking eyes" in caves around the lake. Hunting parties were created to help locate and kill the creature but after searching the shoreline and local farms, they came up fruitless.
In August 1880, a small steamship named the W.B. Eddy struck a creature and nearly capsized. The head and neck of the beast surfaced about one hundred feet away, giving passengers quite a fright. On August 9 of the same year, the crew of the Molyneaux thought they had captured the creature in a clump of weeds. Although hidden below the water and out of sight, the crew fired upon the area to kill the animal. After a strange howl, the creature escaped only to be chased down and shot repeatedly. The crew claims the creature sank into the blood red water and "would never to rise more by its own exertions." The body could not be recovered- even after P.T. Barnum placed a $50,000 bounty on the carcass.
On July 31, 1883, Clinton County Sheriff Nathan Mooney reported a snake, or other water creature, which was about twenty-five to thirty feet long. Sightings continued almost daily for several weeks.
Champ took on a new form in the 1970s- the creature began to resemble the Loch Ness monster. The frequency of reports has died down considerably and each report seems to include a different creature.
The biggest breakthrough in the Champ investigation came from Anthony and Sandra Mansi as they were driving past Saint Alban's Bay in early 1977. They decided to stop and let their children play in the water as the couple relaxed on the beach. The Mansi's parked their car and walked about one hundred feet across a field before descending a six-foot bank. The children began to play in the water as Anthony rushed back to their car to retrieve a pair of sunglasses and a camera. As Sandra watched the water, she noticed turbulence about one hundred fifty feet into the lake. Moments later, a gigantic creature rose from the abyss and slowly swam forward. The creature had a small head, long neck and a humped back. The couple ushered their children from the water as Sandra quickly took one photograph before the beast could slide beneath the waves.
Fear of public reticule led the couple to remain secretive of the sighting as Sandra placed the photo in a family album. The negative was soon lost as the family forgot of the encounter. Years later, Sandra showed the picture to several friends and coworkers.
Eventually a Wilton, New York social studies teacher learned of the picture and sighting and started to investigate. The teacher, known as Zarzynski, studied the photo and determined it had not been doctored. A Vertebrate Zoologist at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History concluded the creature did not resemble any known animals of the area. Since the photograph included no reference points, Paul LeBlond had to create an equation based on the waves and wind of the lake. LeBlond found the creature was between twenty-four and seventy eight feet in length. Another analysis of the waves determined the creature came up from beneath the water and had not been dragged to the location.
Due to the amazing clarity of the photograph and such a close and vivid encounter, it seems strange Sandra did not come forward sooner. It seems even stranger, though, that she only took one photograph. In the 1970s, Zarynski formed the Lake Champlain Phenomena Investigation but there studies have to yet to determine anything conclusive.
P/S:i believed that if the Champ is real..it will also hoping for a peace life..without human's disturbance..
The first report of Champ stems from a New York Times article from July 9, 1873. The story outlines an encounter several railroad workers had with the creature as they laid track around the lake. The crew claimed to see the head of an enormous serpent, which was rapidly approaching their location. The creature then turned away and allowed the men a better view. The body "seemed to be covered with bright silver-like scales" and water would occasionally flow out of the creature's nostrils, like a fountain, up to twenty feet into the air. The head was snake like, with "small and piercing" eyes and a mouth with "two rows of teeth." The creature's tail resembled that of a fish.
The characteristics reported by the workers do not match up with modern day sightings or evidence. Missing are the now the commonly reported flippers and thick body. Soon after the initial sighting by the railroad crew, farmers began to report missing livestock. Upon investigation, tracks had been found which suggested the cattle had been dragged into the lake. Locals claimed to see "bright and hideous looking eyes" in caves around the lake. Hunting parties were created to help locate and kill the creature but after searching the shoreline and local farms, they came up fruitless.
In August 1880, a small steamship named the W.B. Eddy struck a creature and nearly capsized. The head and neck of the beast surfaced about one hundred feet away, giving passengers quite a fright. On August 9 of the same year, the crew of the Molyneaux thought they had captured the creature in a clump of weeds. Although hidden below the water and out of sight, the crew fired upon the area to kill the animal. After a strange howl, the creature escaped only to be chased down and shot repeatedly. The crew claims the creature sank into the blood red water and "would never to rise more by its own exertions." The body could not be recovered- even after P.T. Barnum placed a $50,000 bounty on the carcass.
On July 31, 1883, Clinton County Sheriff Nathan Mooney reported a snake, or other water creature, which was about twenty-five to thirty feet long. Sightings continued almost daily for several weeks.
Champ took on a new form in the 1970s- the creature began to resemble the Loch Ness monster. The frequency of reports has died down considerably and each report seems to include a different creature.
The biggest breakthrough in the Champ investigation came from Anthony and Sandra Mansi as they were driving past Saint Alban's Bay in early 1977. They decided to stop and let their children play in the water as the couple relaxed on the beach. The Mansi's parked their car and walked about one hundred feet across a field before descending a six-foot bank. The children began to play in the water as Anthony rushed back to their car to retrieve a pair of sunglasses and a camera. As Sandra watched the water, she noticed turbulence about one hundred fifty feet into the lake. Moments later, a gigantic creature rose from the abyss and slowly swam forward. The creature had a small head, long neck and a humped back. The couple ushered their children from the water as Sandra quickly took one photograph before the beast could slide beneath the waves.
Fear of public reticule led the couple to remain secretive of the sighting as Sandra placed the photo in a family album. The negative was soon lost as the family forgot of the encounter. Years later, Sandra showed the picture to several friends and coworkers.
Eventually a Wilton, New York social studies teacher learned of the picture and sighting and started to investigate. The teacher, known as Zarzynski, studied the photo and determined it had not been doctored. A Vertebrate Zoologist at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History concluded the creature did not resemble any known animals of the area. Since the photograph included no reference points, Paul LeBlond had to create an equation based on the waves and wind of the lake. LeBlond found the creature was between twenty-four and seventy eight feet in length. Another analysis of the waves determined the creature came up from beneath the water and had not been dragged to the location.
Due to the amazing clarity of the photograph and such a close and vivid encounter, it seems strange Sandra did not come forward sooner. It seems even stranger, though, that she only took one photograph. In the 1970s, Zarynski formed the Lake Champlain Phenomena Investigation but there studies have to yet to determine anything conclusive.
P/S:i believed that if the Champ is real..it will also hoping for a peace life..without human's disturbance..
A Brief History of the Devil's Triangle (Bermuda triangle)
Limbo of the Lost. The Twilight Zone. Hoodoo Sea. The Devil's Triangle. The vast three-sided segment of the Atlantic Ocean bordered by Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, did not receive its most famous nickname until 1964, but reports of bizarre happenings there, or nearby, have been recorded for centuries. In fact, many claim that Christopher Columbus bore witness to the Bermuda Triangle's weirdness.
As the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria sailed through the area in 1492, it is reported that Columbus's compass went haywire and that he and his crew saw weird lights in the sky, but these events have mundane explanations. From the account in Columbus's journal, it is thought that his compass's slight inaccuracy stemmed from nothing more than the discrepancy between true north and magnetic north. As for the lights, Columbus wrote of seeing "a great flame of fire" that crashed into the ocean -- probably a meteor. He saw lights in the sky again on October 11, which, of course, was the day before his famous landing. The lights, brief flashes near the horizon, were spotted in the area where dry land turned out to be.
Another historical event retroactively attributed to the Bermuda Triangle is the discovery of the Mary Celeste. The vessel was found abandoned on the high seas in 1892, about 400 miles off its intended course from New York to Genoa. There was no sign of its crew of ten or what had happened to them. Since the lifeboat was also missing, it is quite possible that they abandoned the Mary Celeste during a storm that they wrongly guessed the ship could not weather. But what makes it even harder to call this a Bermuda Triangle mystery is that it the ship was nowhere near the Triangle -- it was found off the coast of Portugal.
The Bermuda Triangle legend really began in earnest on December 5, 1945, with the famed disappearance of Flight 19. Five Navy Avenger bombers mysteriously vanished while on a routine training mission, as did a rescue plane sent to search for them -- six aircraft and 27 men, gone without a trace. Or so the story goes.
When all the facts are laid out, the tale of Flight 19 becomes far less puzzling. All of the crewmen of the five Avengers were inexperienced trainees, with the exception of their patrol leader, Lt. Charles Taylor. Taylor was perhaps not at the height of his abilities that day, as some reports indicate that he had a hangover and failed in his attempts to pass off this flight duty to someone else.
With the four rookie pilots entirely dependent on his guidance, Taylor found that his compass malfunctioned soon into the flight. Taylor chose to continue the run on dead reckoning, navigating by sighting landmarks below. Being familiar with the islands of the Florida Keys where he lived, Taylor had reason to feel confident in flying by sight. But visibility became poor due to a brewing storm, and he quickly became disoriented.
Flight 19 was still in radio contact with the Fort Lauderdale air base, although the weather and a bad receiver in one of the Avengers made communication very spotty. They may have been guided safely home if Taylor had switched to an emergency frequency with less radio traffic, but he refused for fear they would be unable to reestablish contact under these conditions.
Taylor ended up thinking they were over the Gulf of Mexico, and ordered the patrol east in search of land. But in reality, they had been heading up the Atlantic coastline, and Taylor was mistakenly leading his hapless trainees much further out to sea. Radio recordings indicate that some of them suggested to Taylor that Florida was actually to the west.
A search party was dispatched, which included the Martin Mariner that many claim disappeared into the Bermuda Triangle along with Flight 19. While it is true that it never returned, the Mariner did not vanish; it blew up 23 seconds after takeoff, in an explosion that was witnessed by several at the base. This was unfortunately not an uncommon occurrence, because Mariners were known for their faulty gas tanks.
No known wreckage from Flight 19 has ever been recovered. One reasonable explanation is that Taylor led the planes so far into the Atlantic that they were past the continental shelf. There the ocean abruptly drops from a few hundred feet deep to several thousand feet deep. Planes and ships that sink to such depths are seldom seen again. The deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean, the 30,100-foot-deep Puerto Rico Trench, lies within the Bermuda Triangle.
Combining the circumstances of the failing compass, the difficulty of radio transmissions, and the absence of wreckage, tales of mysterious intervention befalling Flight 19 began to take form. Theories involving strange magnetic fields, time warps, Atlantis, and alien abduction began to appear. Even an official Navy report intimated that the Avengers had disappeared "as if they had flown to Mars."
About 200 prior and subsequent incidents have been attributed to the inherent strangeness of the area, which was forever christened the Bermuda Triangle by writer V. Gaddis in a 1964 issue of Argosy, a fiction magazine. Public interest in the "phenomenon" was whipped into a frenzy by Charles Berlitz's 1974 bestseller The Bermuda Triangle, a sensationalized and thoroughly inaccurate account that shunned the facts in favor of mysterious excitement.
There are two major obstacles to taking the Bermuda Triangle legend seriously. The first is that most of the associated mishaps can be explained by rational means. The second is that most of the associated mishaps did not occur within the Bermuda Triangle. If you plot all of the alleged instances of the area's malevolent influence on a map, you find that only a handful have actually happened within the Triangle's borders. Sea disasters as distant as Portugal, Ireland and the Pacific and Indian Oceans have been blamed on the Bermuda Triangle. We might then just as well rename it as "The Worldwide Curse of All Seas." Some have turned this fact on its head by proposing this as evidence that the Devil's Triangle is expanding in scope.
P/S:Others may respond that it is evidence that accidents will happen,no matter where exactly on the land, on the sea or in the air they take place.
As the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria sailed through the area in 1492, it is reported that Columbus's compass went haywire and that he and his crew saw weird lights in the sky, but these events have mundane explanations. From the account in Columbus's journal, it is thought that his compass's slight inaccuracy stemmed from nothing more than the discrepancy between true north and magnetic north. As for the lights, Columbus wrote of seeing "a great flame of fire" that crashed into the ocean -- probably a meteor. He saw lights in the sky again on October 11, which, of course, was the day before his famous landing. The lights, brief flashes near the horizon, were spotted in the area where dry land turned out to be.
Another historical event retroactively attributed to the Bermuda Triangle is the discovery of the Mary Celeste. The vessel was found abandoned on the high seas in 1892, about 400 miles off its intended course from New York to Genoa. There was no sign of its crew of ten or what had happened to them. Since the lifeboat was also missing, it is quite possible that they abandoned the Mary Celeste during a storm that they wrongly guessed the ship could not weather. But what makes it even harder to call this a Bermuda Triangle mystery is that it the ship was nowhere near the Triangle -- it was found off the coast of Portugal.
The Bermuda Triangle legend really began in earnest on December 5, 1945, with the famed disappearance of Flight 19. Five Navy Avenger bombers mysteriously vanished while on a routine training mission, as did a rescue plane sent to search for them -- six aircraft and 27 men, gone without a trace. Or so the story goes.
When all the facts are laid out, the tale of Flight 19 becomes far less puzzling. All of the crewmen of the five Avengers were inexperienced trainees, with the exception of their patrol leader, Lt. Charles Taylor. Taylor was perhaps not at the height of his abilities that day, as some reports indicate that he had a hangover and failed in his attempts to pass off this flight duty to someone else.
With the four rookie pilots entirely dependent on his guidance, Taylor found that his compass malfunctioned soon into the flight. Taylor chose to continue the run on dead reckoning, navigating by sighting landmarks below. Being familiar with the islands of the Florida Keys where he lived, Taylor had reason to feel confident in flying by sight. But visibility became poor due to a brewing storm, and he quickly became disoriented.
Flight 19 was still in radio contact with the Fort Lauderdale air base, although the weather and a bad receiver in one of the Avengers made communication very spotty. They may have been guided safely home if Taylor had switched to an emergency frequency with less radio traffic, but he refused for fear they would be unable to reestablish contact under these conditions.
Taylor ended up thinking they were over the Gulf of Mexico, and ordered the patrol east in search of land. But in reality, they had been heading up the Atlantic coastline, and Taylor was mistakenly leading his hapless trainees much further out to sea. Radio recordings indicate that some of them suggested to Taylor that Florida was actually to the west.
A search party was dispatched, which included the Martin Mariner that many claim disappeared into the Bermuda Triangle along with Flight 19. While it is true that it never returned, the Mariner did not vanish; it blew up 23 seconds after takeoff, in an explosion that was witnessed by several at the base. This was unfortunately not an uncommon occurrence, because Mariners were known for their faulty gas tanks.
No known wreckage from Flight 19 has ever been recovered. One reasonable explanation is that Taylor led the planes so far into the Atlantic that they were past the continental shelf. There the ocean abruptly drops from a few hundred feet deep to several thousand feet deep. Planes and ships that sink to such depths are seldom seen again. The deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean, the 30,100-foot-deep Puerto Rico Trench, lies within the Bermuda Triangle.
Combining the circumstances of the failing compass, the difficulty of radio transmissions, and the absence of wreckage, tales of mysterious intervention befalling Flight 19 began to take form. Theories involving strange magnetic fields, time warps, Atlantis, and alien abduction began to appear. Even an official Navy report intimated that the Avengers had disappeared "as if they had flown to Mars."
About 200 prior and subsequent incidents have been attributed to the inherent strangeness of the area, which was forever christened the Bermuda Triangle by writer V. Gaddis in a 1964 issue of Argosy, a fiction magazine. Public interest in the "phenomenon" was whipped into a frenzy by Charles Berlitz's 1974 bestseller The Bermuda Triangle, a sensationalized and thoroughly inaccurate account that shunned the facts in favor of mysterious excitement.
There are two major obstacles to taking the Bermuda Triangle legend seriously. The first is that most of the associated mishaps can be explained by rational means. The second is that most of the associated mishaps did not occur within the Bermuda Triangle. If you plot all of the alleged instances of the area's malevolent influence on a map, you find that only a handful have actually happened within the Triangle's borders. Sea disasters as distant as Portugal, Ireland and the Pacific and Indian Oceans have been blamed on the Bermuda Triangle. We might then just as well rename it as "The Worldwide Curse of All Seas." Some have turned this fact on its head by proposing this as evidence that the Devil's Triangle is expanding in scope.
P/S:Others may respond that it is evidence that accidents will happen,no matter where exactly on the land, on the sea or in the air they take place.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Indonesia mysterious stone carvings
A remote rainforest in Sulawesi, Indonesia is now at the centre of a study into hundreds of mysterious stone carvings that only a few foreigners in the world have seen.
No one knows who built them or why, but the "megaliths" are believed to be built anywhere from 500 to 2,000 years ago.
There are over 400 pieces scattered around the rainforest.
Till now, nobody has been able to find the tools that carved them, or any clues to who could have built them.
These carvings include birds that laugh like humans and primates three inches high, but the most mind-boggling of them all are the statues that locals say were once humans.
Local legends tell of criminals long ago turned to stone but beyond that, little is known about the megaliths of Central Sulawesi.
"As part of the punishment after he was accused of rape, he was attacked and was cut on his shoulder, and that's what this scar is, which we presume is really just a crack in the rock," said Edward Pollard of The Nature Conservancy, referring to the Tokala'ea megalith.
Park officials are trying to protect them as the national park faces the threat of an encroaching population.
And that remains the biggest mystery yet, as experts cannot relate them to anything else in the world.
While locals say some of the megaliths were coffins for nobles or cisterns for water, there is no evidence to prove either.
So anyone's guess could be the answer to the riddle of Indonesia's ancient statues.
P/S:From: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/53684/1/.html
No one knows who built them or why, but the "megaliths" are believed to be built anywhere from 500 to 2,000 years ago.
There are over 400 pieces scattered around the rainforest.
Till now, nobody has been able to find the tools that carved them, or any clues to who could have built them.
These carvings include birds that laugh like humans and primates three inches high, but the most mind-boggling of them all are the statues that locals say were once humans.
Local legends tell of criminals long ago turned to stone but beyond that, little is known about the megaliths of Central Sulawesi.
"As part of the punishment after he was accused of rape, he was attacked and was cut on his shoulder, and that's what this scar is, which we presume is really just a crack in the rock," said Edward Pollard of The Nature Conservancy, referring to the Tokala'ea megalith.
Park officials are trying to protect them as the national park faces the threat of an encroaching population.
And that remains the biggest mystery yet, as experts cannot relate them to anything else in the world.
While locals say some of the megaliths were coffins for nobles or cisterns for water, there is no evidence to prove either.
So anyone's guess could be the answer to the riddle of Indonesia's ancient statues.
P/S:From: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/53684/1/.html
Reptile Men
Reports of Reptile Men are few and far between but the stories that do surface are truly strange. Although most people know of these creatures only by movies such as "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," the truth about these strange bipeds may be stranger then any movie magic.
On August 21, 1955 Darwin Johnson was swimming in the Ohio River when she felt a clawed hand grab her knee from the murky depths and pull her under. Darwin struggled to get free from the unseen attacker only to be pulled under again. After throwing herself upward Darwin was able to grab a friend's inner tube and get to safety. A green stain marked her leg with several clawed gashes.
Several sightings took place around the Miami River near Loveland, Ohio in 1955. On May 25 a driver was returning home at about 3:30 AM when he saw a trio of reptile-like bipeds. The man later claimed the creatures had lopsided chests, wide and lipless frog-like mouths and wrinkles instead of hair. One of the creatures held a spark-generating bar. The driver claimed to have watched the creatures for about three minutes before leaving to inform the local police. Police Chief John Fritz investigated the area but could find nothing.
Seventeen years later on March 3, 1972 at 1:00 AM, two different Loveland police officers claimed to have come in contact with a four-foot tall frog faced creature that had leathery skin. The duo saw the biped jump a guardrail and splash into the Little Miami River. About two weeks later one of the police officers caught sight of the creature and fired at it only to miss. Local farmers claimed to see the creature for some time.
Few other reports have surfaced with as much detail as the Ohio reports. Although limited these claims are just as amazing as the similar reports of hairy bipeds.
P/S:my god..seem like reptile men suppose is a mutant?
On August 21, 1955 Darwin Johnson was swimming in the Ohio River when she felt a clawed hand grab her knee from the murky depths and pull her under. Darwin struggled to get free from the unseen attacker only to be pulled under again. After throwing herself upward Darwin was able to grab a friend's inner tube and get to safety. A green stain marked her leg with several clawed gashes.
Several sightings took place around the Miami River near Loveland, Ohio in 1955. On May 25 a driver was returning home at about 3:30 AM when he saw a trio of reptile-like bipeds. The man later claimed the creatures had lopsided chests, wide and lipless frog-like mouths and wrinkles instead of hair. One of the creatures held a spark-generating bar. The driver claimed to have watched the creatures for about three minutes before leaving to inform the local police. Police Chief John Fritz investigated the area but could find nothing.
Seventeen years later on March 3, 1972 at 1:00 AM, two different Loveland police officers claimed to have come in contact with a four-foot tall frog faced creature that had leathery skin. The duo saw the biped jump a guardrail and splash into the Little Miami River. About two weeks later one of the police officers caught sight of the creature and fired at it only to miss. Local farmers claimed to see the creature for some time.
Few other reports have surfaced with as much detail as the Ohio reports. Although limited these claims are just as amazing as the similar reports of hairy bipeds.
P/S:my god..seem like reptile men suppose is a mutant?
Roswell Rods
Here is a bizarre new life form for cryptozoologists and skeptics to fight about - Rods! What are rods you ask? Rods are thin, unidentified organic life forms that fly (or ride air currents) in the sky. They range from 4 inches to over 100 feet long, some having short appendages. They fly rapidly and are almost impossible to see with the untrained eye. There are three distinct types of rods: centipede rods, white rods, and spears. They have been reported throughout the United States, Canada, and worldwide, and are visible in all seasons. They appear to be living, breathing organisms playing among the clouds.
Sightings of "rod-like" creatures in the sky date back to early history. Large, flying serpentine creatures were reported in China in 747 AD, in Europe during the late middle ages, and in the United States in 1894. However, these "rods" do not resemble serpentine creatures; instead, they look like string or rope floating in the sky.
At the Rods Web Site (www.roswellrods.com), one can view numerous photographs of alleged rods. Most pictures show what appears to be hairs on the camera lens, or possibly even string, twigs, yarn, and straw which had been caught up in air currents, and mistaken for rods. The web site provides a detailed instruction manual on how to best photograph rods. The clearest photos come from a cave in Mexico. Stills from the video show a small, bright white "line" which appears to be flying, using its appendages like fins to propel themselves in the air (much the same way a ray would do in water).
So, perhaps rods are insects, lens flares, birds, or reflections from the ground. Depending on the distance that "long" birds such as the heron or stork is from the camera, it could be misidentified as a rod. Also, a swarm of insects forming a line could be mistaken for a rod, as hundreds of insect bodies appear to be a single solid object. And yet another possibility is that unphotographed rods are visual hallucinations, or eye "floaters."
The web site shows many other "rod" photographs, one of which was taken by a Mrs. Linda Hewett over Canada in 1972. The picture shows a long, shadowy streak in the orange sky that was not noticed until the photo was developed. It looks more like something on the lens, or a shadow on a cloud, than a so-called rod.
Nevertheless, many people have claimed to have seen and photographed rods. Those who are convinced of their existence, make desperate claims that the skeptics will have "no other option but to agree that Rods are something unknown and...join us (the believers) in the investigation". They claim to have "solid evidence" to prove the existence of rods, however, the evidence is fuzzy, inconclusive photographs. What is needed is an actual body of a rod to be captured.
P/S:I am not necessarily dismissing the idea that rods are a strange new life form, but I feel we need more conclusive evidence before jumping to the conclusion that they are indeed real.
Sightings of "rod-like" creatures in the sky date back to early history. Large, flying serpentine creatures were reported in China in 747 AD, in Europe during the late middle ages, and in the United States in 1894. However, these "rods" do not resemble serpentine creatures; instead, they look like string or rope floating in the sky.
At the Rods Web Site (www.roswellrods.com), one can view numerous photographs of alleged rods. Most pictures show what appears to be hairs on the camera lens, or possibly even string, twigs, yarn, and straw which had been caught up in air currents, and mistaken for rods. The web site provides a detailed instruction manual on how to best photograph rods. The clearest photos come from a cave in Mexico. Stills from the video show a small, bright white "line" which appears to be flying, using its appendages like fins to propel themselves in the air (much the same way a ray would do in water).
So, perhaps rods are insects, lens flares, birds, or reflections from the ground. Depending on the distance that "long" birds such as the heron or stork is from the camera, it could be misidentified as a rod. Also, a swarm of insects forming a line could be mistaken for a rod, as hundreds of insect bodies appear to be a single solid object. And yet another possibility is that unphotographed rods are visual hallucinations, or eye "floaters."
The web site shows many other "rod" photographs, one of which was taken by a Mrs. Linda Hewett over Canada in 1972. The picture shows a long, shadowy streak in the orange sky that was not noticed until the photo was developed. It looks more like something on the lens, or a shadow on a cloud, than a so-called rod.
Nevertheless, many people have claimed to have seen and photographed rods. Those who are convinced of their existence, make desperate claims that the skeptics will have "no other option but to agree that Rods are something unknown and...join us (the believers) in the investigation". They claim to have "solid evidence" to prove the existence of rods, however, the evidence is fuzzy, inconclusive photographs. What is needed is an actual body of a rod to be captured.
P/S:I am not necessarily dismissing the idea that rods are a strange new life form, but I feel we need more conclusive evidence before jumping to the conclusion that they are indeed real.
Alien Felines: Eastern Panther
The "alien feline" mystery is a worldwide phenomena. Although the big cats are not as supernatural as the chupacabra, or as widely celebrated as bigfoot, the existence of such animals is as thoroughly debated. The eastern panther is one such cat that is officially listed as an extinct animal since the mid-late 1800s. However, this "ghost cat" is still reported through much of eastern Canada and the New England States in America.
Also known as the mountain lion, cougar, Klandagi, and catamount, the eastern panther generates dozens of sightings a year throughout its northeastern US range; and according to a December 5th National Post article, up to 40 sightings a year are recorded by the wildlife branch of the New Brunswick (Canada) government.
The animal is commonly described as a large predatory cat with a muscular body weighing about 100 pounds. It is about 4-7 feet long and is tawny coloured. Another species (or colour variation) is the all-black panther which has been reported in the state of Vermont several times.
In his book "Green Mountain Ghosts, Ghouls, and Unsolved Mysteries", Joseph Citro describes an encounter with a black panther by Marian Harpan Peduzzi in 1946. Peduzzi was walking on a dirt road in Berlin, Vermont, heading home for dinner at around 4 pm. She noticed what she thought was a black labrador, but when she studied it further, she realized it was a large cat...just 100-150 meters away. She quickly reached a friend's house. Her friend confirmed the sighting of the mysterious cat. After watching the panther for a few minutes, it got up and ran in the direction of the house, coming within 10 meters of the startled pair before changing directions and disappearing into the woods. The two women described the cat as being 4 feet long with a long tail and glossy black fur.
Evidence for the eastern panther is quite limited. Despite the large number of hunters that annually scour the woods, not one of these cats has been captured or shot. Not one cat has been hit by a car on any of the thousands of miles of highways all over the northeastern US and Canada. There are no live specimens, no plaster casts of tracks, no clear photographs. The only piece of tangible "evidence" is some grainy, black-and-white video footage taken by Roger Noble (Canada) in 1990.
Several theories attempt to explain the feline enigma. Some say the cats are transplanted western cougars or illegally purchased black panthers, which either escaped, or were released when their owners discovered they make poor pets. Nevertheless, the number of annual sightings suggests a larger population of cats than science is willing to support.
P/S:SOURCE: The National Post (Canada)
"Green Mountain Ghosts, Ghouls, And Unsolved Mysteries" by Joseph Citro
"The Eastern Panther" by Gerry Parker
Also known as the mountain lion, cougar, Klandagi, and catamount, the eastern panther generates dozens of sightings a year throughout its northeastern US range; and according to a December 5th National Post article, up to 40 sightings a year are recorded by the wildlife branch of the New Brunswick (Canada) government.
The animal is commonly described as a large predatory cat with a muscular body weighing about 100 pounds. It is about 4-7 feet long and is tawny coloured. Another species (or colour variation) is the all-black panther which has been reported in the state of Vermont several times.
In his book "Green Mountain Ghosts, Ghouls, and Unsolved Mysteries", Joseph Citro describes an encounter with a black panther by Marian Harpan Peduzzi in 1946. Peduzzi was walking on a dirt road in Berlin, Vermont, heading home for dinner at around 4 pm. She noticed what she thought was a black labrador, but when she studied it further, she realized it was a large cat...just 100-150 meters away. She quickly reached a friend's house. Her friend confirmed the sighting of the mysterious cat. After watching the panther for a few minutes, it got up and ran in the direction of the house, coming within 10 meters of the startled pair before changing directions and disappearing into the woods. The two women described the cat as being 4 feet long with a long tail and glossy black fur.
Evidence for the eastern panther is quite limited. Despite the large number of hunters that annually scour the woods, not one of these cats has been captured or shot. Not one cat has been hit by a car on any of the thousands of miles of highways all over the northeastern US and Canada. There are no live specimens, no plaster casts of tracks, no clear photographs. The only piece of tangible "evidence" is some grainy, black-and-white video footage taken by Roger Noble (Canada) in 1990.
Several theories attempt to explain the feline enigma. Some say the cats are transplanted western cougars or illegally purchased black panthers, which either escaped, or were released when their owners discovered they make poor pets. Nevertheless, the number of annual sightings suggests a larger population of cats than science is willing to support.
P/S:SOURCE: The National Post (Canada)
"Green Mountain Ghosts, Ghouls, And Unsolved Mysteries" by Joseph Citro
"The Eastern Panther" by Gerry Parker
Trapping Selma
American researcher Cliff Crook is in "friendly pursuit" of Bigfoot. Canadian researcher John Kirk is, as he put it during my interview with him in 1998, "searching for Ogopogo purely for the pleasure we derive from looking for it". Myself I´m trying to prove Selma, the Seljord Serpent and into the third year, I´m willing to try the rather controversial method of trapping the creature.
Call me gullible or whatever you like, but I sincerely believe that Selma and her relatives are down there. I have seen her performing on the surface. I have seen outlines of her on an echosounder and a side scan sonar. I have heard her on our recently introduced hydrophones. And some 500 witnesses to date are backing me and have told GUST what they have seen of her, too.
However, Selma, like other monsters around the world, is uncooperative when someone wants to prove them real, and I´m sure there are a number of perfectly normal reasons for this, the most likely one being a lack of adequate resources and professional personnel to handle the often very specialized equipment needed. We´re building up such a qualified team right now, and it´s becoming more operational for every new expedition.
Pictures, video, or film footage are good and not as easy to fake as some sceptics are telling us, but science requires a specimen alive or dead, and nothing less. With a captured animal, probing scientists can get tissue, blood and DNA samples, can examine them thoroughly, and catalogue them in the appropriate genus.
GUST2000 will use the COMET to try to capture a specimen of the Seljord Serpent. COMET is an abbreviation for Co-Operative Monster Eel Trap. This name is used to get us around the fact that these animals are protected and illegal to catch, or so the Norwegian authorities claim. In reality, no animal unproved by science can be protected; but we don´t want to lose the support we have in Norway, both from the public and the authorities.
Besides, a number of reliable witnesses have told us they have seen what they interpreted as "monster eels", both on the surface and under it. Either they are right and the Seljord Serpent is a strange eel species unknown to science; or there is a much stranger creature in the lake that, at some stage during its metamorphosis, changes from an eel-looking creature into a more established cryptid, i.e. a Nessie, Ogopogo or Storsie-type of creature, thicker in the middle, with a long neck and a small or large head, etc.
COMET is professionally made by InnFisk AS at Hornnes outside Kristiansand on the coast of southern Norway. It´s six metres long, 5 meters (15 feet) in circumference, and has a conelike opening where we expect a catch to enter, attracted by the live fish that are seemingly awaiting it further inside the trap. But a possible serpent will never reach these fish since they are in a section by themselves; and when it tries to find its way out again, it won’t.
Stein Uhleberg of InnFisk AS explained to us that common fish are unable to avoid getting trapped in a fishing-net, but eels are too smart for that and require an eel-buck. What we need to trap Selma is, of course, anyone's guess; but you´ve got to start somewhere, and Stein Uhleberg thinks that COMET is a good beginning
The idea to use a trap originally came from limnologist Dr. Atle Hindar at The Norwegian Institute for Water Research. At my interview in 1999 for our CD-ROM, "The Search for Selma", Dr. Hindar told me that this was what he would do if he were to prove a serpent in Lake Seljordsvatnet, adding they had used fish traps to catch known species that they wanted to examine further for one reason or the other.
COMET is meant to capture a baby serpent between 1-5 meters (3-15 feet) long. Two molecular biologists at a Norwegian university are standing by to take DNA and other samples. After that the creature will be released again into the lake. If this happens at GUST2000, we can promise that we have the connections to let the entire world know within 24 hours. Hold your breath!
P/S:Jan Sundberg is the President and founder of GUST (Global Underwater Search Team) and has been searching for the serpent in Lake Seljordsvatnet, Norway, since 1977, and will continue to do so in August 2000 with the sea serpent trap.
Call me gullible or whatever you like, but I sincerely believe that Selma and her relatives are down there. I have seen her performing on the surface. I have seen outlines of her on an echosounder and a side scan sonar. I have heard her on our recently introduced hydrophones. And some 500 witnesses to date are backing me and have told GUST what they have seen of her, too.
However, Selma, like other monsters around the world, is uncooperative when someone wants to prove them real, and I´m sure there are a number of perfectly normal reasons for this, the most likely one being a lack of adequate resources and professional personnel to handle the often very specialized equipment needed. We´re building up such a qualified team right now, and it´s becoming more operational for every new expedition.
Pictures, video, or film footage are good and not as easy to fake as some sceptics are telling us, but science requires a specimen alive or dead, and nothing less. With a captured animal, probing scientists can get tissue, blood and DNA samples, can examine them thoroughly, and catalogue them in the appropriate genus.
GUST2000 will use the COMET to try to capture a specimen of the Seljord Serpent. COMET is an abbreviation for Co-Operative Monster Eel Trap. This name is used to get us around the fact that these animals are protected and illegal to catch, or so the Norwegian authorities claim. In reality, no animal unproved by science can be protected; but we don´t want to lose the support we have in Norway, both from the public and the authorities.
Besides, a number of reliable witnesses have told us they have seen what they interpreted as "monster eels", both on the surface and under it. Either they are right and the Seljord Serpent is a strange eel species unknown to science; or there is a much stranger creature in the lake that, at some stage during its metamorphosis, changes from an eel-looking creature into a more established cryptid, i.e. a Nessie, Ogopogo or Storsie-type of creature, thicker in the middle, with a long neck and a small or large head, etc.
COMET is professionally made by InnFisk AS at Hornnes outside Kristiansand on the coast of southern Norway. It´s six metres long, 5 meters (15 feet) in circumference, and has a conelike opening where we expect a catch to enter, attracted by the live fish that are seemingly awaiting it further inside the trap. But a possible serpent will never reach these fish since they are in a section by themselves; and when it tries to find its way out again, it won’t.
Stein Uhleberg of InnFisk AS explained to us that common fish are unable to avoid getting trapped in a fishing-net, but eels are too smart for that and require an eel-buck. What we need to trap Selma is, of course, anyone's guess; but you´ve got to start somewhere, and Stein Uhleberg thinks that COMET is a good beginning
The idea to use a trap originally came from limnologist Dr. Atle Hindar at The Norwegian Institute for Water Research. At my interview in 1999 for our CD-ROM, "The Search for Selma", Dr. Hindar told me that this was what he would do if he were to prove a serpent in Lake Seljordsvatnet, adding they had used fish traps to catch known species that they wanted to examine further for one reason or the other.
COMET is meant to capture a baby serpent between 1-5 meters (3-15 feet) long. Two molecular biologists at a Norwegian university are standing by to take DNA and other samples. After that the creature will be released again into the lake. If this happens at GUST2000, we can promise that we have the connections to let the entire world know within 24 hours. Hold your breath!
P/S:Jan Sundberg is the President and founder of GUST (Global Underwater Search Team) and has been searching for the serpent in Lake Seljordsvatnet, Norway, since 1977, and will continue to do so in August 2000 with the sea serpent trap.
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