ON THIS DAY IN WEIRD

On This Day in Weird, August 1...

2013: Crypto blogger Robert Lindsay tells his readers "Why I believe Rick Dyer" about Dyer's claim to have killed a Sasquatch. Despite writing "Truth is I can’t stand Rick, and the feeling is mutual. He has libeled me pretty seriously on his website," Lindsay defends the story—which even Dyer subsequently confessed was a hoax. Dyer's "second" Bigfoot kill was also an admitted fraud, motivated by profit. Lindsay finally admits he's been fooled on March 12, 2014.

On This Day in Weird, July 31...

On This Day in Weird, July 31...

1967: Witness Sidney Zipkin, a resident of Churchville, New York, reports a UFO sighting at 10:15 p.m. He describes a "Saturn-shaped" craft with two small humanoids in shiny black garb standin nearby. The UFO takes off, flying straight up, after they go aboard.

GROTESQUE PARANORMAL CREATURE

Neil Arnold reports on this creature of Canadian lore.  Even if I could find a picture of this, I wouldn't like to publish it.

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MISSING ROSWELL FILES

Nick Redfern investigates.

Nick Redfern

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BRAXTON COUNTY MONSTER

The original drawing of the Braxton County Monster has come to light.

Image courtesy Lon Strickler

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ON THIS DAY IN WEIRD

On This Day in Weird, July 30...

1995: The august New York Times reviews a book titled Where Bigfoot Walks: Crossing the Dark Divide, by Dr. Robert Michael Pyle. Reviewer Robert Sullivan says, in part: "For those unfamiliar with the Bigfoot legend, Where Bigfoot Walks is a good primer. For those up to speed, the story Mr. Pyle has recorded of a Sasquatch-like encounter as told around the campfire by a former Haisla Nation chief from coastal British Columbia may be worth all the rehashing; it is one of the best I've ever read. I found a lot of Where Bigfoot Walks to be a little annoying, mostly because Mr. Pyle does what he accuses various Bigfoot hunters of doing — using the creature for his own cause, in this case as a paean to the Northwest's evaporating nature."

LOUGH REE MONSTER

One of Ireland's most famous lake monsters.

Lough Ree, Ireland

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SIGHTING OF LARGE BIRD

This took place at Pichot Lake.

Image courtesy Lon Strickler

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HANNO'S ANIMAL

What exactly was the animal discovered by the Carthaginian voyager Hanno in Africa?

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CATLIKE ANIMAL IN MILWAUKEE

A catlike animal of uncertain identity has been reported from Milwaukee.  Is it a lion?

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AMERICAN DENTIST KILLS CELEBRATED LION

Cecil, a lion who was regarded as emblematic of Zimbabwe, has been killed by an American big game hunter.  Reports say the unfortunate beast was left in agony for some time before being finished off.  What sort of people want to kill animals for fun?

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Another post on this subject, showing a video of Cecil.

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ON THIS DAY IN WEIRD

On This Day in Weird, July 29...

2003: Museum curators declare that a plesiosaur's fossilized vertebrae, found by a retiree at Loch Ness, Scotland, earlier in the month, is almost certainly a hoax, deliberately placed at the site by persons unknown. Proof includes evidence that the stony artifact was "intensely drilled by marine organisms."

MONSTER OF BULL LAKE

Let us wander into history for a minute and take a look at this beastie reported from Bull Lake (Wyoming) in 1906.  It was described as looking like a dinosaur and its length was estimated at 40'-50'.  There were several witnesses, including a man named Mittelkauf.

JUNJUDEE - AUSTRALIAN HUMANOID

The smaller kind of hominid reported from Australia - but not the only one.

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HIKES FOR BIGFOOT SEARCHERS

Here's an interesting tourist attraction - hikes set up for people hoping to see Bigfoot.

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BADGER, ANYONE?

There is only one species of badger in existence in Ireland, the Eurasian badger (Meles meles).  This differs somewhat in appearance from the American badger.  However, in the days of yore, countryfolk in Ireland believed there were two separate kinds - the pork badger and the dog badger.  It was believed the former was vegetarian and the latter not so.  Indeed, it was suspected that the dog badger sometimes dug up human graves and devoured their contents.

The Irish used to eat the pork badger and the question that arises is how they distinguished between the two supposed varieties, as both belonged to the same species.  I suspect the distinction must have been imaginary.  Still, I have not come on an actual case of a badger devouring a human corpse - yet.

Eurasian badger

BAI-XIONG - FORMER CRYPTID

People sometimes ask if any mystery animals, formerly not believed in by scientists, have ever been discovered.  A number have.  One of these is the Bai-Xiong.

This is a white bear.  It is not a polar bear.  What its exact status is in the bear family has yet to be determined.  But it definitely exists.  Four specimens have actually been captured and kept in Chinese zoos.

This variety of bear lives in the Shennongjia mountains in the province of Hubei, China.  Before the 1960s, its existence was not credited by scientists.  It may constitute a new species.  Scientists are as yet uncertain.  Next time you're in the Shennongjia area, look out for it.

Footnote: I am sure I don't need to remind readers that bears of whatever species are highly dangerous and should not be approached closely.

ON THIS DAY IN WEIRD

On This Day in Weird, July 28...

2011: The owners of two neighboring Loch Ness Monster exhibits in Drumnadrochit, Scotland, announced they're going back to court after one side or the other (stories differ) failed to abide by a private settlement concerning signs posted outside their respective establishments. One display formerly described itself as the "Official Loch Ness Exhibition Center," though in fact it had no government ties.

POLLUTION REACHES LAKE BAIKAL

They used to say Lake Baikal in Siberia was the cleanest lake on earth.  Now pollution has reached it.  Lake Baikal is home to the Baikal seal.  It has also been rumored to contain a monster.

Lake Baikal

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DRAGON OF WORM'S DEN

An English legend.

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CATS WITH RECORDS

A feature on cats holding Guinness World Records.

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REDFERN'S NEW BIGFOOT BOOK

An encyclopedic work on Bigfoot is due out.

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Details: To be published September 15th
Publisher: Visible Ink
Format: Paperbound
Pagination: 400pp.
Price: $19.99 [cheaper from Amazon]

FRIGHTENING CLOWN IN CHICAGO

He was seen in a cemetery.

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BIGFOOT SIGHTING IN OREGON

New Bigfoot sighting near Burns: a video.

Have a look.....

SEAGULL ATTACKS IN BRITAIN

A somewhat Hitchcockian scenario.

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HUMAN-FACED DOGMAN

A bizarre account unearthed by Nick Redfern.

Nick Redfern 

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GIANT SNAKE OF CHINA

This intriguing snake featured in Chinese bestiaries.

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UPCOMING BIGFOOT FORUM

It's to be held in Bluffton (Ohio).

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ON THIS DAY IN WEIRD

On This Day in Weird, July 26...

2008: While driving through an "undisclosed" Wildlife Management Area of Copiah County, Mississippi, visitors see a hairy "man" crossing the road. Despite initial confusion, thinking the creature might have been a bear, they report it one week later as a "real" Bigfoot sighting.

NOTE TO READERS (IF YOU EXIST!): NO BLOG TOMORROW, DUE TO A SCHEDULED HOSPITAL VISIT. HOPING TO RETURN ON TUESDAY, JULY 28.

DISCOVERY OF TINY FROGS

Seven new species of tint frog have been discovered in Brazil.

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FLOPPY EARS SAVE BASSET

A basset which fell from a third storey was unhurt thanks to its large floppy ears.

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MYSTERY CATS OF IRIOMOTE

Is there an unknown species here?

Iriomote

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HUGE FISH OF THE FENS

What was the huge fish seen in the River Nene?

River Nene, England

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WAS THIS CREATURE A BIGFOOT?

Encounter with animal in Florida from 2005.

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IS THIS A BABY BIGFOOT?

Controversial video of possible baby bigfoot in tree.

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LON STRICKLER ASKS "HOW DID LIFE GET HERE?"

The well-known chronicler of the outré poses a question.

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ON THIS DAY IN WEIRD

On This Day in Weird, July 25...

1977: Two giant birds allegedly swoop down over a residential neighborhood in Lawndale, Illinois. One of them grabs young Marlon Lowe, lifting him an estimated 35 feet off the ground before his mother frightens the raptors away.

DO ALIENS LOOK LIKE HUMANS?

A discussion of this interesting question.

Human - typical example

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PLANET SIMILAR TO EARTH DISCOVERED

The nearest thing to an "earth twin" so far discovered outside the solar system.

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ALIEN GIRL ON THE MOON?

A look at  conspiracy theories and the space program.

Moon

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FLYING HUMANOID UPDATE

An update on the Flying Humanoid item published yesterday.

Image courtesy Lon Strickler

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BIGFOOT OF VIETNAM

A search for this Asiatic hominid.

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ON THIS DAY IN WEIRD

On This Day in Weird, July 24, 2015

1851: Soldiers stationed at a camp near San Francisco, California, report blood and "slightly spoiled" meat, apparently beef, falling from a cloudless sky. Chunks of flesh range in size frrom "a pigeon's egg to that of an orange."

FLYING HUMANOID

Report from Cherry Hill (NJ).

Cherry Hill

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MONO GRANDE - MYSTERY MONKEY

The mystery monkey of South America.

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GRYTTIE

Well-known lake monster of Sweden.

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GREMLINS - REAL CREATURES?

This article maintains that Gremlins were not simply invented in wartime, as is generally believed, but were based on a genuine folkloric creature.

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BIGFOOT NEAR TORONTO

A researcher aims to track Bigfoot in the Toronto area.  Article with video.


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ON THIS DAY IN WEIRD

On This Day in Weird, July 23...

2005: A couple camped in the forests of Bennington County, Vermont, hear and respond to "a strange scream or yell" from a nearby swamp, growing more aggressive until they spend the night locked in their car, frightened. They attribute the sounds to Bigfoot but claim no actual sighting.

NESSIE HUNTER TO PERSIST

The man who suggested Nessie was a catfish is to continue his hunt for the creature.

Me?  A catfish?

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KIMBALL BEAST

Let us dive into our records and see what we can discover.  Ah, yes, the Kimball Beast.  This was in the vicinity of Kimball (Tennessee) in 1936.  While it was described as a "prehistoric beast", I have been unable to discover further details of its appearance.  It was seen in the South Pittsburg area.  What locals believed to be its den was discovered on the banks of the Tennessee River.  Grenades were flung and machine-guns fired into this.  It is not certain it was the beast's lair, but it was not seen after this event.

DID NATIVE AMERICAN HORSES SURVIVE?

The horse evolved in America and is thought to have migrated to Asia.  Received wisdom tells us that horses then became extinct on the American continent.  But did they really?

Image courtesy Austin Whitall

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IS THIS A SKUNK APE?

Is this a video of the Skunk Ape?

Have a look.....

ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY

A great many animal lovers feel that animals should not be kept in captivity, that they should have freedom.  Yet keeping animals in captivity may well be the only way we can ensure their continued existence, so the whole question deserves to be looked at.

First of all, we need to consider the whole aspect of freedom.  Freedom is an abstract concept.  You can hear and see a free animal, but you can't see Freedom itself.

One of the major differences between humans and other animals is that, while humans think in abstractions, other animals do not: they are concerned with the practicalities of life.  An animal kept in a zoo, if the zoo is badly run, may chafe at its conditions, but it won't feel it is being denied an abstraction called Freedom.  Humans, on the other hand, would - they would see Freedom as their natural right.  It is very easy for humans to attribute human thought processes to animals, but the animal's concern is far more with whether he is feeling comfortable, sufficiently fed and emotionally content.  Animals are concerned with their practical needs, not with abstract principles that are peculiar to humans.

Therefore, there is nothing wrong with keeping animals in captivity, provided the place of captivity is congenial and the animal's needs are attended to.  An article some time ago in the 
Guardian informed us that studies have shown captive animals suffered less from stress and lived longer.  Of course, it goes without saying that such animals must be well fed, their dietary and health needs looked after and they must have sufficient space.  Precautions must be taken to prevent emotional deprivation such as loneliness.

The main danger for animals in captivity is suffering from boredom.  However, many zoos take care to ensure their inmates have items in their enclosures such as climbing frames to keep themselves entertained.

When one looks at the inroads on the animal populations made by expansion of the human race and the depredations of poachers, one begins to wonder if zoos and animal breeding centers
are the only answer to keeping these species in existence.  In this regard I recently saw a film of a panda breeding establishment in China.  As most of you will probably know, pandas have a very slow reproduction rate, but thanks to the use of artificial insemination, large numbers of panda cubs, which appeared to be well cared for, were to be seen.

Establishments such as this seem to be the way forward in preserving species, the main cause of whose danger is the human race.  Animals kept by humans in appropriate conditions do not pine for the abstraction of Freedom.  Setting up wildlife game preserves is all very well, but I feel they do not provide sufficient protection for species that are seriously in danger.  My feeling is that benevolent captivity is the only way forward.

THE RUSSIAN YETI

Accounts of humanoid creatures in Russia.

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ON THIS DAY IN WEIRD

On This Day in Weird, July 22...

1933: Mr. and Mrs. George Spicer of London, driving along Loch Ness, report a sighting of the alleged monster on shore, describing it as long-necked and esembling "a prehistoric monster."

GREENLAND'S LEGENDARY ANIMALS

What is said to lurk in the snows?

Greenland

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BARCELONA SATYR

What was this creature brought to Barcelona in 1760?

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DOLPHINS SAVE SHERRY STEIGER

A shark was out to get her.

Dolphin

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ARE MEN IN BLACK INVESTIGATING BRENDA BUTLER?

Brenda Butler is well known for her interest in the Rendlesham UFO Incident.  Are others  investigating her investigations?

Reconstitution of Rendlesham; picture courtesy Lon Strickler

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An earlier article on Brenda Butler and Rendlesham from 2010.

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HAWKING SUPPORTS ET HUNT

Hunting for Extraterrestrial life attained a new respectability lately when Stephen Hawking came out in support of it.

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Stephen Hawking

ON THIS DAY IN WEIRD

On This Day in Weird, July 21...

1972: A motorcyclist in Maryland's Harford County reports a "large dark hairy creature" crossing an open field near the highway.

GLOUCESTER SEA SERPENT

One of America's most famous sea serpents.

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ALLEGED MIRACLE IN PHILADELPHIA

A remarkable story at Mysterious Universe.

Saint John Neumann as a boy

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MASTODONS AND NATIVE AMERICANS

Did the Lenapé know of the mastodon?

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