At the beginning of the 21st Century monsters still roam the remote, and sometimes not so remote, corners of our planet. It is our job to search for them. The Centre for Fortean Zoology [CFZ] is - we believe - the largest professional, scientific and full-time organisation in the world dedicated to cryptozoology - the study of unknown animals. Since 1992 the CFZ has carried out an unparalleled programme of research and investigation all over the world. Since 2009 we have been running the increasingly popular CFZ Blog Network, and although there has been an American branch of the CFZ for over ten years now, it is only now that it has a dedicated blog.

Tuesday 31 March 2020

ANIMALS TAKING OVER

With social distancing and people remaining off the streets, animals of various kinds are taking over public thoroughfares.

In San Francisco there are reports of coyotes on the streets.

In Bergamo (Italy) wild boar have come into the city.

In LLandudno (UK) wild goats have come in from the wilds and are frolicking about the streets of the town.  (For those who don't know, that double-LL is treated as a single letter in Wales.  I won't even try to tell you how it is pronounced in the Welsh language, from which it comes.  You need to hear someone Welsh pronounce it!)




ABOARD NOAH'S ARK

While most of us are familiar with Noah and his Ark, Jewish legends grew up about both of them, legends that you won't find in the Bible.  Some pretty odd animals ended up accompanying Noah on the Ark's maiden voyage, according to these.

First of all, there were the abstractions, Falsehood and Misfortune.  How they managed to pass themselves off as animals is anybody's guess.

The re'em, a huge ox in Hebrew legend, also was preserved.  Legend said there were only two of these animals, a male and a female, on the earth at any time.  They lived at either end of the earth.  Every seventy years they met and the female killed the male.  Later, she would give birth to twins and die in the process.  The twins would be the next pair of re'ems, who would set off for their respective locations.

The re'em is in fact based on the aurochs.  We know this because the Akkadians also spoke of this beast as rimu and the identity of the aurochs with this is unquestioned.  Legend says that Noah took to of these following behind the Ark, as they were too big to clamber aboard.

Noah also took the giant Og on the Ark.  He had to sit on the roof.

There was also the Urshana (sometimes spelled Orsinia).  When all the animals were kicking up a fuss waiting to be fed, this amiable bird kept quiet, so as not to put pressure on Noah.  When Noah found this out, he blessed the bird, asking God to give it long life.

Again, legend informs us that when Noah was told to make the Ark, he was nonplussed.  He was not a shipwright.  Happily, God sent him the Book of Raziel, an artifact which contained more information than Wikipedia.  This contained the necessary instructions.  

The story of Noah is the kind of tale to which legends are bound to accrue.  As to whether an actual Flood literally occurred, that is a matter for the exegetes to study.





WHITE MOUNTAIN MONSTER

Bigfoot or something else?



now read on....

ARE THERE INTERDIMENSIONAL DOORWAYS?

A video asks this question.



have a look....


MEN IN BLACK

What is the story of these mysterious persons?



now read on.....

MAN CLAIMS FAIRY ENCOUNTERS

Can only some people see them?  Many reports come in these days.




now read on....

DEVIL-MONKEYS OF VIRGINIA

What are these mysterious creatures?

now read on.....

BEAR-LIKE ANIMALS IN U.K.

What are they?

now read on.....

WHY DOGS HAVE COLD NOSES

Scientists have discovered the answer.





now read on......

SKINWALKER RANCH

The mysterious locale featured on Coast to Coast.



now read on.....

SEVEN FOOT DOGMAN

Scary creature reported.



now read on.....

Monday 30 March 2020

GOATMAN OF ARIZONA

Humanoid with caprine characteristics.



now read on.....

DOG-DEER AND STRANGE HUMANOID

Reported from the Pennsylvania Road.  (Item courtesy Loren Coleman)

now read on.....

FILEY SEA MONSTER

Report of incident in 1934.



now read on.....

THE GREEK ROSWELL

Did a UFO crash at Megaplatanos?  Was there a recovery mission?



now read on.....

GRAY CREATURE IN OHIO

But, if the report is true, it is not identified.

now read on.....

FLYING HORSE OF WEST VIRGINIA

Report of incident in 1878.  (You'll need to scroll down on the page to reach article.)



now read on.....

TOMPONDRAMO - CRYPTID WATER SNAKE OF MADAGASCAR

The term also applies to other creatures, just to be confusing.

now read on.....

BIG GRAY MAN

A hiker's experience involving the Fear Liath Mor.



now read on.....

Sunday 29 March 2020

HOMO FLORESIENSIS ON CAMERA?

Was a living Homo floresiensis filmed?  See the video.

Homo floresiensis skull


now read on.....

PTEROSAUR IN FLORIDA

The report says the sighting is "recent", but as it (the report) is undated, it may not still be recent.



now read on.....

GBAHALI

Mystery reptile of Liberia.

now read on.....

EARLY BIGFOOT ACCOUNT?

A legend of "giants" recorded in 1840.



now read on......

RUSSIAN REPORT ON BIGFOOT FOOTAGE

The Patterson-Gimlin film scrutinized.

LOCH NESS MONSTER ON LAND

Witnesses report monster ashore.



now read on.....

10 AMERICAN CRYPTIDS

A nice little selection.




now read on.....

WAS IT BIGFOOT?

Outside a tent in Alaska.

Image courtesy Lon Strickler
now read on.....

Saturday 28 March 2020

DO GIANT SPIDERS EXIST?

Some people don't like spiders - think of what they'd make of giant ones.




now read on.....

CUMBERLAND DRAGON

American monster reported 1794.

now read on.....

NAHUELITO: ARGENTINE LAKE MONSTER

Footage from 2016.



now read on.....

BIGFOOT AND THE BULLET

Accounts of Bigfoot being shot/shot at.



now read on....

SHUSWAGGI LAKE MONSTER

Has it been caught on video?



now read on.....

BIGFOOT: FACE TO FACE

I hope he was socially distancing.



now read on.....

BIGFOOT PROTECTION

Debate in Trinity County, California.



now read on.....

BIGFOOT INCIDENT AT MILITARY BASE

It happened at Tacoma, Washington.



now read on.....


Friday 27 March 2020

CHILD SEES FAIRIES

First hand account.



now read on.....

CRESCENT LAKE MONSTER

Mystery denizen reported from this Newfoundland lake.



now read on....

SUKOTYRO - IS IT A CRYPTID PIG?

If not, what is it? (Youtube)

have a look....

MYSTERY CREATURE - WHAT WAS IT?

It was seen eating a lamb.

now read on.....

MULTIPLE ANIMAL NOISES

A strange experience.

now read on.....

WHAT WAS A MUSCALIET?

Creature that appears in a bestiary.

now read on.....

REMARKABLE BIGFOOT PHOTO

Item courtesy Loren Coleman.



now read on.....

YELLOW FEVER THREATENS TAMARIN

The Golden Lion Tamarin is endangered by this illness.



now read on.....

GLIMMER MAN - MULTIPLE ENCOUNTERS

A number of encounters with this mysterious creature.



now read on.....

Thursday 26 March 2020

TIGERS IN THE UNITED STATES

There are more than in the wild.



now read on.....

BAKE-KUJIRA

Ghost whale of Japan.

now read on.....

IN CHARGE OF SKINWALKER RANCH

Youtube interview with its superintendent.




have a look....

BIGFOOT IN MISSOURI

In the Cherryville area.



now read on....

PATRON SAINT OF EPIDEMICS

Did you know that Saint Corona is the patron saint of epidemics?

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-germany-saint/german-cathedral-dusts-off-relics-of-st-corona-pa

LOCH NESS MONSTER SIGHTING

It happened in 1952.



now rad on.....

SIGHTING OF PIXIE

Youtube documentary.



have a look.....

MYSTERY HAIRLESS CANID

What is this strange dog?

Image courtesy Lon Strickler


now read on...

IS FAWCETT ALIVE?

Mystery of the intrepid explorer.

now read on....


Is Fawcett Alive?  Part 2

now read on.....

Wednesday 25 March 2020

CFZ ON THE TRACK #113

This is now available.  Follow the link.  (You'll need to scroll down.)

now rad on....

DRAGON BATTLE IN ENGLAND

An account of a battle between two dragons in 1449.  What lies behind this account?



now read on.....

WHAT IS AN OGRE?

The fairytale creature - but what is it?



now read on.....

OHIO CREATURE

This animal may be a cryptid isolate.  It may also be a known animal which its pursuers failed to identify.  It was nearly 7' long and brindled.  Hunters killed it in 1846 after a chase of about 150 miles.  A curious thing was, in the course of that chase it never crossed a fence.

DOES STELLER'S SEA COW SURVIVE?

It's supposedly extinct.  (Video)





now read on....

"LITTLE PEOPLE" OF AUSTRALIA

Found in Aboriginal folklore.


(The above work features these genuine folklore creatures, but is itself fiction.)

now read on....

BEAST OF LIMESTONE

A creature reported from Maine: it looks like an ape with a reptilian tail.

now read on...

BIGFOOT FEAR

It envelopes hapless wayfarer.



now read on.....

MYSTERY OF THE POSSUM TAILS

How are they getting strewn around New Zealand?




now read on.....

WAS THIS A PUKWUDGIE?

Encounter in Maine woods.



now read on....

Tuesday 24 March 2020

CFZ YEARBOOK 2020 NOW OUT

The yearbook of the society has appeared.




258pp.

Contents include: Yowies, Black Dogs in German Folklore, Monsters in Your Backyard, Phantom Kangaroos and Other Macropods, Mystery Animals of Greater Manchester, etc.

Authors include: Mike Hardcastle, Carl Marshall, Ulrich Magin, Scott Mardis, Bob Skinner, etc.

It hasn't reached Amazon USA yet, but should do so shortly.
It is available at Barnes & Noble for $18.99.
In the UK it is available from Book Depository at £13.76


TREE LIKE CREATURE IN BEDROOM

Scary experience in Texas.

now read on.....

LAKE NORMAN MONSTER

The lake monster of North Carolina.



now read on.....

WAS THIS A FAIRY?

It bumped into witness' cheek.



now read on.....

MOMO: NEWSPAPER DEPICTION

1972 drawing of Missouri monster.

now read on.....

TROLLS IN NORWEGIAN FOLKLORE

What are they?



now read on.....