Only the bravest vacationers need apply!
International Museum of Cryptozoology, Portland, Maine, USA
According to it's founder and curator, the International Cryptozoology Museum is the only one of its kind in the world. Cryptozoology is the study of unknown or mysterious animals, and those animals include monsters.
And monsters are well-represented in the museum's displays.
Loren Coleman has been collecting cryptozoology artifacts since 1960, and his collection comprises the bulk of the museum. This includes hair and poop samples from Bigfoot, dozens of preserved footprints, and exhibits on animals ranging from the coelacanth (a prehistoric fish) to the Jersey Devil.
In addition to artifacts from real monsters, Loren exhibits fake monsters such as a full-size rubber Thunderbird, a Fur-Bearing Trout, and an exact replica of P.T. Barnum's 19th century "FeeJee Mermaid." Loren believes that recognizing and acknowledging frauds helps cryptozoologists to be more careful. "And it's fun," he told us. "You have to have a sense of humor in cryptozoology. It's too bad the skeptics don't."
Loch Ness Monster, Scotland
The earliest report of a monster associated with the vicinity of Loch Ness appears in the
Life of St. Columba by
Adomnán, written in the 7th century. According to Adomnán, writing about a century after the events he described, the Irish monk
Saint Columba was staying in the land of the
Picts with his companions when he came across the locals burying a man by the
River Ness. They explained that the man had been swimming the river when he was attacked by a "water beast" that had mauled him and dragged him under. They tried to rescue him in a boat, but were able only to drag up his corpse.
Yeti, Himalayan Region of Nepal and Tibet
The yeti has often been compared
physiologically to the
American sasquatch, as both are large, hold a structural similarity to the
great apes family, are covered in hair, have a sagittal crest atop their heads and possess an extremely potent smell. However, unlike sasquatch, there have been few visual sightings of the yeti at close range reported since the twentieth century; much of current understanding of the yeti comes from artistic representations in ancient
temples and
monasteries, as well as stories and legends passed down by the people of the
Himalayas. Because of this, there are many discrepancies as to what exactly the yeti looks like.
Some have suggested that the yeti is light colored, so as to blend in with the
snow, and always walks upright, while others have stated that the yeti is smaller, of darker color, walks on four legs like a
bear but stands on all two feet when scared or threatened, as
gorillas are known to do.
Big Foot, Redwood Forest, California, USA
It’s a big, hairy ape-like creature that has a distinctive fowl odor say those who claim to have encountered “
Bigfoot,” or “
Sasquatch,” as its commonly called. The creature is legend around the world, and especially in northern California where’s it’s been sighted on a regular basis for the past 150 plus years. Recent Thanksgiving week new sightings in Garberville and other redwood communities have concerned both residents and the California Department of Fish and Game. At the same time, there’s been recent reports of Bigfoot or a creature like it in and around the Eugene area. In fact, one local resident of the Eugene suburb of Alpine noted “seeing Bigfoot over Thanksgiving” while walking his dog in the woods near his home. Bigfoot has been a regular “visitor” to the Eugene area, say local U.S. Forest Service officials who’ve fielded hundreds of calls about Bigfoot in the woods of western Lane County.
Jersey Devil, Pine Barrens, N.J., USA
The
Jersey Devil is a
legendary creature or
cryptid said to inhabit the
Pine Barrens of Southern
New Jersey. The creature is often described as a flying
biped with
hooves, but there are many variations.
Most accounts of the Jersey Devil legend attribute the creature to a "Mother Leeds", a supposed whore although the tale has many variations. According to one version, she invoked the devil by saying "let it be the devil" while giving birth to her 13th child, and when the baby was born, it either immediately or soon afterward transformed into a devil like creature and flew off into the surrounding pines. Other origins include Mrs. Leeds throwing the unwanted child into her basement (to let it die) but it started to grow fur and eventually escaped.
Chupacabra, San Antonio, Texas, USA
The Chupacabra is a legend that spans the globe but San Antonio and south Texas has its own version of the chupacabra story and even has a few pictures and news stories to go along with it. The term Chupacabra means "goat sucker" in Spanish getting its name from supposedly attacking and drinking the blood of livestock. The south Texas version of the Chupacabra has some distinct differences from the tale of this creature known worldwide
Accounts of Chupacabra sightings range from farmers and ranchers to deer hunters that have spotted the monster out of their deer blind while hunting. Looking through binoculars, one hunter described the scary Chupacabra as about three feet tall with black eyes, kangaroo like legs and little to no hair. The creature had huge fangs that resembled a werewolf and walked awkwardly with its head slumped forward like a hunchback.
Ayia Napa Sea Monster, Cyprus
The
Ayia Napa Sea Monster is a
cryptid, claimed to inhabit the coast off of
Ayia Napa in
Cyprus, a popular
tourist resort on the
Mediterranean. Most sightings occur around
Cape Greco (Cavo Greko). It is known by the local fishermen as "To Filiko Teras", which translates as "The Friendly Monster". There have been no reports of it causing any harm, although it has been reported at times to rip and drag away fishing nets. There have been countless sightings of the "Creature from the Depths", including at
Kouris Dam, with some local newspapers calling the mystery the "Cyprus Loch Ness". It has been speculated to be something like a
crocodile or
serpent.
Montauk Monster, Montauk, N.Y., USA
The "
Montauk Monster" was an unidentified creature that washed ashore dead, on a beach near the business district of
Montauk,
New York in July 2008. The identity of the creature, and the veracity of stories surrounding it, have been the subject of unresolved controversy and speculation. It is unknown what happened to the carcass. Although the creature's body was never reported as recovered or physically examined, palaeozoologist
Darren Naish studied the photograph and concluded from visible
dentition and the front paws that the creature may have been a
raccoon.
Ghost Cats, Spalding Inn, Whitefield, N.H., USA
After Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson profiled the Spalding Inn for an episode of their series, Ghost Hunters, the two were so impressed with the ghostly activity that they decided to purchase the Inn. However, ghosts are not cryptids. Lucky for the brave, the forests surrounding the Inn are a well-documented Sasquatch-sighting area. Ghostly felines such as black panthers and white pumas have also been spotted.
The Mothman, Charleston & Point Pleasant, W.Va., USA
Between November 1966 and December 1967a creature was seen by over one hundred witnesses in the Charleston and Point Pleasant areas of West Virginia, USA. Most witnesses describe the creature as being the size of a man, having wings and having terrifying, glowing red eyes.The creature was given the nickname ‘The Mothman’.
The Mothman was first sighted on November 12th 1966 in Clendenin, West Virginia. Five men preparing a grave described seeing a ‘brown human shape’ lifting off from behind nearby trees and flying over their heads. This sighting was not made public until after stories of the Mothman had began being reported to the media.
Where the Monsters are....
Posting Permissions
