What is Cryptozoology?
| noun |
The search for and study of animals whose existence or survival is disputed or unsubstantiated, such as the Loch Ness monster and the yeti.
Ivan T. Sanderson
Ivan T. Sanderson, Scottish-born biologist and writer, is the first one who coined the term "cryptozoology" in the 1940's.
He was known for writing about aquatic cryptids and hominoids Sasquatch and the Yeti.
Sanderson was interested in the paranormal and founded the Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained (SITU).
Bernard Heuvelmans
Bernard Heuvelmans wrote Sur la Piste des Bêtes Ignorées (On the Track of Unknown Animals): a truly influential book in the study of cryptids.
Due to the success of his book bringing widespread attention to paranormal creatures, Heuvelmans is often regarded as the grandfather of modern cryptozoology.
Cryptozoology has been around long before the coining of its name and will be around long after.
Myth and legends created fantastical beasts that lived in the world as ancient beings.
Today, we have the tales of Big Foot or Nessie as our modern mythological beast.
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Cryptozoology is a study of creatures that do not have enough evidence to be proven real.
The minute there is actual evidence, a creature is no longer a cryptid but a member of the animal kingdom.
Of course, human determination (and stubbornness) won't quit until we can find that paradoxical evidence.