Cryptozoology is a field of science and subculture, which started in the 1950’s. According to Wikipedia, it aims to prove the existence of entities from the folkloric record, such as Bigfoot, the Chupacabra, or the Loch Ness Monster.
Cryptozoologists refer to these entities as cryptids. Because they don’t follow the scientific method, cryptozoology is considered a pseudoscience by the academic world: it is neither a branch of zoology nor folkloristics. It was originally founded by zoologists Bernard Heuvelmans and Ivan T. Sanderson.
Scholars have noted that the pseudoscience rejects mainstream approaches, and that cryptozoologists often express distaste and sometimes even hostility towards mainstream science. Scholars have studied cryptozoologists and their influence and have noted parallels in cryptozoology and other pseudo-sciences, like ghost hunting or ufology.
Use your love of Cryptozoology to become a writer of children’s books
Have you ever wanted to write about the creatures you read about in other books or about ones from your own imagination? Need some ideas? Need writing prompts or descriptions of exotic cryptids? Check out my mythological creature archive here.
It is a continuously growing list, so please come back and visit us often! Check below for a list of the top 50 cryptids from around the world by a real Cryptozoologist!
How do you become a REAL Cryptozoologist?
Let’s check out a few ways that you can become a Cryptozoologist first. Read the full wiki how- here.
- Find out if Cryptozoology is right for you.
- Choose a cryptid to specialize in.
- Study as many fields as you can.
Biology, zoology, psychology, anthropology, and conservation would be good places to start. - Learn survival skills.
- Research, research, research.
- Learn the folklore.
- Study the geography of the cryptid.
- Hunt for the cryptid.
Which CRYPTID to study?
It is important to note the various kinds of creatures considered to be a cryptid. Below is a list of “active,” cryptids according to a real life Cryptozoologist!
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists. An honorary member of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, and several other international organizations, he is also a Life Member of the International Society of Cryptozoology. Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursue of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969.
| The Top 50 Cryptids From Around The World By Loren Coleman |
| Ahool Giant unknown bats are reported to reside in a region of western Java, plus similar reports under different names from Vietnam and the Philippines; possibly known as Orang-bati in Seram, Indonesia. Almas Huge hairy Neanderthaloid or Homo erectus-like hominids sighted in various parts of Euroasia. Agogwe The Agogwe are little, human-like, hairy, bipeds reported consistently from the forests of Eastern Africa. Andean Wolf These unrecognized mountain dogs are seen in South America. Arabhar These unconfirmed flying snakes are located in the Arabian Sea region. Barmanu Reportedly strong, muscular, and hairy humanoids reported from the Shishi-kuh valley in Pakistan. Beast of Bodmin (or Bodmin Moor) Locally named mystery felids found in the United Kingdom. Bergman’s Bear Possible unknown species of giant bear once roamed Eastern Asia, and still may. Bili Ape Giant chimpanzees appear to live in remote east Africa, where much evidence points to their existence, including photos, footprints and ground nests. Birds-of-Paradise Six species from New Guinea and surrounding islands, and a distinctive Long-Tailed Black Bird-of-Paradise from Goodenough Island are of interest to cryptozoology. Black Panthers and Maned Mystery Cats Sighting of large Black Panthers and seemingly “African Lions” with manes in the Midwest USA have law enforcement officials on the alert. Blue Mountain panthers These unknown cats reportedly live in the Blue Mountains of the east coast of Australia in the state of New South Wales. Blue Tiger These mystery felids are spotted in the Fujian Province, China, and are also filed under the name Black Tiger. Bobo Sea monsters of the North Pacific Ocean are frequently reported off Monterey Bay since the 1940s, and have been given this local name. Buffalo Lion East African maneless lions are said to be man-eaters, and may reflect some new genetic alignments, akin to the King Cheetah discoveries among cheetahs. Buru Fifteen foot long bluish black giant lizards were seen often in the swamps, lakes and foothills of the Himalayas, up through the 1940s, although they may be extinct now. Caddy These unknown Sea Serpents living off the coast of British Columbia are a popular figure in Canadian cryptozoology. Champ Giant prehistoric-looking creatures lurk in Lake Champlain, a 109 mile lake that borders New York, Vermont, and Ontario. Chupacabras Also called “Goatsuckers,” these bizarre Caribbean and South American cryptids are five feet tall biped creatures with short grey hair that have spiked hair and reported drain the blood through throat punctures of the livestock they kill. Ebu Gogo Three feet tall, hairy little people with pot bellies and long arms sighted on the island of Flores, Indonesia. Tiny females are said to have long, pendulous breasts. Giant Anaconda Reports have been made of 100 feet long snakes on the Rio Negro of the Amazon River basin. Giant Octopus The Blue Holes of Bimini, offer many sightings of these unknown huge, many-tentacled animals. Giant Sloth Weighing up to 3 tons, these supposedly extinct animals have been reported in South America in contemporary times. Globsters Strange looking giant creatures (also called blobs) wash up on the beaches of the world, get the media and scientists excited, and sometimes turn out to be “unknowns.” Honey Island Swamp Monster Reportedly these “Swamp Thing” monsters are seen in the Louisiana swamps. Jersey Devil This regionalized name hides these creatures that have been haunting the New Jersey Pineland forest for over 260 years. Kongamato The natives of the Jiundu region of Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) have firsthand encounters with these strange flying bat-like creatures. Lake Storsjon Monster Lake Seljord in the Telemark region of Norway has its own Lake Monsters swimming the waters here for centuries. Lau Are certain African lakes the home to 40 feet long unknown catfishes or lungfishes? Loch Ness Monster Nessie is the most famous Lake Monster in the world; they are said to inhabit this loch, an extremely deep Scottish lake. MacFarlane’s Bear The carcass is at the Smithsonian, believed to be a possible hybrid between a grizzly and polar bear. Or an new unknown species. Mngwa The Mngwa are cats described as being as large as donkeys, with marks like a tabby and living in Africa – but not a known species. Mokele-Mbembe For over two hundred years there have been reports of living Sauropods (dinosaur) in the remote Congo area of Africa. They may being confused with accounts of other local cryptids, aquatic rhinos. Mongolian Death Worm Locals in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia talk of these giant snakes, worms, or long thin lizards (also called Olgoi-khorkhoi or Allghoi-khorkhoi) as killing livestock and people with their breath. Mothman A local name for giant owls (also called Bighoot) which has been sighted for over 100 years in West Virginia-Ohio area, and elsewhere in North America. Ogopogo This is Canada’s most famous type of water monsters, inhabitants of Lake Okanagan in the south central interior of British Columbia. Orang-Pendak These reportedly small biped small apes (also called Sedapa) live in the jungles of Sumatra and Borneo. Peruvian Mystery Jaguar Unknown large cats with white background covered in solid irregular spots are seen in the rainforests of Peru. Skunk Ape Also known by the label Myakka “Ape” and other local names (Booger, Swamp Ape), these chimpanzee- or orangutan-like primates have been sighted throughout central and south Florida. Steller’s Sea Cow A once thought extinct species, these totally marine animals, looking like huge, wrinkled manatees, and are still being seen by Russian fisherman. Tasmanian Tiger or Thylacine Thought extinct, these wolf-like marsupials are still sighted on a regular basis in Western Australia, and perhaps New Guinea too. Tazelwurm Classic small log-shaped reptilian cryptids from the European Alps are enigmatic animals, but have they gone extinct in historical times? Thunderbird Large condor-like birds, perhaps Teratorns, roam the skies of North America, along regular migration routes. Tzuchinoko Unknown species of snake sighted in the upper elevations of Korea and Japan. Ucu The South American Bigfoot live mainly in the Andean foothills. Waitoreke These strange unknown otter-like beasts are seen in New Zealand, and as yet undiscovered. Xing-Xing This is a specific regional name, from southern China, for small unknown apes. Yeren The Chinese Wildmen are reddish, semi-bipedal, and often encountered by locals and government officials along rural roads. Yeti Yeti, unknown rock apes, are creatures reported as crossing the Himalayan plateaus and living in the valley forests. There is not just “one” Abominable Snowman, and they are no “white.” Yowie These tall hairy unknown hominoids are sighted throughout several remote areas of Australia. |
| For a complete source list, click here. |
If you find this article fun, interesting and informative, let me know in the comment section below, and as usual…happy writing!
And of course there’s the Sasquatch. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigfoot
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Yes, yes! Thank you!!!
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How did I miss this post? See plenty of cryptids I wasn’t aware of as well as a few I was.
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Fantastic!!! Stay – tuned! This on going!!! ❤️🎉📕
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I noticed. Makes me want to create stats and skills for a cryptozoologist character class for an RPG. Not to mention trying to create stats for the various ones you have added so far. If I had the skills, I would go for creating an X Files type RPG although there are probably a couple out there that would be easy to adapt.
I would be highlighting some of the more interesting ones as re-blogs although all of them are pretty interesting.
There’s a Roadside America link I came across back in April that I am slowly working on getting posted. From the link, it looks like it has many of the ones you have posted.
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Thank you for respecting what I do enough to repost it on your blog :)! ❤️❤️❤️
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You are welcome. I used to watch Kolchak; The Night Stalker growing up, what I consider to be an early version of The X-Files. To me, it was a cool show although I don’t think my family appreciated it. Back then, there was no Internet where I could look up the various cryptids they showed although I later recognized some of them in the RPGs I played even if I didn’t remember the names used on the show.
It’s because of authors like you and a friend of mine that I may one day decide to self-publish a science fantasy (science fiction/fantasy) series. Ideally, I would like to do something similar to Thieves’ World where I create a backdrop that other authors are free to use as a basis for their books.
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I think you should do your book series…just start writing ❤️. The #writingcommunity on twitter is also a great resource for tips, resources, friendships and inspiration.
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I appreciate the input and feedback. It’s something I have considered, but I want it to be something that has meaning and not something to just make me happy. Not sure that makes sense as I am trying to express an ideal. If I became the next big name author, but it was from a meaningless series or book, I wouldn’t feel comfortable even if I made tons of money.
For example, when I was working, I kept the awards for doing a good job to myself. A co-worker loved to plaster his all over the office. To me, it was more important that my boss recognized what I was doing than it was to announce to the world my boss acknowledged it. Think I am rambling a bit, but hopefully you get what I mean.
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I understand 😀
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