Cryptozoology…What is it?
The word cryptozoology is the “study of hidden animals.” Many people believe these creatures are out there, but science has not officially confirmed their existence. Nevertheless, there is a groundswell of cryptozoology enthusiasts who scour the earth for these elusive animals.
If you are thinking “Loch Ness Monster” or “Bigfoot” then you understand what the heck I am talking about! You know of the creatures to which I speak. These beasts, like “mermaids” are often viewed as a hoax and will inevitably cause your friends to proclaim “you’re crazy.” Now this may be true unless of course you experienced a sighting yourself. These mystery creatures are referred to as cryptids.
Cryptozoologists have come a long way over the years and many of these people are honest professionals quick to dismiss pranks. They focus on the science and have been influential developing persuasive theories over time explaining sightings of unusual animals.
Many biologists and zoologists will not invest time and money hunting for some fabled creature. The risk of ridicule and shunning from their colleagues could hurt their career. Grant money to take off from a university and swim with “Nessie” in Scotland is hard to come by.
Progress moves at a snail’s pace in cryptozoology. New discoveries and evidence are hard to detect and a researcher may devote a lifetime searching for limited results for their efforts.
You may wonder why these individuals devote time to this? One theory is that some of them may have had an encounter with one of these unexplained and controversial creatures. Hum…What do you think?