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Half a century ago, Belgian Zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans first codified cryptozoology in his book On the Track of Unknown Animals.

The Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ) are still on the track, and have been since 1992. But as if chasing unknown animals wasn't enough, we are involved in education, conservation, and good old-fashioned natural history! We already have three journals, the largest cryptozoological publishing house in the world, CFZtv, and the largest cryptozoological conference in the English-speaking world, but in January 2009 someone suggested that we started a daily online magazine! The CFZ bloggo is a collaborative effort by a coalition of members, friends, and supporters of the CFZ, and covers all the subjects with which we deal, with a smattering of music, high strangeness and surreal humour to make up the mix.

It is edited by CFZ Director Jon Downes, and subbed by the lovely Lizzy Bitakara'mire (formerly Clancy), scourge of improper syntax. The daily newsblog is edited by Corinna Downes, head administratrix of the CFZ, and the indexing is done by Lee Canty and Kathy Imbriani. There is regular news from the CFZ Mystery Cat study group, and regular fortean bird news from 'The Watcher of the Skies'. Regular bloggers include Dr Karl Shuker, Dale Drinnon, Richard Muirhead and Richard Freeman.The CFZ bloggo is updated daily, and there's nothing quite like it anywhere else. Come and join us...

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Friday, November 06, 2009

LINDSAY SELBY: The Future for Cryptozoology?

With the death of Robert Rines, I got to thinking about how many cryptozoologists have passed away and what the future holds. I was quite young when I started hanging out at Loch Ness and looking for Nessie but I am 54 now and have developed a serious health condition so future vigils by the loch may be in doubt. I wondered what will happen to the hunt for Nessie? Are there young people out there prepared to give up their time and money to spend lonely days , often in bad weather, camped by the loch? I know Steve Feltham still resides by the loch, and he is younger than me, but for how much longer can he continue when he gets older?

What does it mean for the future of cryptozoology? Will there still be people in 25 years time hunting for bigfoot, if it is not proven to exist or not exist by then?

We need mysteries to investigate; we need monsters to pursue to make life more exciting, to give us a reason to explore. We also need young people to continue the search. I know most of us are considered eccentric and perhaps not the best role models but being different is what makes us who we are. There are people who have lost jobs because of their monster-hunting and been ostracised by their peers , and I have been denied promotions before because of (and I quote) my "eccentric hobby." They say to be accepted these days you have to be average; I hope this isn't true and there are young people out there who are reading blogs and reading books and thinking, 'yes, I would like to do this.' I hope the future of cryptozoology is assured and there are those out there prepared to go the extra mile to find the unknown and search for answers. The questions are easy , the answers hard to find, but I hope some brave souls will come forward and carry on investigating.

1 comment:

Carl said...

I believe Cryptozoology has Evolved. Where there were Monster hunters on the shores of Loch Ness hunting for neo Plesiosaurs in the past, I think there will certainly be cryptozoologists there in the future, though probably not looking for relic reptiles but maybe Sturgeon, outsized eels or possibly something completely new to science. Loch Ness is a very interesting place and is still well worthy of investigation and I hope researchers continue doing so until we fully understand what so many good honest people swear they have scene and hopefully be fully vindicated in the proses. THE SEARCH GOES ON.