What is Cryptozoology and Who Studies It
Cryptozoology is a field of knowledge devoted to searching for and studying animals whose existence is disputed or not proven by science. Such creatures are called cryptids. There’s also cryptobotany and cryptobiology, which combine the search for fictional plants and animals together.
One of the first representatives of cryptozoology was Franco-Belgian zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans, who wrote the book “On the Track of Unknown Animals” in 1955. Today, this discipline is mainly claimed by enthusiasts without biological education. Among them are opponents of evolution theory, creationists, believers in paranormal phenomena, New Age followers, and those who simply capitalize on the mass public’s interest in all things mysterious.
What Are Considered Cryptids
These are any hypothetical animals that haven’t been described by science. Here are the most famous ones:
Cryptids can also include extinct animals. For example, the Tasmanian wolf (thylacine) or sea cow.
Animals with rare genetic mutations can also be classified as cryptids. For example, king cheetahs, named for their unusual coloring – uncharacteristically large black spots and stripes on their backs.
Why the Scientific Community Doesn’t Recognize This Discipline
Scientists have many objections to cryptozoology.
No Clear Evidence of Cryptids’ Existence
In biology, there have been cases when the existence of animals considered fictional was confirmed. This happened with gorillas, okapis, platypuses, and giant squids, which may have been the prototype for the kraken.
But these cases are isolated and don’t support the existence of cryptids.
Cryptozoologists themselves only have circumstantial evidence that can’t be verified. For example, stories from witnesses who were the only ones to see the creature from afar and only briefly. How can we be sure they didn’t mistake, for instance, a heron for a pterodactyl or a snow-covered rock for a yeti? Stories about encounters with yetis or lake monsters might be related to the apophenia effect, where we see things that aren’t actually there.
All videos and photographs of supposed cryptids are either very blurry or fake. For example, this video from Lake Champlain on the US-Canada border might show an unknown creature, or it could be a swimming moose, an injured bird, or a log.
What cryptozoologists call traces and remains of cryptids also doesn’t pass scientific scrutiny.
For instance, hairs, bones, and teeth allegedly belonging to yeti or bigfoot were studied by geneticists. All samples turned out to be tissues from ordinary animals: bears, dogs, wolves, horses, cows, raccoons, deer, and porcupines. And one even belonged to a human.
The situation with lake monsters is even worse. For example, not a single plesiosaur skeleton has been found in Loch Ness.
Cryptozoologists Use Unscientific Methods
They draw a large amount of information from folklore: myths, legends, and tales. These pseudo-scientists take such sources seriously, as they supposedly might have recorded the existence of creatures unknown to science. This is where information about yetis, chupacabras, krakens, or Mokele-mbembe—a surviving sauropod dinosaur supposedly living in the Congo River valley—comes from.
Sometimes cryptobiologists also reference historical records of encounters with unusual creatures. For instance, the Loch Ness monster has been known since the 6th century CE.
However, historical testimonies are unreliable sources. People in the past could be just as susceptible to illusions. For example, for many centuries, sailors’ encounters with oarfish, which can grow up to eight meters in length, gave rise to stories about sea serpents.
Meanwhile, cryptozoologists don’t use modern methods of animal detection, although new technologies allow this quite effectively. For instance, camera traps capture once-elusive snow leopards. And studying blood samples found in leeches, for example, helps confirm the existence of rare or endangered species.
Biologists have also learned to find traces of all creatures living in a given environment through soil or water samples. In Loch Ness, no markers indicating plesiosaurs were found, but traces of eels were discovered.
Cryptozoologists can only counter all this with belief. They think, for example, that cryptids possess supernatural abilities that help them avoid detection. Bigfoot is allegedly somehow connected to UFOs or can control infrasound and disappear in a flash of light, while Nessie breaks recording equipment, apparently using electromagnetic pulses.
Cryptozoology Ignores Biological Discoveries and Common Sense
Hypotheses about cryptids’ origins look equally absurd. There simply weren’t any events that could have led to the evolution of long-necked pinnipeds from seals or yetis from Neanderthals. Therefore, all evolutionary constructs of these pseudo-scientists don’t stand up to scrutiny.
Cryptozoologists also ignore data from disciplines related to biology, such as geography. Even if one agrees with their arguments that 20,000 years ago Lakes Loch Ness, Champlain, and George were under ice, it’s still unclear how giant marine creatures could have entered them. These lakes are lakes precisely because they have no access to the world ocean. Moreover, their water is fresh, meaning marine dinosaurs simply couldn’t survive in it.
As we can see, even logic is ignored in such constructs. For example, how can such a huge beast as Nessie obtain enough food in Loch Ness, which is quite deep but relatively small—only 56 km²? And overall, dinosaurs have been extinct for 65-70 million years. If this weren’t the case, paleontologists would have found remains or even living creatures in many other parts of the world, but this doesn’t happen.
Also, a question arises: if there’s only one monster, how long does it live and how does it reproduce? A cryptid can’t be the only specimen, or its species would simply disappear. This means there should be at least several yetis. In that case, they should, at minimum, leave many more traces, which would inevitably lead to their discovery.
Why Cryptozoologists Continue Their Search
Despite criticism from scientists, pseudo-science representatives don’t give up.
They Truly Believe in Cryptids’ Existence
Some cryptozoologists are inspired by myths or eyewitness accounts of yetis or surviving dinosaurs. Others claim they’ve encountered a cryptid themselves. And although their imagination likely deceived them, such an event became deeply imprinted in their minds.
They Think They Can Make a Great Discovery
Cryptozoologists often don’t know about or ignore biologists’ discoveries. But it’s precisely scientific achievements that often inspire pseudo-scientists. It’s notable, for example, that stories about Mokele-mbembe started appearing after large sauropod skeletons were first shown in New York.
Being science outsiders, cryptozoologists try to “show up” real scientists, demonstrate the limitations of their theories, and, of course, gain fame through an incredible discovery. For example, prove that evolution theory is wrong, and Earth’s history is actually much shorter and corresponds to the biblical description.
They Make Money From It
Stories about yeti, lake plesiosaurs, chupacabra, and mermaids are the only and quite substantial source of income for many of them. Appearances in questionable TV shows and publications in tabloid media not only bring such people certain popularity but also help them sell books, for example.
It’s also profitable for the tourism industry to maintain rumors about cryptids. Paranormal phenomena are excellent tourist attractions. A castle with ghosts or a lake with a monster will attract many more visitors. This generates profit for local hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and souvenir sellers. For instance, there’s data suggesting that the Loch Ness monster brings £41 million ($54 million) annually to Scotland’s economy.
