Examine individual changes

'[[File:Plesiosaur8.jpg|thumb|Reconstruction of an alleged [[Ogopogo]] sighting]] '''Cryptozoology''' (from [[Greek language|Greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek]] [[wikt:κρυπτός|κρυπτός]], ''kryptos'', "hidden" + [[zoology]]; literally, "study of hidden animals") is a [[pseudoscience]] involving the search for [[animal]]s whose existence has not been proved. This includes looking for living examples of animals that are considered extinct, such as [[Living dinosaur (cryptozoology)|dinosaurs]]; animals whose existence lacks physical evidence but which appear in [[myths]], legends, or are reported, such as [[Bigfoot]] and [[Chupacabra]];<ref name="Simpson">{{cite journal|last=Simpson|first=George G.|year=1984|title=Mammals and Crytozoology|journal=Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society|publisher=American Philosophical Society.|pages=1–19|volume=128|issue=1|jstor=986487}}</ref> and wild animals dramatically outside their normal geographic ranges, such as [[phantom cat]]s (also known as Alien Big Cats). The animals cryptozoologists study are often referred to as ''[[cryptid]]s'', a term coined by John Wall in 1983.<ref name="Coleman_1999">[[Loren Coleman|Coleman, Loren]] and Clark, Jerome.''Cryptozoology A to Z: The Encyclopedia of [[Loch]] [[Monsters]], Sasquatch, Chupacabras, and Other Authentic Mysteries of Nature''. New York: Fireside/Simon and Schuster, 1999</ref> Cryptozoology is not a recognized branch of [[zoology]] or a discipline of science.<ref name="Simpson"/> It is an example of [[pseudoscience]] because it relies heavily upon anecdotal evidence, stories and alleged sightings.<ref name="Skepdic">{{cite web|url=http://www.skepdic.com/crypto.html|title=The Skeptic's Dictionary|last=Carroll|first=Robert T.|date=1994-2009|accessdate=26 August 2010}}</ref><ref name="skeptic-encyclopedia">{{cite book|last1=Shermer|first1=Michael |last2=Linse|first2=Pat |title=The Skeptic Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience|url=http://books.google.com/?id=Gr4snwg7iaEC&pg=PA71|year=2002|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=1-57607-653-9}}</ref><ref name="Birx2009">{{cite book|author=[[H. James Birx]]|title=Encyclopedia of time: science, philosophy, theology, & culture|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=b3ddWSxmi9cC&pg=PA251|accessdate=2 September 2011|date=6 January 2009|publisher=SAGE|isbn=978-1-4129-4164-8|pages=251–}}</ref> ==Overview== [[File:Dr Karl P. N. Shuker and Smilodon Skull.jpg|thumb|[[Karl Shuker]] is a prominent British cryptozoologist.]] The coining of the word ''cryptozoology'' is often attributed to Belgian-French [[zoologist]] [[Bernard Heuvelmans]], though Heuvelmans attributes coinage of the term to the late Scottish explorer and adventurer [[Ivan T. Sanderson]].<ref name="inthewake">{{cite book|author=Heuvelmans, Bernard |title=In the Wake of the Sea-Serpents |publisher=Hill and Wang |location=New York |year=1968 |isbn=0-8090-5814-6}}</ref> Heuvelmans' 1955 book ''[[On the Track of Unknown Animals]]'' traces the scholarly origins of the discipline to [[Anthonie Cornelis Oudemans]] and his 1892 study, ''The Great Sea Serpent''.<ref name="onthetrack">{{cite book|author=Bernard Heuvelmans |title=On The Track Of Unknown Animals |location=New York |publisher=Hill and Wang |year=1965 |isbn=0-7103-0498-6}}</ref> Heuvelmans argued that cryptozoology should be undertaken with [[scientific rigor]], but with an open-minded, [[interdisciplinary]] approach. He also stressed that attention should be given to local, urban and [[folklore|folkloric]] sources regarding such creatures, arguing that while often layered in unlikely and fantastic elements, folktales can have small grains of truth and important information regarding undiscovered organisms. [[Phantom cat]]s (an example of living animals supposedly found outside of their normal range) are a common subject of cryptozoological interest,<ref>{{dmoz|Science/Anomalies_and_Alternative_Science/Cryptozoology/Big_Cats/|Cryptozoology/Big Cats}}</ref> largely due to the relative likelihood of existence in comparison to fantastical cryptids lacking any evidence of existence, such as [[Mothman]].<ref>{{cite web |title= Big Cat evidence gets stronger, as society calls for government study |url= http://www.britishbigcats.org/news.php |publisher= British Big Cats Society |accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Brad Fear |title=A Macabre Myth of a Moth-Man |year=2008 |isbn=1-4389-0264-6}}</ref> Another notable book on the subject is [[Willy Ley]]'s ''[[Exotic Zoology (book)|Exotic Zoology]]'' (1959). Ley was best known for his writings on [[rocket]]ry and related topics, but he was trained in [[paleontology]], and wrote a number of books about animals. Ley's collection ''Exotic Zoology'' is of some interest to cryptozoology, as he discusses the [[Yeti]] and [[sea serpent]]s, as well as [[relict]] dinosaurs. The book entertains the possibility that some [[legendary creature]]s (like the [[sirrush]], the [[unicorn]] or the [[cyclops]]) might be based on actual animals, through misinterpretation of the animals and/or their remains. Also notable is the work of British zoologist and cryptozoologist [[Karl Shuker]], who has published 12 books and countless articles on numerous cryptozoological subjects since the mid-1980s. [[Loren Coleman]], a modern popularizer of cryptozoology, has chronicled the history and personalities of cryptozoology in his books.<ref>{{cite book |author=Loren Coleman |title=Tom Slick: True Life Encounters in Cryptozoology |location=Fresno, California |publisher=Craven Street Books/Linden Press |year=2002 |isbn=0-941936-74-0}}</ref> ==Extant species previously thought to be cryptids== [[File:Okapi2.jpg|thumb|An [[Okapi]] at [[Walt Disney]]'s Animal Kingdom, symbol of the defunct [[International Society of Cryptozoology]]]] Examples of cryptids that were discovered by modern science include: *The [[okapi]], discovered in 1901, and earlier hinted at but unseen by [[Henry Morton Stanley]] in his travelogue of exploring the Congo, which later became the emblem for the now defunct [[International Society of Cryptozoology]]. *Before 1912, the [[komodo dragon]] was thought to be mythological creature,<ref>http://eden.uktv.co.uk/nature/animals/reptiles/article/komodo-dragons/</ref> and was called the giant monitor.<ref>http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-komodo-dragon</ref> *The [[giant squid]], first described in Scandinavian legends under the name of [[Kraken]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Countdowns|first=LiveScience|title=Rumor or Reality: The Creatures of Cryptozoology|url=http://www.livescience.com/animals/top10_creatures_of_cryptozoology-1.html|work=Imaginova|publisher=LiveScience|accessdate=20 December 2010}}</ref> *The [[Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl]], first described as the [[Devil Bird]] in Sinhalese legends.<ref>http://www.lankalibrary.com/cul/veddha/spittel.htm</ref> known as ora (land crocodile).<ref>http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-komodo-dragonl</ref> *The [[Hoan Kiem Turtle]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Coleman|first=Loren|title=The Field Guide to Lake Monsters, Sea Serpents, and other mystery denizens of the deep|year=2003|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=1-58542-252-5|coauthors=Patrick Huyghe}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=News Service|first=Vietnam|title=The legend of the Hoan Kiem Turtle|url=http://www.asianturtlenetwork.org/library/news_articles/The_legend_of_the_Hoan_Kiem_Turtle.html|accessdate=20 December 2010|newspaper=Asian Turtle Conservation Network|date=May 28, 2006}}</ref> *The [[mountain gorilla]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Krystek|first=Lee|title=A Gallery of Cryptozoological Alumni|url=http://www.unmuseum.org/found.htm|work=The Museum of UnNatural Mystery|publisher=The UnMuseum|accessdate=20 December 2010}}</ref> The 2003 discovery of the [[fossil]] remains of ''[[Homo floresiensis]]'' was cited by paleontologist [[Henry Gee]], editor of the journal ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'', as possible evidence that humanoid cryptids like the [[Orang Pendek]] and [[yeti]] were "founded on grains of truth." "Cryptozoology," Gee said, "the study of such fabulous creatures, can come in from the cold."<ref>{{cite journal |author=Henry Gee |year=2004 |journal=Nature News |url=http://www.bioedonline.org/news/news.cfm?art=1329 |title=Flores, God and Cryptozoology: The discovery poses thorny questions about the uniqueness of Homo sapiens | doi = 10.1038/news041025-2 }}</ref> While cryptzoologists are often unable to properly follow the scientific method due to the nature of their work, the vast majority still reject supernatural explanations for cryptid sightings, preferring to keep explanations as plausible as possible without ruling out the cryptid's existence. ==Criticism== Cryptozoology has been criticised because of its reliance on anecdotal information<ref name="shermer">{{cite journal|last=Shermer|first=Michael|year=2003|title=Show Me the Body|work=[[Scientific American]]|issue=288(5)|page=27|url=http://www.michaelshermer.com/2003/05/show-me-the-body}}</ref> and because some cryptozoologists do not follow the [[scientific method]]<ref name="bigfoot">{{cite book|last=Coleman|first=Loren|coauthors=Huyghe, Patrick|others=Trumbore, Harry|title=The Field Guide to Bigfoot, Yeti, and Other Mystery Primates Worldwide|publisher=Avon Books|location=New York, New York|date=April 1999|pages=207|chapter=Afterword|isbn=0-380-80263-5}}</ref><ref name="lake">{{cite book|last1=Coleman|first1=Loren|last2=Huyghe|first2=Patrick|last3=Trumbore|first3=Harry|last4=Rollins|first4=Mark Lee|title=The Field Guide to Lake Monsters, Sea Serpents, and Other Mystery Denizens of the Deep|publisher=Penguin Group|location=New York, New York|year=2003|pages=358|isbn=1-58542-252-5}}</ref> and devote a substantial portion of their efforts to investigations of animals that most scientists believe are unlikely to have existed.<ref name="luumsh">{{cite book|last=Dash|first=Mike|title=Borderlands: The Ultimate Exploration of the Unknown|publisher=[[Overlook Press]]|year=2000 |isbn=0-440-23656-8}}</ref> Cryptozoologists contend that because species once considered [[superstition]], [[hoax]]es, delusions, or misidentifications were later accepted as legitimate by the scientific community, descriptions and reports of folkloric creatures should be taken seriously.<ref name="ColemanClark1999">{{cite book|author1=Loren Coleman|author2=Jerome Clark|title=Cryptozoology A To Z: The Encyclopedia Of Loch Monsters Sasquatch Chupacabras And Other Authentic M|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=4ZTgX7BZXqoC&pg=PA186|accessdate=10 December 2012|date=5 August 1999|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-0-684-85602-5|pages=186–}}</ref> According to [[Mike Dash]], a Welsh historian, few scientists doubt there are thousands of unknown animals, particularly invertebrates, awaiting discovery; however, cryptozoologists are largely uninterested in researching and cataloging newly discovered species of [[ant]]s or [[beetle]]s, instead focusing their efforts towards "more elusive" creatures that have often defied decades of work aimed at confirming their existence.<ref name="luumsh"/> The majority of mainstream criticism of cryptozoology is thus directed towards the search for [[megafauna]] cryptids such as [[Bigfoot]], the [[Yeti]], and the [[Loch Ness Monster]], which appear often in popular culture, but for which there is little or no scientific support. Some scientists argue that megafauna cryptids are unlikely to exist undetected in great enough numbers to maintain a breeding population<ref>{{cite web |url=http://home.clara.net/rfthomas/news/bfhunting.html |title=Bigfoot hunting |accessdate=December 2010}}</ref> and are unlikely to be able to survive in their reported habitats owing to issues of climate and food supply.<ref>{{cite book|last=Sjögren|first=Bengt|title=Berömda vidunder|publisher=Settern|year=1980|isbn=91-7586-023-6}} {{sv icon}}</ref> Another criticism is that actual discoveries of new species have rarely, if ever, been predicted by cryptozoologists. Critics note that while other researchers have stumbled upon real animals, cryptozoologists have focused on finding legendary creatures with no success.<ref>{{cite web||last=Bailey|first=Dave|date=August 8, 2007|title=Cryptozoology: Science or pseudoscience?|publisher=Association for Science and Reason|accessdate=November 14, 2012|url=http://www.scienceandreason.ca/pseudoscience/cryptozoology/cryptozoology-a-science-or-pseudoscience-by-david-bailey/}}</ref> ==See also== {{Portal|Cryptozoology}} {{paranormal}} <!--Please don't add any links that are already in the article!--> *[[Cryptobotany]] *[[Teratology]] *[[List of cryptids]] *[[List of figures in cryptozoology]] *[[Lazarus taxon]] - fossil 'coming back to life' *[[Living fossil]] *''[[Fortean Times|Fortean Times Magazine]]'' *''[[Paranormal Magazine]]'' ==References== {{Reflist|2}} ==Further reading== *Arment, Chad. ''Cryptozoology: Science & Speculation''. Landisville, Penn.: Coachwhip, 2004, ISBN 1-930585-15-2. *Arnold, Neil. ''MONSTER! The A-Z Of Zooform Phenomena''. Bideford: CFZ Press, 2007, ISBN 1-905723-17-2. *Budd, Deena. '' The Weiser Field Guide to Cryptozoology ''. Redwheel, Weiser, 2010, ISBN 978-1-57863-450-7. *Coghlan, Ronan. '' Dictionary of Cryptozoology''. Bangor: Xiphos, 2004. *{{cite book |last1=Eberhart |first1=George M. |title=Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology |url=http://www.ebook3000.com/animals/Mysterious-Creatures--A-Guide-to-Cryptozoology_64383.html |location=[[Santa Barbara, California]] |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2002 |pages=722 |isbn=1-57607-283-5 |accessdate=December 7, 2010 |volume=2}} and at [http://books.google.com/books?id=z9gMsCUtCZUC [[Google Books]]]. *Ley, Willy. ''[[Exotic Zoology (book)|Exotic Zoology]]'' ISBN 0-517-62545-8. *[http://www.strangeark.com/nabr.html North American BioFortean Review, Index to issues.] *Shuker, Karl. ''The Beasts That Hide from Man: Seeking the World's Last Undiscovered Animals''. New York: Paraview Press, 2003, ISBN 1-931044-64-3. ==External links== {{Wiktionary|cryptozoology}} {{Commons category|Cryptozoology}} *{{DMOZ|/Science/Anomalies_and_Alternative_Science/Cryptozoology/}} {{Cryptozoology}} <!-- Categories --> [[Category:Cryptozoology| ]] <!-- Interwiki --> [[ar:علم دراسة الحيوانات الخفية]] [[bg:Криптозоология]] [[bs:Kriptozoologija]] [[ca:Criptozoologia]] [[cs:Kryptozoologie]] [[da:Kryptozoologi]] [[de:Kryptozoologie]] [[et:Krüptozooloogia]] [[el:Κρυπτοζωολογία]] [[es:Criptozoología]] [[eo:Kriptozoologio]] [[fa:نهان‌جاندارشناسی]] [[fr:Cryptozoologie]] [[gl:Criptozooloxía]] [[ko:미확인동물학]] [[hr:Kriptozoologija]] [[id:Kriptozoologi]] [[is:Duldýrafræði]] [[it:Criptozoologia]] [[he:קריפטוזואולוגיה]] [[la:Cryptozoologia]] [[lt:Kriptozoologija]] [[hu:Kriptozoológia]] [[nl:Cryptozoölogie]] [[ja:未確認動物学]] [[no:Kryptozoologi]] [[nn:Kryptozoologi]] [[pl:Kryptozoologia]] [[pt:Criptozoologia]] [[ro:Criptozoologie]] [[ru:Криптозоология]] [[sco:Cryptozoologie]] [[simple:Cryptozoology]] [[sl:Kriptozoologija]] [[sr:Криптозоологија]] [[sh:Kriptozoologija]] [[fi:Kryptozoologia]] [[sv:Kryptozoologi]] [[tl:Kriptosoolohiya]] [[tt:Криптозоология]] [[th:วิทยาสัตว์ลึกลับ]] [[uk:Криптозоологія]] [[zh:神秘動物學]]'