Indy Grassman Movie

A trailer of The Legend of the Grassman ("the Ohio version of the Sasquatch") can be seen here. [It's an independent horror flick, not a documentary.]

Feline Sighting

Two women in New York reported seeing a large animal they thought was a cougar: "very muscular and a grayish color with short hair and estimated its weight between 100 and 120 pounds by comparing it to her 90-pound Rottweiler." (News source.)

Some New Species

A new killifish from Mozambique has medical research potential. (News source.)

A new frog from Vietnam is named after a Hong Kong hedge fund manager. (News source.)

Aurochs

Italian scientists are trying to recreate the extinct giant cattle, the aurochs. (News source.)

Titanoboa Neighbors

Smaller crocodyliforms were probably prey to the huge Titanoboa, being found in the same fossil site. (News source.)

Misidentifications

A woman new to Texas thought she had a lemur in her backyard; turned out to be a native ringtail cat. (News source.)

A video of a black "big cat" in Australia looks like a large domestic feline. (News source.)

Jaguars

An interesting Op Ed from biologist Alan Rabinowitz showing why advocacy groups like the Center for Biological Diversity are doing more harm than good by forcing the USFWS to preserve "jaguar habitat."

Mokele-Mbembe Book Title Poll

I'm running a quick poll today on my StrangeArk mailing list on a soon-to-be published book by Bill Gibbons on mokele-mbembe and the various expeditions. Three potential subtitles, take a quick vote if you're a listmember, or join the list to vote.

Bosom Serpents

A weird Fortean phenomenon, have to wonder if it has any relationship to Münchausen syndrome.

Museum Exhibit

What sounds like an interesting museum exhibit on Bigfoot is being held at the Washington State History Museum. (News source.)

TX Tiger Lost & Found

A tiger that escaped from its cage in Van Zandt Co., TX, has been recaptured. (News source.)

Ivorybill Fiasco Brewing?

Someone claims to have photographed a living ivorybill woodpecker. The manner in which this information is being promoted has some birding folks skeptical; certainly doesn't raise much hope on the crypto side, either.

Here's a suggestion for anyone fortunate enough to acquire real evidence of a mystery animal in the future: a) have your evidence firmly and scientifically substantiated prior to your announcement, or b) provide the evidence for open and thorough examination immediately at the announcement.

Oversized Black Jaguar?

In the Explorer's Club article I just posted, I note the statement:

"It’s no use returning from a stroll through the jungle and saying you have seen a huge black jaguar twice the size of other jaguars – as a Catholic missionary working in Amazonian Peru did recently – unless you have some physical evidence."

Now, I'm wondering where this was reported, if anywhere, as I don't recall seeing it before. (And, of course, am wondering if there's any connection to Hocking's mystery cats from the same region.) If someone knows the original source, please forward or comment here.

Searching for New Species

A very interesting article here on scientists in search of rare and new species.

Hairless Raccoon

A "chupacabra" body in Texas turned out to be a hairless raccoon. (News source.)

Tropical Whale in Puget Sound

What may be a Bryde's whale has washed ashore in Washington state. (News source.)

Inbreeding

Some are speculating that the sighting of a brown-and-white giant panda indicates inbreeding in the population. (News source.)

Research on thylacine specimens suggest that inbreeding was high prior to their extinction. (News source.)

Dinosaur "Death-trap" Footprints

Interesting speculation on what may have been giant footprints that trapped smaller dinosaurs, here.