Archive for the ‘furry’ category

El Chupacabra

July 24, 2008

–In 1995 a creature called “El Chupacabra” (Spanish for The Goatsucker) was reported to have drained the blood of hundreds of farm animals in Puerto Rico.  The animals attack had their blood completely drained, but their flesh was not eaten!  The beast was described as being a gargoyle-like animal who had walked on his hind legs.  More recent sightings of Chupacabra in Texas have reported a vicious canine-like creature that walked on four legs.

An episode of MonsterQuest covered the discrepancies in these reports, plus a variety of possible explanations such as Chupacabra was a wild dog or hybrid with mange!  Experts kinda discounted this lame explanation.  Several corpses have been produced, most of which are canid-like but with teeth and skin unlike your garden-variety fido.  The jury’s still out on this one…Draw blood!

Cryptozoology…

July 21, 2008

Cryptozoology is the study of hidden animals, with the animals studied referred to as cryptids, a term coined in 1983 by John Wall.  The are two fields of study in Cryptozoology:  *  The search for living examples of animals identified through fossil records and believed extinct.

*The search for animals for which anecdotal records exist in the form of myths, legends, or undocumented sightings.

Mainstream science doesn’t much support Cryptozoology as it tends not to employ the scientific method.  Conventional science does accept, however, that there are thousands of species yet to be identified, with most of them likely to be invertebrates.

We who want to believe, however, would die happy if one of the major cryptids were discovered in our lifetimes, say Bigfoot or Nessie!  In this hope, I offer this little poem:

Cry of the Cryptids

I’m a Cryptid.– Who are you? — Are you another Cryptid, too?

Then there’s two of us. –Don’t tell!

They’d publicize us, you know.

How dreary to be known!–How public, like a frog!

To be exploited, skinned, worn, or eaten

By those in the hyooman bog!

(With apologies to Emily Dickinson)

Megamouth

July 19, 2008

— The Megamouth Shark looks worse than it is.  An extremely large type of shark characterized by his big head and lips, the Megamouth grows to about 18 feet and was first discovered only in 1976.  Since that time, only 39 have been sighted or taken as of 2007.

The Megamouth is, fortunately, a filter feeder who exists mostly on plankton, jellyfish, and small fish. No Great White, he…

Mothman!

July 19, 2008

Mothmana winged creature with a human-like body and glowing red eyes–was seen in Point Pleasant, West Virginia in 1966 and 1967.  After the appearance of this creature, men in black also are reported to have appeared.  There are eyewitnesses who have claimed to have seen Mothman, and a German Shepherd’s death attributed to him.  Mothman was so named by a fan of the Batman series following reports of the creature’s appearance, and the name stuck.  Some speculate that Mothman was a bird or another natural creature mutated by exposure to chemicals in a town plant.

Mothman was reported to have been seen flying over the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant immediately prior to its collapse in December of 1967; some accordingly say that the beast portends disaster, or has prophetic powers.  A movie called The Mothman Prophecies and starring Richard Gere was made in 2002.  The Mothman continues to be a cottage industry in Point Plesant, West Virginia where a statue of Mothman has been erected.

Catwoman Rules!

July 17, 2008

Catwoman is an awesome character who first appeared in 1940.  Aka Selina Kyle, she is an accomplished athlete known for her cat-like speed, agility, balance, and reflexes.  She had been through several re-makes over the years, but was most recently played by Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns (1992) and by Halle Berry as a stand-alone character in Catwoman (2004). Batman and Catwoman have had an on-again, off-again romance over the years, and are reputed to have had a child, who appeared as Huntress in a short-lived TV series on a minor network.

Catwoman … sigh…I’d skritch her any time!!!

Snake Eyes

July 14, 2008

–Snake eyes remain permanently open behind a clear covering called the spectacle, creating an unblinking stare.  This stare may account for many of the fears and superstitutions these animals have inspired throughout the ages…

Hippopotamus

July 13, 2008

The stomach of the hippopotamus is over 10 feet in length–so large that it can hold 400 or 500 pounds of food!–More that Oprah and Liz Taylor together!

Know that extremely annoying Xmas song, “I Want a Hippopotamus for Xmas?”–Well, now it will be running in your head for the rest of the day!–Hah!

Dragons?

July 12, 2008

— The dragons in many European myths are thought to be based on the Nile Crocodile, and a few churches in France and Switzerland actually feature stuffed crocodiles as dragon remains!  The world was smaller then, and full of wonder, unsubstantiated belief, and superstition.

Then in China of an earlier time and elsewhere, discovery of fossilized dinosaur bones was seen as proof of dragons, creatures found historically in the mythologies of many major cultures throughout the world…

The Black Beast of Exmoor!

July 9, 2008

–The Black Beast of Exmoor is a large, wild, cat-like creature held responsible for the killing of many farm animals in Devonshire, England.  Report of the predator began in the early 1970’s.  In the spring of 1983, one farmer lost over 100 sheep over 2-1/2 months of time.  The slain animals were not killed in the fashion of a dog or fox (I didn’t do it!), having their throats ripped out. In 1987, the Beast was blamed for killing over 200 farm animals.  More recent attacks occurred in August of 1995 and January of 2001.  The Black Beast looks like a large panther, measuring almost 8 feet long from its nose to its tail.  Some say that witnesses have exaggerated the size of a domestic or feral cat, or that the big feline escaped from a zoo and bred others.  Still others contend that the Beast is from an alternative dimension, and can phase in and out of ours, thereby eluding hunters and capture!

Anyhow, what’s the big deal about The Black Beast of Exmoor? — I roam the countryside and mutilate livestock…alright, maybe I just rough them up real good…would you believe that I give them a good Dutch rub and wedgies…oh alright, I annoy them to tears!

The Dogman of Wisconsin

July 8, 2008

A centuries-old myth, a tall, hairy creature has been reported in Wisconsin and Michigan described as a dogman, also known as The Beast of Bray Road. A kind of American werewolf or possibly Bigfoot variant, witnesses of the Dogman have been found not to be lying under lie detector examination.  Alledged hair samples of the beast, however, have been found to be from a bear or a housecat.–Watch the Dogman on Monster Quest, the most current new episode!