Creature Chronicles - No 13 - 1989 January

Magazine Overview

Title: Creature Chronicles
Issue Date: January 1, 1989
Issue Number: 13
Publisher: Ron Schaffner
Focus: Independent Information and News Service on Wildlife Phenomena.

This issue of Creature Chronicles, dated January 1, 1989, marks a shift in the publication's scope, expanding beyond traditional cryptozoology to encompass a broader range of 'Wildlife Phenomena.' Editor Ron Schaffner notes that while the study of hidden animals (cryptozoology) remains an interest, the magazine will also cover known animals exhibiting strange behaviors and their impact on the environment and humans. The publication aims to present stories that, while sometimes lacking direct research purpose, highlight the strangeness of the planet, and others that merit research, such as the behavior of alligators.

Schaffner clarifies that the magazine's intent is not to be sensationalist like television programs, but rather to report on unusual events, such as a tiger seen on the road going the wrong way. While acknowledging a skeptical basis, the publication will continue to cover events like Sasquatch sightings and lake monsters. This issue is noted to be late and will contain more information, utilizing elite type to increase content density. The primary focus of this issue is on reptilians, including alligators, snakes, and a creature referred to as 'Lizardman.'

An asterisk on the mailing address indicates a lack of recent communication, and Schaffner states that non-exchange publications will be removed from the mailing list if an information flow is not maintained.

Reptilian Flap: 1987-88

The main section of the magazine, titled 'Reptilian Flap: 1987-88,' chronologically lists various encounters with reptiles. The introduction suggests that these incidents might indicate the animal kingdom's will to fight back against human encroachment or frustration from being caged.

Gators & Crocs

The issue details several alligator and crocodile encounters:

1. July 13, 1987, Tallahassee, Florida: An 11-foot, 415-pound alligator drowned and partially consumed a man snorkling in Wakulla Springs State Park. Wildlife officials hunted and shot the animal.
2. August 20, 1987, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan: Residents reported a 3-foot crocodilian in Square Lake, identified by a Detroit Zoo representative as possibly a caiman.
3. November 9, 1987, Madras, India: A 7-foot crocodile emerged from a sewer into a street, causing a stir before being subdued by authorities.
4. December 26, 1987, Port Charlotte, Florida: A 12-year-old girl survived an attack by a 3.5-foot gator in a canal.
5. April 11, 1988, Coca, Florida: A 275-pound, 9-foot alligator entered a carpet warehouse, toppling displays before being captured.
6. June 4, 1988, Englewood, Florida: A 10.5-foot alligator attacked a 4-year-old girl in Hidden Lake; the reptile was shot and killed by game officers.
7. October 14, 1988, Wadsworth, Nevada: An alligator, described as 3-4 feet long with a snub-nose, was observed along the Truckee River. It was believed to be a released pet.

Supplemental Incidents (prior to 1987):

1. October 6, 1983, Mequon, Wisconsin: Two trappers encountered a 31-inch alligator in a pond, which was identified as a caiman type.
2. Week of September 15, 1986, Pewaukee Lake, Wisconsin: An alligator was suspected to inhabit the lake based on a northern pike found with large slashes and teeth marks, though no direct sightings occurred.

Stories of Snakes

Several snake-related incidents are also reported:

1. April 27, 1987, Omaha, Nebraska: An attempt to smoke a snake from a hole resulted in $6,000 in damages when flames spread to a house.
2. August 6, 1987, Madison, Wisconsin: A 12.5-foot pet python seized a woman's hand.
3. August 12, 1987, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: A boa constrictor was reportedly in a toilet and drainpipes of a 12th-floor apartment.
4. August 20, 1987, Ft. Walton Beach, Florida: A man was bitten by a rattlesnake at a Wal-Mart store.
5. August 18, 1987, Sabirabad, Soviet Union: An 11-year-old girl coughed up a 25-inch snake.
6. September 29, 1987, Melbourne, Florida: An 8-foot python was found on a porch.
7. October 19, 1987, Sulpher, Oklahoma: Police encountered a 15-foot Burmese python.
8. October 28, 1987, Xenia, Ohio: A 5-year-old Indian python went missing from a home.
9. November 4, 1987, Bremen, West Germany: A 9-foot python flooded an apartment.
10. March 4, 1988, Crystal City, Virginia: A dead 4-foot boa constrictor was found in the glove compartment of a car.
11. August 3, 1988, Baltimore, Maryland: A 12-foot python was captured in a yard.
12. September 9, 1988, Washington, D.C.: A 7-foot python was found in a bedroom.

Supplemental Snake Story:

• August 8, 1988, Jaru River, Brazil: A story is recounted of a 45-foot anaconda snake that attacked a child, with the father unable to intervene.

More Roaming Reptiles

• Dayton, Ohio: A gopher tortoise, indigenous to Florida, was found and subsequently flown back to Florida.
• Island Heights, New Jersey (Summer 1988): A 3.5-foot Tegu lizard was reported missing by a student.

South Carolina's Swamp Slob?

This section details the 'Lizard Man' phenomenon in Lee County, South Carolina, during the summer of 1988. The creature is described as a giant, ugly reptilian. The article examines the surrounding issues and facts, tracing the history of the area and its economy. Scape Ore Swamp, the location of many legends, was originally known as Escaped Whore Swamp.

Chris Davis, 17, reported an encounter on June 22 or 29, 1988, where he saw a creature with red eyes, green scaly skin, three large fingers, and long black nails. The creature allegedly grabbed his car door, jumped on the roof, and peered through the windshield. Davis's father confirmed his son's terror, and deputies found the car mirror twisted and roof scratched. Davis later described the creature as 7 feet tall with red eyes, lizard-like skin, and snake-like scales.

Other incidents include damage to a Ford LTD, with fur samples identified as belonging to a cat or fox. Two other individuals, Rodney Nolf and Shape Stokes, reported seeing a dark entity about 7 feet tall with glowing eyes darting across the road.

Investigating deputies found scattered garbage cans, broken tree tops, and 3-toed tracks measuring 14x7 inches over 400 feet. Wildlife experts deemed the casts a hoax. Kenneth Orr later admitted to fabricating a story about wounding a red-eyed, green, scaly monster, claiming it was a hoax to keep the Lizard Man legend alive.

Despite the skepticism from the Sheriff's Department and the South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, some locals believe the creature could be Bigfoot. The article notes that the 'Lizard Mania' became a significant event, attracting media and boosting the local economy through tourism and merchandise sales.

Thunderbirds!

This is a promotional blurb for a book titled 'The Living Legend of Giant Birds' by Mark A. Hall, describing it as a historical record of giant predatory birds.

New whale type found off Peru

This short news item reports the discovery of an unclassified small whale species in Peru, named Mesoplodon Peruvianus, by scientists at Washington's Smithsonian Institute. The whale is characterized by its relatively short length of 14 to 24 feet.

Ohio Bears!?

This section discusses recent sightings of Black Bears (Ursus Americanus) in Ohio, prompting population surveys by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Wildlife manager Clyde Simmerer notes a potential increase in bear population. The article also suggests that some Bigfoot reports might be misinterpretations of bear sightings, visual perception, or weathering of tracks. It advises contacting the Department of Natural Resources for bear reports and expresses interest in receiving newsclippings about bears in the Ohio Valley.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the unusual and often dangerous encounters with reptiles, particularly alligators and snakes, and the phenomenon of cryptid sightings, exemplified by the 'Lizard Man' case. The editorial stance, as articulated by Ron Schaffner, is one of cautious investigation and reporting. While acknowledging the strangeness of reported events and the potential for them to be hoaxes or misidentifications, the magazine aims to document these phenomena. There is a clear distinction made between sensationalism and genuine reporting of unusual wildlife events. The publication also emphasizes its role as an exchange publication, relying on reader contributions and maintaining a skeptical yet open mind towards the unexplained. The issue highlights the impact of human activity on wildlife and the potential for animals to react in unexpected ways, as well as the cultural and economic impact of such phenomena on local communities.

Title: The Paradigm has Failed
Issue: 12
Volume: C.C.
Date: February 19, 1988
Publisher: Creature Chronicles
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of Creature Chronicles features a prominent debate regarding the "zoological paradigm" for Bigfoot research, with Erik Beckjord presenting a response to previous editorial points. The magazine also includes a collection of intriguing reports on unusual animal impacts, extraordinary seafood catches, and various unexplained creature sightings from around the world.

The Paradigm Has Failed: Another Response from Beckjord

Erik Beckjord directly addresses the ongoing debate in "C.C. 12," aiming to clarify his stance. He begins by stating that years of searching for a zoological Bigfoot have failed and argues that it is a logical fallacy to claim a creature cannot be identified as zoological until a body is obtained. Beckjord asserts that the approach of seeking a physical body has had its chance and failed, and it is time to recognize that evidence like appearance, smell, and behavior, while suggestive, does not constitute proof without a verifiable body. He dismisses excuses for not finding bodies, such as animals burying their dead, noting that animals of high intelligence, including humans, die and are found daily. Beckjord also touches on the editor's comments about field work, stating that blood samples from Washington state exist and that the Vinton County, Ohio case is irrelevant. He believes that mistaking trees for moving objects is unlikely and that hair samples from four states, matching a possible higher primate origin, are still unidentified. His core point is that blood, hair, and feces are not a body, and if the methodology requires a dead body, then the effort is futile. Beckjord concludes that the zoological paradigm has failed and it is time to investigate alternatives and explore what Bigfoot and other strange creatures truly are.

Editor's Note

The editor, R.S., acknowledges Beckjord's points but expresses disagreement with his logic. R.S. maintains that the Vinton County, Ohio incident is relevant and that hunters do mistake moving and stationary objects. He questions Beckjord's assertion about animals of high intelligence being found every day, especially in wild regions, and notes that dead remains are not often discovered. R.S. agrees that blood, hair, and feces are not a body but questions how, following Beckjord's proposed methodology, one can obtain the desperately needed hand-documented evidence.

Electric Varmits

This section presents several anecdotes illustrating how animals can impact human life and infrastructure:

• A squirrel caused a two-hour power failure in Mystic Island, Atlantis, and Holly Lake, New Jersey, by contacting power lines, leading to a fire on a utility pole.
• In Monroe, Michigan, a raccoon managed to climb into a switchboard of a small nuclear power plant, triggering a shutdown of the $5.1 billion facility.
• In 1977, a snake was responsible for an hour-long electrical shutdown in Hoxie, Kansas, after crawling through a fence of a high-voltage substation.

Colossal Crustaceans

This section highlights unusual catches of large crustaceans:

• Thomas Erivk of Floros, Norway, trapped a 22-pound lobster estimated to be 40 years old, which unfortunately died before reaching Bergen.
• An order for lobsters for Easter in Philadelphia included two large specimens, one dubbed "Shirley" weighing 25 pounds and another at 19.75 pounds. A customer who bought them for $287 later exchanged them for smaller ones.
• A South Carolina research facility was responsible for the escape of giant shrimp into the southeast U.S. coastline. These exotic creatures, indigenous to India, Australia, and South Asia, are now populating waters from Georgetown, South Carolina, to St. Augustine, Florida, raising concerns among commercial shrimpers about potential diseases and harm to native species.

Freshwater Giants

This section features reports of impressive freshwater fish catches:

• A 65-pound muskie was caught in the Moon River basin of Georgian Bay, Ontario. The fish was 57 inches long with a 30% girth.
• Gray Helms caught a record 60 lb., 8 ounce striped rockfish from an eastern Tennessee lake. The fish was so long it hung over the scale, with an initial reading of 58 pounds, later confirmed as 60 pounds at home.

Our Good Friend

Mark Opsasnick has released a new publication titled "MARYLAND BIGFOOT UPDATE, '88," available for $3.50 from Arcturus Books.

More Hairy Reports

This section compiles several reports of encounters with unusual hairy creatures:

• Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania: On May 17, 1988, Sam Sherry reported smelling a musty odor and hearing strange noises while fishing. He then saw what he described as two orange eyes, followed by a large creature estimated at 600 pounds with a flattened nose, small ears, no teeth, broad shoulders, and long arms. The body appeared to be covered in reddish-brown leather-like skin. The creature moved, swung its arms, flexed its muscles, and then approached Sherry's car, putting its hand on the window and spitting on him as he drove away. The report is sourced from an investigative report by Paul Johnson and the PASU DATA Newsletter.
• Prairie Island, Minnesota: A recent rash of 18-inch footprints and alleged Bigfoot sightings have revived beliefs of the "Cee-ha-tonka" returning. On July 21, Wayne Running Wolf's dogs barked at a large shape, and he discovered two large footprints crossing his driveway into the woods. The report is sourced from the Minnesota Republican Eagle.
• Northern Siberia, U.S.S.R.: Maria Bulkova reported sighting an eight-foot-tall "snowman" from her log cabin window. The creature was covered in white hair and emitted a "horrible cry." Other sightings in the region have been reported to state television. The report is sourced from the Columbus Dispatch.

China's Loch Ness?

Chinese scientists are analyzing a carnivorous red fish, 6 feet 4 inches long and weighing 10 pounds, caught on July 21, 1988. Similar fish up to 13 feet long have been reported. This species is suspected of eating domestic animals in a remote lake in Northwestern China. Scientists are using hovercraft to survey Lake Karnaci, which is about 3900 feet above sea level and nearly 300 feet deep, in an effort to solve the mystery.

Credits

The publication thanks its correspondents and researchers for contributing clips, including Erik Beckjord, Janet & Colin Bord, Bob Easley, Jon Fry, Shawn Garrett, Richard Heiden, Eric Helwig, Rick Hilberg, Richard Indin, Karen Johnson, Bill Kingsley, Ray Nelke, Mark Opsasnick, Scott Parker, Beth Robbins, Mel Saunders, and Charles Wilhelm. Extra thanks are given to Collectors of Unusual Data International for distribution and Mark A. Hall for AP newswire sheets on the Lizardman story.

Final Notes of Importance

Creature Chronicles is seeking fresh input, including clippings, investigative reports, and articles. Letters are welcome if they pertain to the subject matter. The publication lists several other related magazines and newsletters, such as Fortean Times, Strange Magazine, Saucer Smear, and Bigfoot News, suggesting readers send a SASE when requesting information. It is noted that back issues of Creature Chronicles are available in xerox format for $25.00 for the 13 issues duplicated.

Special thanks are extended to the limited staff, ego boosters, friends, Charles Wilhelm, and Mark Opsasnick.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the ongoing debate in cryptozoology, particularly concerning the methodology for identifying creatures like Bigfoot. The editorial stance, as represented by R.S., is one of cautious skepticism towards Beckjord's radical departure from traditional research methods, emphasizing the need for concrete, documented evidence while acknowledging the validity of field work and witness accounts. The issue also highlights the broader theme of unexplained phenomena and unusual animal behavior, presenting a diverse range of anecdotal evidence from around the globe. The publication actively solicits reader contributions, indicating an open and inclusive approach to gathering information on these subjects.