CRYPTOZOOLOGY NEWSLETTER

Magazine Overview

Title: CRYPTOZOOLOGY NEWSLETTER
Issue: Vol. 2, No. 1
Date: Jan/Feb 1995
Editor: Matthew A. Bille

This issue of the Cryptozoology Newsletter delves into recent discoveries and ongoing mysteries in the fields of zoology and cryptozoology, featuring articles on new fish species, the debated status of the Eastern cougar, and the enigmatic inhabitants of the deep ocean.

New Species: The Fish From Siberia

The lead article details the work of Mikhail Skopets, a Russian fisheries biologist. Skopets journeyed to the remote Lake El'gygytgyn in Siberia, a deep, ancient meteoric crater lake that is frozen for ten months of the year. Local inhabitants described two kinds of char found there that were unlike any others. Skopets successfully captured a new species, the smallmouth char, which he described in 1981. Later, he and colleagues returned to the lake, enduring an Arctic windstorm, to capture a twelve-pound predatory char. This fish's stomach contained unidentified bones, reinforcing the local fishermen's claims. The new char, a deep-dwelling specimen over 30 centimeters long, was so unusual it was placed in a new genus and named the longfin char, noted as the most primitive char known.

The article also briefly mentions a diminutive new sculpin identified in the Potomac River in 1993 and a bizarre case of a red Brazilian catfish discovered in 1984 that has adapted to living on land, being eyeless, scaleless, and wriggling back onto shore if placed in water, breathing through its skin.

Whatever Happened To...The Eastern Cougar

This section examines the status of the Eastern cougar (also known as panther, puma, catamount, or mountain lion), the largest feline native to the United States. Classified as a varmint, it was nearly driven to extinction through trapping, shooting, and poisoning. While the western subspecies is now out of danger and the Florida panther is dwindling, the Eastern cougar's extermination was a matter of government policy, with opinions on its extinction ranging from 1910 to 1946. A 1938 kill in Maine is considered a potential last specimen.

The article discusses the complexities of cougar classification, with debates over its genus (Felis vs. Panthera) and proposed new genera like Neofelis and Puma. It highlights the Eastern Puma Research Network (EPRN), operated by John and Linda Lutz, which logged 435 sightings in 1993 alone and argues that state wildlife officials are too quick to dismiss evidence.

Numerous sightings in the U.S. and Canada are reported, including a 1958 observation in New Jersey, tracks near Montreal in 1959, a kill in Tennessee in 1971, and identified tracks, hair, and droppings in New Brunswick in 1992. Evidence from Robert Downing, author of the Fish and Wildlife Service's recovery plan, suggested cougars in the Virginia-West Virginia area and North Carolina. In 1994, Vermont officials identified droppings after a sighting of a mother and two cubs.

Despite the possibility of survival, challenges remain. Many sightings are mistaken for dogs or bobcats, or involve escaped Western cougars. The question of whether a found specimen is truly an Eastern cougar is complicated by the subspecies being differentiated more by habitat than morphology, and the lack of recent Eastern cougar specimens for comparison. The article notes that many reports involve all-black animals, but there is no definitive record of a melanistic specimen from the continent, though dark pelage is common. The piece concludes that scientific opinion likely remains on the "extinct" side until unquestionable evidence, preferably live-trapped specimens, emerges.

Unclassified: Fishing the Oceans

This section explores the vast number of unclassified species, primarily saltwater fishes, and tantalizing glimpses of new discoveries. In 1888, the research vessel Albatross trawled off the coast of Chile and caught a previously unknown, primitive-looking fish about five feet long with two dorsal fins. The specimen was photographed but then discarded overboard by a sailor.

In 1966, researchers in the submersible Deepstar 4000 encountered a dark-colored, mottled fish estimated at 30 to 40 feet long in the San Diego Trough. This encounter may have involved a new and gigantic species, potentially the largest bony fish (Osteichthyes) known, surpassing the oarfish and ocean sunfish in size. Automatic cameras later captured images of a rare Pacific sleeper shark in the same area, raising the possibility that this was the creature encountered by the Deepstar.

The article also mentions a strange, six-foot-long fish with bulging eyes reported from off western Africa at 13,000 feet, and the Antarctic sleeper shark, described from a single eight-foot carcass found in 1912. Pilot Mac McCamis of the submersible Alvin reported a glimpse of a "monster" creature, estimated at 40 to 50 feet long, in the deep ocean.

From the Archives

This section includes two historical anecdotes. The first recounts an incident involving "Grizzly" Adams around 1854 in California, where he narrowly missed capturing a bizarre animal described as looking like a hedgehog with the head and feet of a bear. The second anecdote serves as a caution for cryptozoologists: Adams, in the Nevada desert, mistook a mirage for an immense animal, which turned out to be a normal-sized horse.

News and Comment

The National Biodiversity Institute in Costa Rica is discovering 300 new species monthly in its search for medically useful compounds. Estimates suggest millions of undiscovered species, including vertebrates, crustaceans, molluscs, spiders, mites, and insects. The successful reintroduction of Przewalski's horse into the wild in Mongolia is also noted.

Resources

This section provides a list of recommended books and periodicals related to cryptozoology and natural history. Books include "Great White Shark" by Ellis and McCosker, "Big Footprints: A Scientific Inquiry into the Reality of Sasquatch" by Krantz, and "A Shadow and a Song: The Struggle to Save an Endangered Species" by Walters. A periodical mentioned is "Rebirth of a Deep-sea Vent" in National Geographic.

In Closing

The editor encourages serious researchers to join the International Society of Cryptozoology (ISC). The newsletter is not an official ISC publication but is produced by Matthew A. Bille, who is an ISC member. The editor also announces his upcoming book, "Rumors of Existence," due in spring 1995. Permission is granted to duplicate articles for educational use, but illustration reuse requires express permission.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently explores the boundaries of known science, focusing on animals that are newly discovered, rare, or potentially extinct. There is a clear interest in challenging conventional classifications and investigating anecdotal evidence, particularly concerning cryptids like the Eastern cougar. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry, encouraging the collection and examination of data, while also acknowledging the need for rigorous scientific evidence, as cautioned by the "From the Archives" section. The publication aims to serve as a clearinghouse for information within the cryptozoology community.