I would say follow your path and study crypto on the side. If you’re already inclined towards biology, zoology, or veterinary medicine, that’s great. If you’re a writer, business major, marketing, engineering or whatever and that’s who you are, you should pursue that and see how it may apply to the field a little later. I’m a mechanical engineer, and find myself in a very relevant position to make contributions through my own skills, in my own ways. Serious research endeavors may require all the skills mentioned above and many others.

I am studying Zoology, Biology, Criminology and Anthropology on my own via books such as The For Dummies Book Series. (Geez I wish you could write a For Dummies guide someday on Cryptozoology, that would be neat!)

I will take a college class at my community college. I go to off and on (MVCC in Palos Hills, IL) in Anthropology, Psychology and maybe Biology. (I really want to be a 9/11 operator, security guard or EMT but this would help one of the hobbies I’ve always loved)

Thanks again and keep up the excellent work and articles here on Cryptomundo Loren.

Above all, keep an open mind.

Learn as much as you can about animals. Living species, extinct species, prehistoric species, proposed species, cryptic species. STUDY and think for yourself. Don’t just take anybody’s word for anything. Respect the authorities but don’t follow them blindly.

Don’t stop with animals. Learn about plants. About geology. And climate. About everything within the natural world and how those natural processes interact and affect living things.

Never stop learning. Allow yourself to accumulate an internal knowledge database from which to draw your own conclusions. Allow yourself to be flexible and realize that no matter how much knowledge you acquire, there will always be someone, somewhere, who knows more than you do and from whom you can learn.

Never say “I can’t do that” unless you have first tried. Accept your limitations but acknowlege your strengths. Let your life be a continuous adventure.

No matter what your job is, enjoy it. Not everyone can have a glamorous occupation, but everyone can enjoy the view of their own inner vistas.

Nobody is ever gonna get rich being a cryptozoologist. Heck, very few people ever get rich being zoologists or any other kind of scientist for that matter. Many people do not get rich doing the thing they love, and most people end up pursuing their passionate interests more as serious hobbies than as professions, at least in the beginning. The real wealth that you acquire from the pursuit of your interests is the satisfaction that you get from it.

Read books. Not just the internet.

If you want to get out there and research stuff, you could opt for endangered species. Whilst for some people this lacks the glory of discovering something as yet undescribed, such as providing irrefutable proof of bigfoot, it is no less important.

For example, the Eastern Quoll has not been verifiably seen on mainland Australia since 1963. However, a number of people have reported sighting it (although it may easily be confused with the tiger quoll especially if you are not familiar with the animals) – most recently in October last year about 1 hour’s drive from my home.

So I go out there and look. I read up on the species. It’s rediscovery does fall into cryptozoological circles – as much as the ivory billed woodpecker’s reappearance would, or the thylacine’s – and it has very real benefits to both the species and humankind to be given another chance to preserve it.

This is one reason I really like Steve Irwin’s Crocodile Hunter shows – they get you up close and personal with some really endangered wildlife (see the Australian red-centre episode, for example) in the hopes of motivating more people to care enough to take some action.

Of course, a lot of my conservation ideals are well fleshed out at http://www.wherelightmeetsdark.com – but as relates to this article here, read books, and consider conservation of endangered species as a viable route to “cryptozoological” employment – in which case biology degrees are paramount.

(PS… Hi Alton – just realised that’s the same advice you gave. “Oh to be young again”… try “Oh to be young forever!!!” )

Chris.

Cryptozoology is still a big part of my life and I plan to continue my interest in cryptozoology for the rest of my life. I’ve been interested in cryptozoology for at least six years now and I’ve bought as many books on the subject as I can.

I guess what I trying to say is: Am I a cryptozoologist? Even if I haven’t gone to college to become a cryptozoologist?