Comments on: Loren’s Top 10 Reasons For Cryptozoology Hoaxes

By: CryptoInformant

CryptoInformant — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 20:55:21 +0000

Apparently he did not, as I had hoped, slow down permanently.

By: Lisa62

Lisa62 — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 19:27:17 +0000

They were penguin tracks, although I think someone in a plane reported actually seeing it splashing in the river.

By: Lisa62

Lisa62 — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 19:24:18 +0000

Unfortunately, too, some of these hoaxes take on a life of their own and keep being printed as the real thing. I’ve read in several rather recent books about the giant penguin seen in Florida which was investigated by the late Ivan Sanderson. This case was ultimately revealed as a hoax, but still shows up in some of the cheaper, sensationalist type of books on the subject as an actual unsolved mystery. Sanderson was no slouch as an investigator, and wrote many books, but even he was taken in by this one. I just saw a report of it on a cryptozoology link today, where the story is listed as unsolved. There are UFO ones, fairy ones, (Think Cottingley and Arthur Conan Doyle giving that one his blessing) and cryptozoology ones. Being an investigator in the field right now must be very hard and exhausting; in these days of digital pictures, Photoshop, and so many things you can do with editing, any story, picture or video must be looked at with deep suspicion.

By: Rillo777

Rillo777 — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 02:40:21 +0000

People sometimes create hoaxes because they really want the thing being hoaxed to be real. They have an idea that they are really helping the cause by manafacturing something “real” to focus attention on the subject. Sometimes they want to be the “hero” who solves the riddle or at least a major player in the hunt for whatever the thing is. UFO studies have provided a forum for a lot of these people.

By: Ceroill

Ceroill — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 01:32:59 +0000

WVBIG_2006, That would be the “Taino” fiasco.

By: CryptoInformant

CryptoInformant — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 01:31:41 +0000

Is TB the BS King a seasonal idiot, or is he slowing down permenantly?

P.S. Remember, at least 1/4 of the U.S. population is stupid, and some of them think they’re clever.

By: shovethenos

shovethenos — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 23:55:41 +0000

Loren-

Are you sure the Ozark Howler is a complete fabrication? There seem to be a number of sightings of something strange in that general area. Are they all the result of the hoaxster that you mention?

By: WVBIG_2006

WVBIG_2006 — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 16:42:28 +0000

And then there was the hoax back in the early 1980’s I belive, about the “newly discovered” stone age people who turned out to be a bunch of Phillipinos some so-called scientist paid to film running around naked in the jungle.

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 16:00:38 +0000

This list was about cryptozoology, of course, but people have or could develop parallel ones for all kinds of sciences and topics. All I need do re: anthropology is to whisper “Piltdown Man,” and the Ph. D.s scramble from the room. No wonder Dr. Jeff Meldrum is having so many problems. They have not forgotten that one.

By: mystery_man

mystery_man — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 15:55:21 +0000

Cryptozoology is certainly not the only target of hoaxes, as Alaska-boy said. Mainstream science has its fair share of hoaxes too. It’s unfortunate because every hoax that is perpetuated sets back research in whatever field it rears its ugly head. And I don’t feel it is a problem that is going to disappear anytime soon. That being said, it does keep us on our toes and demands that we collect real evidence and document things carefully in a scientific manner.