I also find it odd that he doesn’t seem to consider that a reporter’s enlarging the size of a snake to justify their cowardice is happening subconsciously rather than consciously. I’m no psychologist, but wouldn’t “self love” come into play in order for a person who normally thinks of themselves as being brave to explain why they were afraid of a snake?

As for why they’d report such a thing, why wouldn’t someone want to warn others about a large, potentially dangerous animal, especially one that’s rumored to live in the area (although I feel that belief in the Tazelwurm’s existence decreases in “more modern” times). Granted, this would not explain all sightings.