What Is A Cryptid? A Beginner’s Guide to Cryptozoology
written by Elizabeth Belanger
There’s an excellent chance you’ve heard of Bigfoot, the Mothman, and maybe even the more recent Fresno Nightcrawler. But these are only a few of the dozens of reported cryptids in North America — and when talking about the world, that number skyrockets.
But what are cryptids? Are they monsters? Are they real creatures, or just made-up stories?
The answer to these questions ranges from straightforward to pretty complex, so let’s start off easy.
What Is a Cryptid?
A cryptid is a creature (animal, insect, living organism) that lacks scientific proof of existence.
Some of the most well-known examples of cryptids include:
Chupacabra
Bigfoot (Sasquatch)
Thunderbird
Kraken
Yeti
Bunyip
The primary thing unifying all these creatures is that no one has ever gathered conclusive evidence of their existence (DNA samples, specimens, etc.).
Many mythological creatures could fall into the ‘cryptid’ category, though most standard definitions typically differentiate between myth and legend. Let’s break it down to better understand why the semantics of these words make a difference in understanding what is (and is not) a cryptid.
Mythological Creatures vs. Legendary Creatures: Are They Cryptids?
Fantastic creatures from mythos occasionally prove to be real. For evidence of this, all you have to do is examine the “sea unicorn”, better known today as a narwhal. That said, it’s generally accepted that most mythological creatures do not qualify as cryptids.
Here are a few reasons why they don’t often qualify as cryptids:
Mythological creatures are derived from myth — that is, there’s often zero first-hand reporting of anyone having witnessed a mythological creature
These creatures are often purely symbolic and are designed to be interpreted as such
Many mythological ‘creatures’ have religious or ritualistic significance to the people who created them
Several creatures from mythos have human-like intelligence and a defined set of characteristics or personality traits, differentiating them from wild animals
Remember: cryptids are thought to be real creatures that are scientifically classifiable. They just haven’t been classified yet, primarily due to a lack of evidence supporting their existence. Think footprints, but no fur left behind to genetically test.
That said, some types of general mythological creatures, like dragons, do qualify as cryptids. That’s because there are historical sightings of these creatures, with the general impression of many first-hand accounts being, “Oh wow, I’ve never seen this thing before, and I’m absolutely terrified.”
If ever in doubt about whether something qualifies as a cryptid or not, just ask yourself: Is anyone unsure about whether this creature is real or not? If your answer is “no”, you likely either have a mythological creature (not real) or an already-classified creature on your hands. Well, hopefully not directly on your hands. That seems dangerous.
Better leave handling mysterious creatures to the cryptozoologists (and curious zoologists).
What Is Cryptozoology?
Unfortunately, the answer to the question, “What’s cryptozoology?” isn’t going to be satisfying.
Cryptozoology is the study of cryptids!
Alright, admittedly, that’s not the most helpful answer, is it? After all, how can anyone study the unknown?
To get into the heart of cryptozoology and better understand what it is, let’s take a moment to explore how this field came to be. Let’s take a short (and brief) step back in time.
Naturalism: The Precursor to Cryptozoology
People have been attempting to explain and interpret the world around them since they could first carve stone glyphs.
In Ancient Greece, the concept of naturalism arose to help address this desire to understand. Naturalism is the philosophical belief that all things in this world come from a natural source and have a natural explanation (as opposed to a supernatural one). Unsurprisingly, it’s one of the driving forces behind natural science as we understand it today. But it’s also (inadvertently, perhaps) the reason why we have cryptozoology.
Think about this — if you believe that all the creatures on this planet have a natural origin and scientific explanation, Bigfoot suddenly becomes Gigantopithecus sasquatch (or something similar). Ta-da! Naturalism.
And it was a 14th-century naturalist who ended up becoming (accidentally) the first cryptozoologist. Conrad Gessner wanted to document animals of every variety. In the 1550s, he wrote, compiled, and published a multi-volume series titled Historiae animalium (History of Animals). You’ll find your usual suspects here — horses, cows, rabbits, sea serpents.
Wait. Sea serpents?
Oh, and a hydra!
Gessner was limited somewhat in the ability to fully travel the world and compile firsthand accounts of every animal. So, he occasionally relied on written or spoken accounts of creatures, transforming those accounts into some interesting illustrations and profiles. This is unimportant, but it’s easy to imagine he spent a lot of time (and potentially coin) getting sailors to share their tales in portside pubs.
So, there you have it. The true origins of cryptozoology can be pinpointed to:
Naturalism (the desire to define the world through the lens of natural processes)
Conrad Gessner’s reliance on stories when firsthand study was impossible
Sailors
This isn’t to say that you should attribute all three of the above to the development of cryptozoology as a field of study. But you can. If you want.
And if you’re tempted to give Gessner any grief here - resist that temptation. Many of the “wild and unbelievable” animals that were once thought purely fictional are now scientific fact.
From Cryptid to Real Creature
While the concept of the Kraken was once relegated to sailors’ tales (there they go again!), it’s now a pretty widely recognized monster within modern lore and culture. Conclusive evidence is lacking, and firsthand accounts of the Kraken’s size and might vary significantly.
What’s certain is that the creature’s massive, powerful tentacles were said to be very…squid-like. Enter the giant squid (Architeuthis dux), a creature that can grow to lengths of 40+ feet (12+ meters)! If one of these happened to slap some tentacles over the side of your vessel - well, it’s not hard to see why some sailors thought a sea beast was trying to drag them under.
This doesn’t mean that the Kraken isn’t still lurking in the depths of the ocean, though.
What it does mean is that sometimes creatures get mislabeled and mixed up. And although our world today is fairly globalized, only a few hundred years ago, it would have been impossible for almost anyone to circumnavigate the globe.
That means no one could know which animals were real and which were just conflated stories telephoned verbally from adventurer to adventurer. Some of the most giggle-inducing examples of real-world animals once called fictional include:
Platypuses
Rhinos
Coelacanths (thought to be extinct, actually probably still alive in small numbers)
Okapi
It’s impossible to know just how many other ‘made-up’ animals we’ve mythologized might be hiding, waiting in a small pocket of the world somewhere. There are plenty of daring zoologists attempting to widen our understanding of the animals on this planet, but cryptozoologists are thin on the ground.
Becoming one isn’t necessarily an attractive prospect for most folks. After all, the field of modern cryptozoology is one fraught with controversy.
Modern Cryptozoology: A Controversial Subject
As you might imagine, the study of unknown and unverified animals can generate a little negative discourse from colleagues in similar fields.
Consider this: If an astronomer or astrophysicist goes onto television and talks about how they believe that intelligent life outside this planet not only exists, but has been attempting to communicate with us (not an impossible belief, all things considered), they’ll likely receive some finger-wagging of disapproval from the astronomy or astrophysics communities.
When brave zoologists decide to venture out to remote locations to discover new species, they walk a fine line between academic celebration and shame. Come back with a neat little frog that no one’s seen before? That’s acceptable.
But hear a strange wailing sound in the woods and see an odd, shadowy shape strangely lurching/climbing through the trees, too large to be any native ape or monkey - well, that’s crazy talk. You got the malaria. You were imagining things, and you should probably enjoy a mandatory leave of absence. This is because cryptozoology is considered a pseudoscience (false science) - that is, it’s not a true form of science in the eyes of the scientific community at large.
And that’s OK.
Believing that cryptids are real and finding them terribly fascinating are two very different things. You’re allowed to do either, or both, or neither if that suits you. But if you’re eager to become an armchair cryptozoologist yourself, you’ll likely want to start with the Patterson-Gimlin Film.
Most Notable Cryptid Sightings of the Last Century
Now that we’ve gotten cryptid definitions and broad explanations out of the way, let’s turn our focus to the good stuff - the stories!
We’ll briefly introduce you to two of the most notable creature sightings from within the last hundred years, with the hope that you’ll be keen to investigate further. After all, you can’t become an amateur cryptozoologist if you’re not familiar with Bigfoot, Nessie, or the Mothman!
Patterson–Gimlin Bigfoot Film (1967)
Ever seen a still image of Bigfoot, slightly turned toward a camera and about to vanish into some trees? If so, you’ve seen a still from the Patterson-Gimlin film.
This footage runs just under a minute and shows a humanoid creature with ape-like dark hair covering nearly all of its body, walking toward the treeline and briefly turning back to look at the person filming. Here’s a YouTube video showing a stabilized version of the clip:
Over the last 40+ years, a myriad of theories have cropped up to explain this footage. But not a single one is provably true.
Still, some of the most notable explanations include:
The footage shows a person wearing a ghillie suit
It’s just a guy in an ape costume
It’s a type of unknown hominid - a cousin to homosapiens
The final theory is the one that’s gained the most traction. Interestingly, the name ‘Bigfoot’ didn’t originate from this film. It was already in use when this footage was taken.
In 1958, a man named Ray Wallace made plaster casts of massive footprints he purportedly (there’s evidence it was a hoax) found in the woods. When the media picked up the story, the name ‘Bigfoot’ was coined. So, when Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin released this short film, taken not far from the same area Ray Wallace had claimed to find those footprints, Bigfoot became suddenly more tangible, more fascinating, more likely to exist.
Although Bigfoot’s popularity has waned slightly over the last few decades, this creature remains the face of the modern cryptid world thanks to the intriguing and one-of-a-kind Patterson-Gimlin film.
Start Your Own Bigfoot Adventure
If you’re interested in making Bigfoot’s discovery your new personal mission, you’ll be glad to know that The Bigfoot Adventures offers Bigfoot tours in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Oregon.
You can enjoy a single-day tour (perfect for those looking for a taste of the Bigfoot search experience). But there’s also a multi-day tour option for those looking to challenge themselves and maximize the potential for an unforgettable Bigfoot sighting.
Hoping for more of a California Bigfoot adventure? Ready to set out on your own? You’ll need a decent amount of hiking and camping know-how, but if you’re up for it, you could also try exploring The Bigfoot Trail. This slightly hook-shaped trail gives you unique access to the wilderness of the Klamath Mountains - ideal Sasquatch-spotting territory.
Just be sure you’re all geared up before you hit the trail. It’s bound to get a little wild out there.
And if hiking’s not your thing? Well, you could always enjoy a nice snack by the lake while you keep your eyes peeled for the Loch Ness Monster.
The Surgeon’s Photo (1934)
Apart from Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster (affectionately called Nessie for short) is the most well-known cryptid of the last century. While tales of sea serpents go back hundreds (if not thousands) of years, the photograph most people associate with Nessie dates back to 1934.
Taken by Robert Kenneth Wilson, a British surgeon holidaying in the area, the photo caused quite a stir when published by the Daily Mail. Sadly, it’s since been declared a hoax. Still, the legend of Nessie (and other sea serpents haunting the coastlines around Britain and Ireland) continues to enthrall and beguile. I
f you’re interested in trying to catch a glimpse of a slippery sea creature while out and about in Scotland, why not visit The Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit? They offer a comprehensive one-hour tour that’s bound to satisfy at least some of your curiosity. Then again, if you’re more of the hands-on type, a cruise could be a better choice.
There are several ‘Nessie cruises’ that offer different types and levels of experience, with prices generally ranging from £20 to £300. So, no matter you’re budget, you can try your hand at Nessie-spotting. And hey, what could be better than sitting back, watching the gentle waves, and scouring the scene for signs of potential serpent life?
The Search Will Continue
Whether or not any of the creatures we’ve discussed today exist or not, you can rest assured that human curiosity will propel the search for them ever onward. Finding cryptids interesting is just as natural as finding some pebbles quite nice to look at, or noticing how some flowers unfurl their petals differently than others. It’s a field that’s geared toward observation and appreciation, though there’s often a good deal of fear involved as well.
The unknown is often terrifying. But it needn’t be.
So long as we have amateurs and professionals working together to seek answers about the world around us (and the creatures that inhabit it), we can keep casting a little light of truth and knowledge onto the dark jungle foliage of uncertainty. And when the leaves begin to shake and the low growl hums - breathe deep and start recording!