Cryptids are hypothetical species of animals reported to exist based on episodic personal observations and anecdotal evidence, and the evidence thereof is considered insufficient enough to prove these creatures’ existence with any degree of certainty. The term "cryptid" was first coined in 1983 by John Wall. The study of cryptids is known as Cryptozoology.

In a large and extremely deep freshwater lake near Inverness, Scotland, dwells one of the world’s best known cryptids, the infamous lake monster Nessie. Although no evidence exists to support the inference that Nessie is female, people often refer to the creature as a she because of the feminine sounding name. The late Sir Peter Scott, a British ornithologist and conservationist, dubbed Nessie with its scientific name of Nessiteras rhombopteryx, so that it could be registered as an endangered species. The name means "the wonder of Ness with the diamond shaped fin".

Nessie is described as being dark gray with a long neck and a smallish, horse-like head. Eyewitnesse chronicles depict a large, bulky animal with a tail, flippers, and one or two hump-like protrusions on its back. Nessie is estimated to weigh 2,500lbs and have a length of 20-60 feet.

There are some who think Nessie might be a prehistoric remnant of the Age of the Dinosaur, possibly a type of plesiosaur. The notion that this massive creature of Loch Ness could possibly be a surviving marine animal from that era isn’t as unbelievable as one might think. There is an order of fish called the coelacanth, who were believed to have been extinct since the Cretaceous period, even prior to the disappearance of the dinosaurs. Then, in 1938 off the coast of South Africa, a live specimen was caught by a fisherman near the Chalumna River. They have since been discovered in places such as: Indonesia, Tanzania, Madagascar, Kenya and others.

There has also been a series of plesiosaur vertebrae found on the shore of Loch Ness, which have been confirmed as plesiosaurian by staff of the National Museums of Scotland. Although the general consensus of the scientific community is that the vertebrae did not originate at the loch, that it is either a hoax or demonstrative material left behind by a tour group, the experience of the coelacanth should teach us never to discount anything as a possibility.

The Nandi Bear is a cryptid which reportedly makes its home in Kenya, Africa. The creature is named for the Nandi people from the Western region of the country and to who is attributed the most numerous eyewitness accounts of the Nandi Bear. If it were only the Nandi tribe attesting to the existence of the Nandi Bear, one might dismiss it as little more than tribal legend or folklore passed down through the generations. Corroborating the evidence however, are the sightings of the Nandi Bear by Europeans and Westerners alike; testaments accompanied by detailed descriptions virtually indistinguishable from those of the tribespeople. The Nandi people call this creature a Kerit and the common belief is that this particular cryptid eats only the brains of that which it kills.

The description of the Nandi Bear differs very little from sighting to sighting: a smallish bear, brown in color and similar in feature, stature, and characteristics to the American Brown Bear. The Nandi Bear stands about 4-5 feet in heighth when standing on its hind legs and is a consummate tree climber. Depicted as a ferocious and powerfully built carnivore, the Nandi Bear has high front shoulders and a somewhat sloping back; similar to a hyena.

So is it a previously unknown species of bear? Perhaps a descendant from Africa’s only native bear, the Atlas Bear of the north? The consensus from most cryptozoologists is that the Nandi Bear is not a bear at all, least of all a relative of the Atlas Bear. The Atlas Bear was strictly a northern bear with an unmistakable bright orange underbelly and could hardly be confused with the descriptions of the Nandi Bear.

One possibility that seems to be the favored among cryptozoologists is a rather thrilling contemplation. In the somewhat recent prehistoric past, the hyena family had many more species than just the handful we recognize today. One of these, Hyaena brevirostris, a species of short-faced hyena, was a much larger variety than those of modern times and was built very much like a bear. Its face also held an uncanny likeness to that of a bear, as opposed to the dog-like resemblance seen in today’s hyena species. The aggressive nature of the Hyena would make it a suitable candidate for a genetic relationship with the fierce, and much feared, Nandi Bear.

Yeti is the Western name given to the large primate-type creature reputed to make its home in the Himalayas. The name is used to encompass several types of creatures, similar to the Western Sasquatch, that reportedly inhabit the mountainous regions of Tibet and Nepal. The native nomenclature descibes three distinct types of Yeti. The first, Dzu-Teh, is the largest of the three and has been reported to sometimes carry its massive frame on all fours, resembling a creature that seems half primate, half bear. Meh-Teh is the native name given to what we’ve come to know as the "typical" or "classic" Yeti. This type of Yeti stands around six feet tall and the top of its head is somewhat peaked or pointed. The third type of Yeti, the Teh-Lma, is the most human-like of the three. It is thought by some researchers to be a primitive race of humans, and merely Yeti juveniles by others . The Teh-Lma stands only three feet tall and is said to dwell in the jungle valleys between mountains, subsisting on a diet of frogs.

Although the Meh-Teh have long, scruffy hair, similar to their western cousins, they do not live in the Himalayan mountains proper. There is very little food high in the mountains, certainly not enough to sustain these large creatures. All three classes of Yeti reportedly dwell in the valleys below the snow-capped peaks and sightings are only made possible because the Meh-Teh must often traverse the high mountain passes in order to journey from one valley to another. It is then that they become observable to humans and encounters or sightings are more apt to occur. While at home in their remote, tree-filled valleys, sightings would be unlikely if not impossible.

The name Sasquatch is derived from phonetically similar sounding Native American/Canadian words such as "Sesquac" and means "wild man". Bigfoot was a term that gained in popularity and was used by journalists in the 1950s to decribe the creature during an upswing in reported sightings. The term Bigfoot is a descriptive one, and appropriate given the size, in comparison to humans, of the creature’s feet.

The Sasquatch is generally descibed as being 7 to 9 feet tall, walking bipedally and having hominoid features. Further eyewitness accounts characterize this cryptid as being heavily built with broad shoulders and a thick, squat neck. The Sasquatch’s body is covered in dark hair and its head is peaked, similar to the sagittal crest of the male gorilla.

Sasquatch prints often measure fifteen to twenty inches or more in length, with 5 toes and a wide arch. Often accompanying reports of Sasquatch sightings is the desription of a very distinct foul odor suggestive of feces or carrion. Some reports also relate Sasquatch vocalizations in their accounts, describing these as high pitched whistles orlow-pitched grunting.

Although there are others, Orang Pendek is the most common name given to a cryptid that is reputed to live in the forests of Sumatra. Its name is Indonesian for short man, and the reports go back for over a century.

The consistent characteristics reported by witnesses include: bipedality, 35-40 inches in height, a body covered with short hair, and having small feet with a divergent big toe. Although short, the local villagers describe a powerfully built, stocky creature with broad shoulders and chest. The lower body doesn’t hold the same characteristics as the upper body and arms, with the legs being described as short and slim, and the feet as almost dainty.

It’s important to note that, while legends of mysterious spirit creatures are common amongst the locals, the Orang Pendek is described by them as being just another forest dwelling animal.

Ogopogo is said to inhabit Lake Okanagan in south central British Columbia, and is Canada’s best known lake monster. Eyewitness accounts of Ogopogo describe a very speedy, black or brown creature, 25-50 feet in length with a serpent like body and horse shaped head. Indian lore supports a monster habitating the lake long before whites arrived in Canada, and these legends place Ogopogo’s "den" at a Cave under Squally Point. The natives wouldn’t go near this area without offerings, believing that failing to do so would cause the "lake demon" to rise from below to claim another life. Close encounters (50-75 feet) with Ogopogo have resulted in reports of fins or feet on the creature.

In Lake Champlain, on the border between New York and Vermont, there reportedly dwells a lake creature called "Champ". The Iroquois had legends about a horned serpent that lived in the lake and Samuel de Champlain, for whom the lake is named, was himself a supposed witness. Descriptions of Champ vary from serpentine to Plesiosaur-like and eyewitness accounts sometimes tell of silver scales. Usually the creature is described as brown or black, with a snake-like body, and measuring 25-75 feet in length. In 1977, Sandra Mansi took a photograph of Champ during a picnic with friends. This photo remains the best known photograph of Champ today and was published by Time magazine.

An inhabitant of Australia and Tasmania and the last survivor of carnivorous marsupials, the Thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian Tiger, is now believed to be extinct. Described as sandy brown with 15-20 dark stripes across its back from shoulders to tail, the Thylacine sported a dog-like head with shorts ears and a stiff, short tail. It had short legs, standing about 2 feet tall at the shoulders, and its overall length from nose to tail ranged from 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 feet.

Once the Thylacines disappeared from the mainlaind of Australia (attributed to the appearance of dingoes) they could only be found on the island of Tasmania. As an increasing number of farmers moved to the island in the early 1800s, the Thylacines became a nuisance and were considered pests by the farming community of the island, bounties and rewards then led to their systematic slaughter. The last Thylacine killing reported was in 1930. Although they were given a protected species status in 1933, it was too little, too late. There have, however, been sightings and evidence of Thylacine footprints for over 65 years, with the first account coming from an expedition in 1938.

Special thanks to NCRYPTID for putting together this research page, a great resource on some of the more common cryptids we dig here at the MHC. Nice job, Nick!

-Derek