Cryptozoology is a type of fake science and a group of people who look for and study animals that are unknown, legendary, or believed to be extinct. These animals are not proven to exist, such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, the Yeti, the chupacabra, the Jersey Devil, or the mokele-mbembe. People who study these animals call them cryptids, a word created by this group. Because it does not use the scientific method, mainstream science does not consider cryptozoology a real science. It is not part of zoology or the study of folklore. Cryptozoology was started in the 1950s by zoologists Bernard Heuvelmans and Ivan T. Sanderson.
Experts have observed that this group has avoided using methods from mainstream science since its beginning. People who support cryptozoology often disagree with mainstream science. Researchers who study cryptozoology and its influence, including its connection to Young Earth creationism, have found similarities between cryptozoology and other fake sciences, such as ghost hunting and ufology. They also noted that the media often share claims made by cryptozoologists without checking them carefully.
Terminology, history, and approach
Cryptozoology is the study of animals that are hidden or unknown. It began with the work of Bernard Heuvelmans, a Belgian zoologist, and Ivan T. Sanderson, a Scottish zoologist. In 1955, Heuvelmans wrote a book called On the Track of Unknown Animals, which became an important work in cryptozoology. Sanderson also wrote books, such as Abominable Snowmen: Legend Come to Life (1961), that helped shape the field. Heuvelmans traced the start of cryptozoology to Anthonie Cornelis Oudemans, who studied sea serpent reports and believed they might be caused by an unknown type of seal.
The word "cryptozoology" comes from Greek words meaning "hidden animals" and "study." Heuvelmans said Sanderson first used the term in 1959 or earlier. Later, in 1983, J. E. Wall, a cryptozoologist, created the term "cryptid" to describe animals that are hidden or unknown and studied by cryptozoologists. The Oxford English Dictionary defines "cryptid" as an animal whose existence is debated or not proven. However, most scientists do not use this term. Some academics say cryptozoology is a pseudoscientific version of old beliefs about monsters and mythical creatures, but with a more scientific-sounding name.
Cryptozoologists often focus on creatures from folklore, such as the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, and the chupacabra. They may use tools like cameras, night-vision equipment, and audio recorders to search for these animals. Unlike scientists, there are no agreed-upon methods for studying cryptids. Some scholars say early ideas about folklore and monsters influenced modern cryptozoology.
Most cryptozoologists do not have formal science education. Some people incorrectly claim that certain cryptozoologists, like Roy Mackal, have scientific training. In reality, Mackal had no specific training in studying exotic animals. Other notable cryptozoologists with academic backgrounds include Grover Krantz, Karl Shuker, and Richard Greenwell.
In a 2025 interview, science writer Sharon Hill said cryptids have become more popular, partly because of the Internet. People now share stories about cryptids in video games and online. Hill explained that in the past, some believed cryptids were real animals with magical powers, and people hoped to find proof of them. However, the International Society of Cryptozoology lost its leadership in the 1990s, and no one took over the role of guiding the study. This led to more amateur researchers using the Internet to share their work, especially with younger audiences.
Historically, some cryptozoologists claimed to have found "irrefutable evidence" of cryptids, but later discoveries showed the evidence was fake. For example, René Dahinden, a Bigfoot researcher, searched caves for years but found no proof. In 2018, an expedition to Lake Tele in the Congo to find the Mokele-mbembe failed, but scientists discovered a new type of green algae.
Some cryptozoologists promote Young Earth Creationism, a belief that rejects scientific evidence and supports a literal interpretation of the Bible. This group claims that animals like "living dinosaurs" exist and could disprove evolution. Sharon Hill noted that these groups are well-funded and conduct expeditions to find such animals.
Anthropologist Jeb J. Card said creationists often support cryptozoology and fund expeditions to find creatures that could challenge evolution. Paleontologist Donald Prothero explained that some people search for cryptids, like the Loch Ness Monster or Mokele-mbembe, only to prove evolution wrong. However, finding a dinosaur in the Congo would not disprove evolution, as such animals might have lived long ago.
In 2013, the Creation Museum in Kentucky displayed an exhibit claiming dragons once lived with humans. Religious studies scholar Justin Mullis noted that cryptozoology and Young Earth Creationism have a long connection. Academic Paul Thomas studied the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter theme park, saying both are closely linked to cryptozoology and use similar ideas to challenge scientific understanding.
Reception and pseudoscience
There is general agreement among scientists that cryptozoology is a pseudoscience. This field is often criticized for depending on personal stories and for not using the scientific method when investigating animals that most scientists believe do not exist. No university offers a degree or formal training in cryptozoology, and the field is mostly practiced by people without formal education in natural sciences.
Anthropologist Jeb J. Card describes cryptozoology in a study about pseudoscience and pseudoarchaeology. He explains that cryptozoology claims to study animals that have not yet been identified. At first, this might seem similar to zoology, which regularly discovers new species. However, cryptozoologists often ignore the fact that these discoveries are made by trained scientists working in ecology, not by cryptozoologists who search for large, unusual creatures.
Card notes that cryptozoologists frequently express dislike or hostility toward professional scientists, a trend he traces back to early conflicts in the field. He compares cryptozoology to other pseudosciences, such as ghost hunting and ufology, and points out similarities between cryptozoologists and colonial big-game hunters. According to Card, many cryptids are based on stories from indigenous cultures, though these stories may have been altered or misinterpreted. These connections are also seen in New Age beliefs and myths used for tourism, such as the "Amityville" hoax.
In 2011, Dan Ward, then president of the National Association of Biology Teachers, wrote in The American Biology Teacher that cryptozoology is an example of "technological pseudoscience" that might confuse students about the scientific method. He called it "monster hunting" and said it is not valid science. Historian Brian Regal included cryptozoology in his book Pseudoscience: A Critical Encyclopedia (2009), noting that while cryptozoologists search for hidden animals, the field itself has been studied as much as the creatures they seek.
In a 1992 article in Folklore, folklorist Véronique Campion-Vincent wrote that unexplained sightings of mystery animals are reported worldwide. She explained that beliefs in mythical or supernatural creatures have existed for centuries and were influenced by European exploration of new lands. As science advanced, these traditional stories became more detailed and evolved into modern legends. These beliefs continue today, supported by media and local communities, often for tourism purposes.
Campion-Vincent identified four groups that study mysterious animal sightings: "Forteans" (people who collect unusual reports), "occultists" (linked to Forteans), "folklorists," and "cryptozoologists." She described cryptozoology as a "parascience," similar to parapsychology, where scientists may participate but often as a personal hobby rather than an academic pursuit.
In Encyclopedia of American Folklore, academic Linda Watts wrote that folklore about mythical or unreal animals, sometimes called monsters, is a popular area of study. She described cryptozoology as an example of "American narrative traditions" that include many monster stories.
Folklorist Peter Dendle noted that cryptozoologists often reject mainstream science and said the field helps people express guilt over environmental harm, a desire for mystery in a well-mapped world, and frustration with the scientific community. In a 2013 paper, Dendle called cryptozoologists "contemporary monster hunters" who search for wonder in a world fully explored by technology like Google Earth. He argued that their focus on elusive creatures shows a lack of awareness about scientific evidence, such as evolutionary biology and fossils.
Historian Mike Dash wrote that while many scientists believe thousands of unknown animals, especially invertebrates, remain to be discovered, cryptozoologists rarely study small creatures like ants or beetles. Instead, they focus on elusive animals that have not been confirmed despite long-term research.
Paleontologist George Gaylord Simpson (1984) listed cryptozoology among examples of human gullibility, along with creationism, saying that belief in such ideas reflects human tendencies to be inventive and easily deceived. He noted that cryptozoology sometimes shows both deception and gullibility, echoing an old saying about believing in the impossible.
Paleontologist Donald Prothero (2007) called cryptozoology a pseudoscience and grouped it with Holocaust denial and UFO abduction claims as examples of "clearly baloney" in American culture.
In Scientifical Americans: The Culture of Amateur Paranormal Researchers (2017), Hill discussed cryptozoology, noting that some members try to use scientific methods. However, she pointed out the involvement of Young Earth creationists and the prevalence of hoaxes. She concluded that many cryptozoologists are sincere in their belief that mystery animals exist but often accept sightings without critical analysis. Like ghost hunters, they believe they will solve mysteries and make history. However, the pursuit of mystery and money can harm ethical research, leading to credibility issues in the field.
Organizations
There are several museums and organizations of different types that focus on or are connected to cryptozoology. These include:
Museums and exhibitions
The zoological and cryptozoological collection of Bernard Heuvelmans is stored at the Musée Cantonal de Zoologie in Lausanne. This collection includes about 1,000 books, 25,000 files, 25,000 photographs, letters, and objects.
In 2006, the Bates College Museum of Art hosted an exhibition called "Cryptozoology: Out of Time Place Scale." This exhibition showed cryptozoological creatures next to recently extinct animals, such as the thylacine, and animals that were once thought to be extinct but are still alive, like the coelacanth. In 2007, the American Museum of Natural History held an exhibition titled "Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns and Mermaids." This exhibition included both imaginary animals and extinct animals, such as the elephant bird Aepyornis maximus and the great ape Gigantopithecus blacki.
In 2003, cryptozoologist Loren Coleman started the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine. The museum has over 3,000 items related to cryptozoology.
Examples of cryptids
Some of the most well-known cryptids include Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, the Yeti, the chupacabra, Mothman, and the Jersey Devil. Animals that were once thought to be extinct but may still live are also considered cryptids. How likely it is that these animals still exist varies, but examples include the thylacine, the giant ground sloth, the megalodon, and the ivory-billed woodpecker. Many cryptids are believed to be related to species that are no longer alive; for example, the Loch Ness Monster is often thought to be a living plesiosaur, and the Mokele-mbembe is believed to be a sauropod dinosaur. There are thousands of local cryptid legends from around the world, including the Loveland frog, the Mapinguari, the Fresno nightcrawler, the Skunk ape, the Burrunjor, the Great South Bay Giant Horseshoe Crab, the Inkanyamba, the Kasai Rex, the Ningen, and many more.