Hunting Monsters: Cryptozoology and the Reality Behind the Myths

Darren Naish

Jan 2016 · Arcturus Publishing

About this ebook

The Loch Ness Monster. The Yeti. Bigfoot. These are just some of the iconic mythical creatures studied by the discipline of 'cryptozoology'.

The idea of mysterious and terrifying creatures goes back centuries. They are known by the experts as cryptids. Today, these legendary beings continue to capture our imaginations.

Discover the fascinating and often bizarre stories of real life monsters and the scientists who strove to separate the fact from fiction.

In Hunting Monsters, Palaeozoological researcher Professor Darren Naish explores the fascinating science behind these elusive monsters - a science known as 'cryptozoology'. Bizarre stories of ancient sea-monsters and resurgent dinosaurs are explored in this concise book, taking into account the theories of Belgian zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans, the man responsible for coining the term 'cryptozoology', as well as modern day zoologists like John MacKinnon whose research sheds light into this novel field of work.

Whether it is the monsters or the humans behind the story, this is a gripping tale of mystery and legend sure to enlighten you in the strange realms of cryptozoology.

Ratings and reviews

The only real problem is that it's too short - more of a review than an in depth analysis. The end result of the review is well argued and well supported, and while it makes my inner child a little sad, the part of me that likes learning about the real world feels satisfied.

A wonderful well researched look into Cryptids. Naish goes through many examples of the most famous monsters from around the world and explains how these legends occured, providing a critical look at all accounts around them.

About the author

Dr Darren Naish is a palaeontologist and the founder of the weblog Tetrapod Zoology in 2006. He has made a number of appearances in various television programmes, including BBC News 24 and Live from Dinosaur Island. He is the author or co-author of a number of books for both children and adults on prehistoric animals, such as the Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life (DK, 2003 with David Lambert and Elizabeth Wyse) and The Evidence (2000, with David Martill), which was published to accompany the BBC TV series Walking with Dinosaurs.