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Half a century ago, Belgian Zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans first codified cryptozoology in his book On the Track of Unknown Animals.

The Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ) are still on the track, and have been since 1992. But as if chasing unknown animals wasn't enough, we are involved in education, conservation, and good old-fashioned natural history! We already have three journals, the largest cryptozoological publishing house in the world, CFZtv, and the largest cryptozoological conference in the English-speaking world, but in January 2009 someone suggested that we started a daily online magazine! The CFZ bloggo is a collaborative effort by a coalition of members, friends, and supporters of the CFZ, and covers all the subjects with which we deal, with a smattering of music, high strangeness and surreal humour to make up the mix.

It is edited by CFZ Director Jon Downes, and subbed by the lovely Lizzy Bitakara'mire (formerly Clancy), scourge of improper syntax. The daily newsblog is edited by Corinna Downes, head administratrix of the CFZ, and the indexing is done by Lee Canty and Kathy Imbriani. There is regular news from the CFZ Mystery Cat study group, and regular fortean bird news from 'The Watcher of the Skies'. Regular bloggers include Dr Karl Shuker, Dale Drinnon, Richard Muirhead and Richard Freeman.The CFZ bloggo is updated daily, and there's nothing quite like it anywhere else. Come and join us...

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Monday, June 22, 2009

MICHAEL MALONE: MY first `Gator hunt

Alabama alligators have been prominent on the CFZ Bloggo over the last week or so. There was the photograph of the so-called giant that turned out not to be a giant after all, and there was an article by a bloke called Michael Malone that was both witty and informative. This morning I had another e-mail from him:
I've posted my first report on my blog. Please steal and use as you will. I have pictures and everything! About five people read my blog, so steal, steal, steal; I won't even request a link!Anyway, I'm rather pleased with the first post about the first trip. Went out 'gator hunting again today but no luck. Mostly I was trying out a new kayak since going solo in a canoe is tough and it seems no one wants to go with me when I mention looking for 'gators. I have some video from today's trip and I'll send you the youtube link later, and can get you the raw file if you like. Here's the link to the first foray into 'gator hunting: http://runwolf.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/first-attempt-at-gator-hunting/

Michael - I wouldn't hear a word of it. Your blog is interesting, on-topic for what the CFZ stands for, gives us an insight into the natural history of a part of the world that I have never visited, and it makes me laugh; so, not only are there links to it on this page but I have added you to the prestigious CFZ Link-O-Tron on the right hand side. So There....
This post is about a week late. No, it’s exactly a week late. This is the story of my first attempt at hunting for the elusive North Alabama 'Gator. It took place on Sunday, 14, 2009.

As I said in a previous post, I’ve decided to track down the North Alabama 'Gator. Rumour has it that the 'gator can be found in Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge but there are few pictures available, if any; and no pictures of active nests. In fact, since the 'gator release in the 70’s, only one nest has been found and that was in 2001.



Limestone Bay at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge

So I went looking. My first attempt at finding the 'gator was to try the backwaters of Limestone Bay. I put in at Arrowhead Landing but that may not have been the best choice. Everyone claims the 'gators are in the various backwater swampy sections, so that’s where I wanted to go. Arrowhead Landing, however, is a long paddle to the backwaters over a wide bay that can be quite windy but I made it to the backwaters and explored as far as I could after the long slog.

Read on

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