OLL LEWIS: 5 Questions on… Cryptozoology - NICK REDFERN

In the chair today is Nick Redfern. Nick originally hails from England but now lives in Texas with his wife Dana where he heads the CFZ’s American Office. Nick has written many books on cryptozoology, UFOs, aliens and other Fortean topics including Man Monkey, published by CFZ press, and Three Men Seeking Monsters.

So Nick, here are your 5 questions on… Cryptozoology.

1) How did you first become interested in cryptozoology?

When I was about 5, my parents took me to Scotland for a week-long holiday, and we spent one day at Loch Ness. Although I was only a nipper at the time, I still have a couple of memories of my dad telling me the legend of the monster, and him chatting with an old couple that had also driven to the loch for the day. I suppose at that age the idea of a strange creature - or creatures - living in the loch caught my imagination. Then when I was a bit older - 10 or 11, I think - I began reading books on the subject and it just went from there.

2) Have you ever personally seen a cryptid or secondary evidence of a cryptid, if so can you please describe your encounter?

I've had a few weird experiences - and one or two very weird experiences - when out in the woods over the years. But one of the most recent things I can comment on is that I actually now own a cryptid! Well, almost. A few months ago, I was given the skull of a so-called 'Texas Chupacabras.' Of course, the Texas beast is not a true cryptid but since it has been deeply linked with the subject of cryptozoology over the last few years, I figured it's worth noting that my wife Dana and I now share a house with a quasi-cryptid. So I see a cryptid every day, peering at me from a shelf on one of my bookcases!

3) Which cryptids do you think are the most likely to be scientifically discovered and described some day, and why?

I think the Orang-Pendek will be confirmed at some point in the not too distant future. I say that because I think there's little doubt at all about its existence. It's certainly not an elusive zooform of the Owlman or Mothman variety, and it is undoubtedly flesh-and-blood. Plus, as there are a number of good sighting-reports, I think it's just a matter of time. I'd also like to think someone might stumble across a still-living Megalania (the giant, and presumed-extinct Australian monitor lizard) one day.

4) Which cryptids do you think are the least likely to exist?

I have heard more than a few stories about people claiming to have seen surviving mammoths, including one from a very recent decade indeed. If the mammoth had survived somewhere, that would be truly monumental news. But as much as I would like to see it, I think that the Mammoth has run out of time. I do, however, think that it may well have survived far longer than science suggests. I'm very interested in werewolves, but as literal cryptid creatures, I don't think there's a chance they exist in literal terms. I'm convinced they are something more - or, maybe, less - than flesh and blood.

5) If you had to pick your favourite cryptozoological book (not including books you may have wrote yourself) what would you choose?

It's hard to pin it down to just one, so I would have to say John Keel's The Mothman Prophecies; Janet and Colin Bord's Alien Animals; Gray Barker's The Silver Bridge; Linda Godfrey's Hunting the American Werewolf; and Monster Hunter by Squire Downes himself.