SHERI'S BLOG: Day 1 – Friday

We have a visitor this week. Sheri Myler, a student from the North of England is doing a week's placement with us. She is already very keen on cryptozoology and eager to learn. I confidently predict that she will be an asset to the cryptozoological community in years to come. However, we decided to put her to work, and each day she will be blogging about what she has been doing...

My first official task was to learn the husbandry routine of all the animals kept at the Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ). This was followed by a morning briefing discussing the days tasks, upcoming events and correspondence with authors/contacts. There was also further talk of my duties and a pop-quiz on the cryptozoological significance of the animals here at the CFZ. I didn't do very well.

After this, I helped prepare trail cameras, and set them up in the woods at Ashcroft Farm, to begin documentation of the animals that an Alien Big Cat (ABC) can feed on in the area. Care was taken to place them in memorable places to aid in retrieving them next Thursday.

The local pub is under new ownership and is eager to have a new look to the place. As a result, they wanted us to collect a fish tank and bring the fish back to the CFZ. One fish proved reluctant to remove from the tank and, by the time we had, it was the last fish to carry round to the centre. This was left to me and I felt more responsible for this solitary fish than throughout the rest of the task. It was in a tiny pot of water as I carried it through the cold evening. I was worried that the stress and cold would be too much for the poor thing. I’m happy to say that the fish survived and is happy in its new home.

Much of the remainder of this day was spent helping Jon in proof-reading journal articles and typing up his dictations, to be added to the journal. There was also a break for a delicious meal served by his lovely wife, Corinna  The day was topped off by a car-ride around Huddisford woods, in hopes of sighting an ABC. Sadly, however, there was no action.