Chapter 1
The birth of a scientific mystery
Chapter 2
Deep lake denizens and watery wonders
Chapter 3
Giants of the forest floor
Chapter 4
Modern myths and biological misidentifications
YOUR GOAL
Master of The science of legendary monsters
Ch 4 · Modern myths and biological misidentifications
renaissanceman Coelacanth Living Fossil Rediscovery
They thought it long extinct, A fossil from the past, But the coelacanth returned, alive at last!
renaissanceman The red-eyed Mothman of West Virginia may have been a misidentified sandhill crane or a giant barn owl.
renaissanceman Severe mite infections transform familiar wild canines into hairless, blue-skinned, monstrous-looking beasts.
BETA
renaissanceman Drag real animals onto legendary beasts to discover how biological misidentifications create modern myths.
Fun Fact
The Chupacabra movie link: The original 1995 description of the Puerto Rican chupacabra closely matched the alien hybrid creature from the sci-fi movie 'Species,' which had just opened in local theaters.
Glossary
chupacabra (noun)
A legendary creature rumored to inhabit parts of the Americas, said to attack and drink the blood of livestock. In 1995, Puerto Rican sightings of this creature were scientifically explained as coyotes suffering from severe mange.
A legendary creature rumored to inhabit parts of the Americas, said to attack and drink the blood of livestock. In 1995, Puerto Rican sightings of this creature were scientifically explained as coyotes suffering from severe mange.
Quiz
What animal's face, with its forward-facing eyes and eerie screech, is often mistaken for a forest cryptid?
Quiz
Which large bird with red eye patches is often blamed for the 1966 'Mothman' sightings?
Quiz
What movie, released in 1995, inspired the original eyewitness description of the Puerto Rican chupacabra?
Quiz
In which island nation did the legend of the goat-sucking 'chupacabra' originate in 1995?
Quiz
What skin condition is responsible for turning ordinary coyotes into hairless 'chupacabras'?
Quiz
In which year did the famous series of 'Mothman' sightings begin in Point Pleasant, West Virginia?
Quiz
What is the name of the pine-covered wilderness in New Jersey where the Jersey Devil is said to live?
Quiz
Which famous American founding father inadvertently helped create the 'Jersey Devil' legend through political satire?