Cryptozoology: "Study of hidden animals"
Cyptozoology is a pseudoscience that involves the search of animals whose existence has not yet been proven.
Our searches include the Jersey Devil and Seneca Lake Serpent.
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The Jersey Devil
The legend of the Jersey Devil has been around for more than two centuries dating back into the mid to late 1700's. Since then, some notable people have laid claims to witnessing this creature including Stephen Decatur, a commodore in the US Navy. Mysterious and unexplained footprints have been found throughout the region of the pine barrens in New Jersey, the center of sightings. People have taken polygraph tests to adhere to the fact they have told the truth of what they saw after claiming witness to the devil, and have passed.
Perhaps the most intriguing story is "Phenomena Week". Between January 16th and 23rd of 1909, the devil was reported all across the Philadelphia and Camden areas and caused a mass hysteria. Sighting reports were common and panic forced schools to close. Police were said to have fired upon the devil with no effect.
Today, "sightings" still occur, unexplained footprints are still found and blood curdling screams can be heard on occasion. Does the Jersey Devil exist or is there something else that is being mistaken as the devil?
Seneca Lake Serpent
An incident on the waters of Seneca lake on July 21st, 1900 brought the first stories of the serpent to the lake. According to the passengers on board the side-wheeled steam boat, the Otetiani, the boat struck and killed the serpent and had prepared to tow the carcass to Geneva, NY until the ropes gave way and it was lost to the depths of the lake.
There have been numerous reports of sightings since. It has been recorded in various newpaper articles throughout the early 1900's. Perhaps the best description of the serpent came from a geologist that was onboard the Otetiani on July 21st. He described it as about 25 feet long, having weighed about 1000 pounds. It was greenish brown with a cream white under belly. It's head was triangular and had two rows of teeth.
Similar stories were spread around Lake Ontario nearly 50 years before the Otetiani Incident. The canal system that connects Seneca lake with Lake Ontario and the ocean today, did not exist when the Lake Ontario stories arose. Did the creature exit Lake Ontario and enter Seneca Lake or is there a creature that commonly inhabits the lake that is being misunderstood?
Read more about the Seneca Lake Serpent and our hunt for it!