ANIMAL FORTEANA


In the beginning of things men were animals and animals men. ~ Algonquin saying

"For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much — the wheel, New York, wars and so on — whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man — for precisely the same reasons." ~ The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Owls Flying In From the Blogosphere

A couple of my recent posts have been about England's Owl mascot used in an advertising campaign. Nick Redfern sent me this image of an owl painted on Giant Rock. Nick took the photo about three weeks, when he was visiting Giant Rock (along with Andy Colvin, author of the Mothman's Photographer series, Greg Bishop, and Adam Gorightly. Sounds like a fantastic trip!)

Owl painted, Giant Rock Ca by Nick Redfern 2010



At hidden experience, Mike Clelland, who writes frequently about owl encounters and has his own eerie history of owliness, wrote about an owl episode December 20th: Owl an a cold winter's night.  Make sure you read the comments that go with his post.

And from Dan Mitchell's Luminosity: Owls, Aliens, and The Hale-Bopp Comet a beautiful article, as usual, about a spooky encounter. After relating strange encounters involving owls, Dan writes of yet another:
In 2004 this owl issue arose once again. At that time I was living in a second story apartment building with my wife and our newborn son. At night I would hear an owl right outside my sons bedroom window. When he would cry at night, I'd go into his room only to see this enormous owl standing either on the power lines directly outside the building (at eye level) or on the auto garage roof a few yards away from our building. This had become an almost nightly occurrence, which on a very profound level was disturbing to me because around this time I was becoming aware of many abduction stories and was having some communication with people involved in the phenomenon. The simple fact that it would stare directly at me was very disheartening. There was this sense of powerlessness involved in that I was dealing with something supernatural that didn't just go away because I wanted it to.

Dan ends his post with conclusions of his own about the appearance of owls in his experiences -- conclusions I tend to agree with. Something is intentionally using the owl; as image, as go-between from the mundane to the liminal. . .

As Mike Clelland wrote in his post: "I'm not sure what any of this means, but I feel obligated to pay attention." Same here!

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

On Boing Boing:Chupacabra poaching in Kentucky - Boing Boing

Boing Boing picked up on the fact that the so-called "chupacabra" killed in Kentucky was an innocent animal, not some mad crazed monster. Several comments were left, many along the lines of what I mentioned in my earlier post about this sad episode, as in "don't know what it is, so's I best kill the damn thing" mentality.

A link left by one commentator is a sad reminder that this penchant for shooting at what one thinks is a "chupacabra" could be a dog, etc.

Chupacabra poaching in Kentucky - Boing Boing

Another "Chupacabra" Story: Kentucky Man Kills "Chupie"

These stories make me sad; they are not the "legendary chupacabra" the spiny backed, blood sucking, high jumping, glowing red eyed creatures originating from Puerto Rico, but clearly some kind of "real" (mundane) animal that has mange, or some sort of mutation or disease. The photos in the following article are similar to several others that we've seen from the U.S. in news items and Monster Quest, etc. -- mostly from the south and south west but elsewhere as well.

The recent episode, from Kentucky, invovles the shooting of one of these so-called chupacabras. I found Mark Cothren's (the Kentucky witness) reason for killing the creature sadly bemusing:
"Mark Cothren shot the animal as it walked into his front yard because he did not recognise it."
Don't know what it is, kill it, goddamnit!


Has the legendary Chupacabra been found? Man shoots dead mysterious gray-skinned creature | Mail Online:

Monday, December 27, 2010

Odor of the Owl

 I posted these at my blog The Orange Orb; combining them here, about a London perfume house and its new image/mascot. 

Yes, that's right, it's odor, not order. Things do get curiouser and curiouser. Thanks to Brownie, who left a comment with a link on my Merry Christmas post about London's scary and creepy owl perfume campaign. Penhaligons, a perfume shop, has created the Olfactory Owl. Lots of links to this story, just Google as usual, here's one: Penhaligon's unleash a scary anthropomorphic owl onto London's streets.
Dressed in Victorian finery, the Olfactory Owl will be journeying across London on foot and by tube and bus, taking in some of London’s iconic landmarks and shopping hotspots.

The Olfactory Owl will be handing out coupons, and you can join the odoriferous owl on Twitter and Facebook. The conspiratorial Fortean mind reels, making connections between England's rash of staged/faux UFO crashes and alien abductions in schools, and this recent episode of a giant owl walking the streets of London. 

Susan/Brownie left the following comment:
Regan,

I noticed on Penhaglion Ltd. Facebook page, there are lots more man-owl pics, even with children in its lap. Some commenters think its charming. (yikes!)


I know that niche fragrance houses use avant-garde commercials to distinguish themselves from the mass market brands, but this owl-man doesn't make sense (as Lesley noted - owls have poor sense of smell anyway).

http://www.facebook.com/fragrances.for.women.men.Penhaligons#!/album.php?aid=266610&id=294708288947

~ Susan
Lesley Gunter, at The Debris Field, commented on the post, and I blogged about that:

The Debris Field: The Odor of the Owl

Lesley comments on the Owl perfume mascot out of London; she points out something I didn't know, that owls don't have a strong sense of smell.

As Lesley mentions, the owl as image is a strong and major one in esoterica:
We all know the owl is the most esoteric creature around, associated with alien abduction, bad omens, Bohemian Grove and so much more.
"They" must know of the owl's powerful impact on the subconscious in this regard. On the surface, one could point to the popularity of the owl in the Harry Potter novels, and the owl in general is a current popular culture motif in fashion. But being of a conspiratorial and Fortean mind, I think this imagery goes deeper than that.

I also agree with Lesley about clowns -- they're creepy and strange and evoke insidious intent -- and mascots, particularly animal ones, aren't any better.
The Facebook page has several photos of the "Olfactory Owl," which appears to have weird ghostly eyes, sans pupils, or maybe that's just the way they appear in the photos due to lighting.

And of course, we can't forget about the Cornwall Owl Man, that classic Fortean event of 1976. I'm citing Kithra's Krystal Kave page about the Cornwall Owl Man:
source: Wikipedia, illus. by Doc Sheils
The first report of the Owlman came on the Easter weekend of 17th April 1976. Two young girls, June and Vicky Melling, aged twelve and nine, saw what they described as a big feathered birdman hovering over the steeple of Old Mawnan Church. In fact the children were so frightened by the experience that their family cut short their holiday and went home.
Three months later, on 3rd July 1976, around 10:00 p.m. but not quite dark, Sally Chapman, age fourteen, and her friend Barbara Perry were camping in woods around the church. They heard a hissing sound and saw what looked like an owl as big as a man, with pointed ears, and red eyes that were glowing. It was standing near the pine trees and flew straight up into the air, which made them scream.
That's just the beginning, much more to this story that remains a mystery to this day. 

Friday, December 24, 2010

 Season's Greetings Everyone!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Online petition against releasing GM mosquitoes

PETALING JAYA: Concerned citizens who are against the proposed release of genetically modified (GM) male mosquitoes in certain parts of the country have started an online petition campaign to get their message across the nation.

The online petition, titled “No to the release of GM mosquitoes in Bentong and Alor Gajah”, was initiated by Cheah Hooi Giam from Penang and has so far garnered 290 signatories.

According to the article, Malaysia will be the only country where the release of GM mosquitoes have been released. The petition's creator Cheah Hooi Giam, says that Malaysia doesn't have the resources to test, control or otherwise deal with the GM'd insects, and questions the relationship between government, citizens and "commercial interests."

Online petition against releasing GM mosquitoes

(reposted on Octopus Confessional.)

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Horse in a Human Body - Shows - Coast to Coast AM

On Coast to Coast tonight, guest Jason aka 'The Horse' discusses his belief that an equine dwells within. . .

Horse in a Human Body - Shows - Coast to Coast AM

Rescue a Drowning deer, pay a fine | Objects in Motion

A sad example of someone in authority who seems to be a sociopath; fortunately there are compassionate people involved who stepped up.

Rescue a Drowning deer, pay a fine | Objects in Motion

Raccoon distemper outbreak suspected on Oregon Coast | KVAL CBS 13 - News, Weather and Sports - Eugene, OR - Eugene, Oregon | Health

Racoons on the Oregon coast are coming down with distemper. Sad all around...
TILLAMOOK, Ore. - Raccoons along the north coast from Seaside to Astoria are coming down with canine distemper, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Officials say over the past two weeks there have been numerous complaints about sick and injured raccoons showing signs consistent with canine distemper, which is a highly contagious viral disease that can infect not only unvaccinated dogs but raccoons, coyotes and skunks.
Raccoon distemper outbreak suspected on Oregon Coast | KVAL CBS 13 - News, Weather and Sports - Eugene, OR - Eugene, Oregon | Health

Friday, December 17, 2010

Experts: Ancient Mexicans crossbred wolf-dogs | World news | guardian.co.uk

Mexican researchers said Wednesday they have identified jaw bones found in the pre-Hispanic ruins of Teotihuacan as those of wolf-dogs that were apparently crossbred as a symbol of the city's warriors.

In oral traditions and old chronicles, dog-like animals appear with symbols of power or divinity," said institute spokesman Francisco De Anda. "But we did not have skeletal evidence ... this is the first time we have proof."
Wolf- or dog-like creatures appear in paintings at Teotihuacan, but had long been thought to be depictions of coyotes, which also inhabit the region. But archaeologists are now re-evaluating that interpretation.



Experts: Ancient Mexicans crossbred wolf-dogs | World news | guardian.co.uk

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Lair of the Beasts: Monsters at the Space Center - Mania.com

Juicy Fortean crazy out there stories (a good thing!) from Nick Redfern about NASA and Mothman. Yes, NASA and Mothman. Who knew?
Actually, the story gives support to the idea that the government had something to do with manipulating energies and opportunities within the Mothman event.

Lair of the Beasts: Monsters at the Space Center - Mania.com

Monday, December 13, 2010

NBC33 See it, Shoot it, Share it: Crazy hunting pic | NBC 33 TV - WVLA

Another story on the creepy game cam image posted here last night, and making the usual internet rounds. My groaning at news anchors -- local they may be -- using phrases like "like," "totally" and overall valley girl speak aside, interesting news item for the bonus of another image with mysterious figure in background. Or, not.
(Thanks to Doc 40 for link.)


NBC33 See it, Shoot it, Share it: Crazy hunting pic | NBC 33 TV - WVLA

Loch Ness monster 'seen twice' - Telegraph

Loch Ness monster 'seen twice' - Telegraph

Simon Dinsdale, son of Tim Dinsdale, who shot the famous 2 min. footage of Nessie just about 50 years ago, has seen Nessie himself.

And now, for something completely different. . .
Well, it has nothing to do with Nessie or even, really, anything Fortean, but I just love Monty Python:

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Update on Bear on Bike Path

A news report of a bear seen on the bike path 2 miles from my house turned out to be incorrect. It was a brown sheep; not a bear.

The bike path in runs along a creek; brambly banks on either side. A nice bit of nature just yards away from the busy streets, commercial areas, etc. One of the businesses that fronts the very busy street has had a few sheep that graze in back of the building. I've seen them there myself many times. Apparently one of the sheep managed to make its way from behind the shop, and up onto the other side, to the bike path. Why or how it was the person mistook the sheep for a bear . . . but, in a way, it makes a bit of sense. You don't expect to see sheep, unless you know they're there, and actually a fixture in that spot. Bear have been seen in the area although certainly not in town like this.

Pretty funny actually. Glad all is okay; no scared bears, or humans, everyone safe. Including the sheep, who made it back and is safe.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Central Oregon Home to Rare White Buffalo Herd

Central Oregon home to rare white buffalo herd (Associated Press | The Register-Guard)
BEND, Ore. (AP) -- Pendleton Woolen Mills is making new Navajo-style blankets using wool and blended hair shed by an unusual herd of white buffalo in central Oregon.
Ranching experts say fewer than 50 white buffalo, or American bison, live in the U.S., The Oregonian reported.
On a sanctuary east of Bend, 11 of them roam acres of isolated juniper forest under the care of Cynthia Hart-Button and her husband, Charles Button. It's one of the larger collections of white buffalos.
Some Native American tribes consider them sacred.
"The significance of the white buffalo has been recognized by all the tribes that are buffalo culture people," Jim Stone, a Yankton-Yanktonai Sioux, told The Oregonian. Stone is executive director of the Intertribal Buffalo Council in Rapid City, S.D., an organization created to restore buffalo to Indian nations.
The white buffalo's presence is a prophesy of spiritual rebirth - "an indicator of better times coming to tribal people," Stone said. "Historically, that has been the view."
For more visit link.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Bear on the Eugene Bike Path: Close to Home, Literally

Wow, if you know this area in Eugene, Oregon, where I live, you'd know that this is very odd: Bear wanders onto west Eugene bike path.
This is literally less than two miles from my house. Right in the middle of town. I have been on this path many times. One more example of signals: of wild animals seeking food, safety, habitat, as well as possible disorientation from... who knows what. Ever encroaching human habitats and construction, pollution and environmental changes, etc.

Not the first time a wild animal has been seen in this town; a few years ago there was a cougar seen on the University of Oregon campus. There are wild turkeys all around the hills, we often see deer just a mile or so from here. It's always amazing to me, the juxtaposition of city life: traffic, buildings, "downtown" (such as that is, given Eugene's crazy-wild ass hat stupid ideas of urban planning, but that's an entirely different subject) and wild animals, such as deer, bear, cougar, etc.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Exotic oarfish makes rare appearance in Malibu - latimes.com

L.A. Times has photo of the oarfish, which washed up on the beach in Malibu. Not much detail. A mystery, but maybe not so much; a sign of our global warming, one more signal of odd animal behavior and aftermaths.




Exotic oarfish makes rare appearance in Malibu - latimes.com