Cryptozoologist

Now, do we have an interesting job for you today…

Forget being a regular zoologist, studying boring conventional animals which we know all about in every conceivable way…why not become an esteemed cryptozoologist and study animals which may or may not actually exist? Or perhaps your interest lies in plants which are said to capture and devour not just animals…but anything that gets in their way? (Then why not consider a career as a cryptobotanist?) Yes, that’s right, crytpozoologist’s are the people who we rarely hear of and often disbelieve; those responsible for making myth reality – when a new discovery is made, which unfortunately isn’t that often – and exposing the truth behind ancient stories which many have spoken of but most believe to be little more than fiction.

Sadly, there are no official qualifications or university courses which can assist you with chasing this bizarre occupation – tragically, conventional science deems the idea of looking for mythical animals as a waste of time not worthy of investing copious amounts of money in – and for now, at least, successful cryptozoologists are self-employed, making their money by way of writing books about the subject, hosting websites and giving public talks (as well as occasionally waiting on tables and working in ice cream vans and Bingo halls when the mythical animals seem even less keen to show their faces to the world).

Jokes aside, there is a serious aspect to cryptozoologists’ work: over the years, these often overlooked and made-fun-of people have discovered many a brand-new species of animal. More often than not the discoveries in question have been small – with new insects or small fish being found – but every so often a larger animal gains mass attention, exciting the scientific community and world’s media for very good reason. Take the infamous “Chupacabra” for example, otherwise known as the “Goat Sucker” (from the literal Spanish translation). For decades, people in Texas have reported livestock being left for dead – goats and cows usually, with various other mammals reportedly being attacked and drained of their blood – until, in July 2010 or thereabouts, a video was released onto the internet, allegedly showing physical evidence of the animal running down a trail. Soon after that other videos and photos of the creature surfaced – the creature having longer back legs and short front ones, as well as the fanged teeth that gave it its name – with some showing what would appear to be indisputable evidence of a creature that was, at one time, deemed as impossible as the Giant Squid (a creature which has now been proven to exist in the deepest darkest depths, most notably in Japanese waters).

While becoming a cryptozoologist is unlikely to make you famous or rich any-time soon, it’s likely have its own unique rewards. And with the interest in new and unidentified species of animal unlikely to dissipate any time soon, expeditions to hunt for such legendary creatures as the Mongolian “Death Worm” and Giant Spiders of the Congo prove that there may well be openings in the future for this intriguing occupation. 

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