C.R.S.Q.

Two Scientific Papers on Modern “Pterodactyls”

Scientific Papers on Living Pterosaurs

Both David Woetzel and Jonathan Whitcomb wrote scientific papers in a peer-reviewed journal: the ropen of Umboi Island, Papua New Guinea

Copyright 2009-2015 Jonathan David Whitcomb

“Reports of Living Pterosaurs in the Southwest Pacific” By Jonathan Whitcomb (excerpts)

The search for living pterosaurs is cryptozoological.  Cryptozoology is the study of “hidden” or  “unclassified” zoological species or possible  species, especially in the early discovery stages. A  number of expeditions in recent years have  collected and analyzed eyewitness testimony,  primarily in Papua New Guinea (PNG) (Figure 1).  These accounts center on a strange creature the  natives of Umboi Island (Figure 2) call a “ropen.” In  addition to interviews (from 1994 through 2004) with  PNG natives, interviews with five Western  eyewitnesses were conducted (from 2004 through  2007) by e-mail, telephone, mail, and in person. Following publication of the book Searching for  Ropens in mid-2006, Paul Nation’s late-2006  expedition resulted in video evidence of what is  believed to be bioluminescence of an unidentified  flying creature. This interested the producers of  Destination Truth on the Sci-Fi Channel enough that they mounted a video expedition in early 2007 that  recorded another instance of this unidentified light.  Thanks to the broadcast of that episode [2007], the  public has been exposed to the possibility of living  pterosaurs. . . . Eyewitness Accounts  Eyewitness testimonies can be divided into two  categories: those describing a flying light and those  describing a creature. Four of the eyewitnesses  describe both a glow and a shape or features,  connecting the two types of description. Most ropen sightings are of a bright but brief glow  that moves approximately horizontally at about 330  ft (100 m) above ground level, often against a  mountain background. Based on interviews from the  2004 expeditions (Tables I and II), an estimated  several hundred Umboi Islanders have seen this  light. This is not conclusive of living pterosaurs but  is strong evidence of an unknown flying creature,  probably displaying bioluminescence. Of the nine  American expeditions (1994–2007), six resulted in  at least one sighting of the light.

Live Pterosaurs in America, third edition, by the American Jonathan Whitcomb, is in cryptozoology genre, with only limited reference to anything of any religious or philosophical nature.

Nonfiction cryptozoology book 

Three of the natives interviewed by Whitcomb during his expedition in 2004

“The Fiery Flying Serpent” Biblical creature and cryptozoology By David Woetzel (excerpts)

“The burden of the beasts of the south: into the  land of trouble and anguish, from whence come  the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying  serpent,” (Isaiah 30:6). In this verse the Bible  mentions an intriguing creature, the fiery flying  serpent. The Hebrew words are m’opheph  [translated flying] and saraph [translated fiery  snake]. It is here distinguished from the viper.  Moreover, Isaiah 14:29 states: “Rejoice not thou,  whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote  thee is broken: for out of the serpent’s root shall  come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a  fiery flying serpent.” Here the same animal is listed  as distinct from all serpents in general. What  exactly is this ancient flying creature referenced by  the prophet Isaiah? . . .

Modern Day Research . . . Reports of extant pterosaurs come from around the world, including the Kongo-mato of Zambia and  Kenya and the thunderbird of the western United  States.  But in my estimation the most promising  region for finding a live pterosaur is Papua New  Guinea (PNG) . . . It seems that the Ropen posseses the ability to  turn its internal light on and off at will.  Also, reports suggest the presence of a secretion that drips  behind when the underbelly glows.  Reports  suggest that this secretion is alkaline and burns  the skin of those who come in contact with the  creature.  This brings to mind the ancient  historian  Aelian’s words about the flying snakes:  “Megasthenes states that in India there are …  snakes (ophies) with wings, and that their  visitations occur not during the daytime but by  night, and that they emit urine which at once  produces a festering wound on any body on which  it may happen to drop” (Aelianus, 1972 . . .)

Additional comments from Jonathan D. Whitcomb: When David Woetzel's scientific paper "The Fiery Flying Serpent" was published in the Creation Research Society Quarterly (in Volume 42, March, 2006), the many references to possible living pterosaurs in scriptures and in old historical documents impressed me.  But this left limited space, in his scientific paper,  for details of recent expeditions in Papua New Guinea  (Woetzel and I had been on separate expeditions on Umboi Island in late-2004). I felt a need for a more detailed account of recent living-ptero- saur  investigations,  but  my writings at the time were mostly in my nonfiction book Searching for Ropens. After writing the second edition of my book, I made time to write a scientific paper for publication in the quarterly journal of the Creation  Research  Society: "Reports of Living Pterosaurs in the Southwest Pacific." Although still mostly on a crypto- zoological foundation like David Woetzel's paper, my paper left out  Bible  references  and quotations of old documents. There were too many details about modern live-pterosaur investigations to cover. Although mostly concerning the two expeditions of 2004, my scientific paper also included a few comments about previous expeditions with the Americans Carl Baugh and Paul Nation. By the way, the second of the two expeditions of 2004 was led by David Woetzel, Garth Guessman, and Jacob Kepas.

Cryptozoological investigations have continued into 2015, with research and limited expeditions by David Woetzel, Garth Guessman, Jonathan Whitcomb, Paul Nation, and others