Bigfoot is back

Even though scientific expeditions to Loch Ness ended in failure, and certain "classic" photos and tracks turned out to be fake, cryptozoology is enjoying a big resurgence in popular interest. Cryptozoology is the "search for and the study of animals yet unknown to science" – including critters such as Bigfoot, the giant panda, Stellar's sea cow, the harpy eagle, Central Asian wildman and winged humanoid.

ABC-CLIO's monumental Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology is the first fully illustrated comprehensive field guide to animals unknown to science (called cryptids). It boasts 1000+ A-to-Z entries presenting every cryptid from around the world. A second A-to-Z section surveys former cryptids, arranged by animal type. The third geographically arranged section focuses on lake and river monsters.  Each entry reveals the animal's:

•  popular name           
•  distribution
•  etymology               
•  significant encounters
•  scientific name           
•  present status
•  physical description       
•  possible identifications
•  behavior               

Readers will discover cryptozoological categories such as:

•  unknown bears, birds, canids, cats, cephalopods, crocodilians, lizards, marsupials, mammals,   manatees and dugongs, snakes, whales and dolphins
•  hominid dwarfs, giants and Neanderthaloid
•  giant bats and insects
•  lake and sea monsters
•  relic elephants
•  semimythical beasts

This fascinating book's informative introduction explores what cryptozoology is and is not, considering its scientific and cultural contexts.  A list of major print and Web resources, short appendix, "How to do cryptozoological research," and detailed index complete this title.

A distinctive ABC-CLIO offering, the Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology is a must-have resource for high school, public, and university libraries.

George M. Eberhart is review editor for American Libraries and a noted bibliographer, particularly in regard to UFO and psychic phenomena.  His many publications include Monsters:  A Guide to Information on Unaccounted for Creatures, Including Bigfoot, Many Water Monsters, and Other Irregular Animals (Garland, 1983).