Centre for Fortean Zoology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Centre for Fortean Zoology {CFZ} is the only professional, scientific and full-time organisation in the world dedicated to Fortean-Zoology; a portmanteau discipline which includes cryptozoology - the study of unknown animals. From humble beginnings, the CFZ is now a truly global organisation with members across the world. It is a non-profit making organisation registered with the British Government, and its Hon. Life President is renowned British Explorer John Blashford-Snell.
 |
| Hon. Life President:
Colonel John Blashford-Snell |
| Director: Jonathan Downes |
| Deputy Director: Graham Inglis |
| Zoological Director: |
| Assistant Director/Resident Artist:
Mark North |
| Administrative Director:
Corinna James |
| Ecologist: Oll Lewis |
| Fundraiser: Suzi Marsh |
| Administrative Assistant: John Fuller |
| Tour Manager and PA to Director: Nigel Wright |
| Trainee: David Phillips |
Since 1992, when it was founded by British author and cryptozoologist Jonathan Downes, the CFZ has carried out an unparalleled programme of research and investigation all over the world. In 2005 Downes inherited his family home in rural North Devon, and the organisation relocated there. They are in the process of building a Visitor's Centre with a museum, laboratory and library.
Since 2000 the CFZ has promoted an annual conference called The Weird Weekend. In 2006, after six years in Exeter, this too moved to rural North Devon. In 2006 the CFZ, in collaboration with media consultant John Gledson announced plans for a web-based TV station called CFZtv. At present plans for this are in their infancy, but a low-key CFZtv website containing a number of film shorts of CFZ investigations was launched in November 2006. This includes the 38 minute `Eel or No Eel`, a full documentary on the CFZ's 2006 exploratory trip to the English Lake District in search of giant eels. The film also includes a very funny guest appearance by British journalist and author Jon Ronson.
Contents |
[edit] Fortean Zoology; a portmanteau discipline
The main emphasis of the work of the CFZ are unknown animals, but the CFZ also study unusual and aberrant animal behavior, animal mutilations (on which subject they have worked closely with several British police forces, animal colour variants, teratology, animal folklore and such classic fortean staples as creature falls (fafrotskies), and vampire/werewolf reports.
[edit] Mystery Animals; a three tier classification system
The CFZ study the various aspects of cryptozoolgy and allied disciplines, and have introduced a new three tier concept to aid classification and analysis of unknown animals.
[edit] 1. Cryptids
Cryptozoology per se, is the study of hidden or unknown animals; and such creatures, belonging to a species wholly or partly unknown to science, are usually collectively referred to as 'cryptids'.
[edit] 2. Pseudo-cryptids
Many researchers are interested in a related category of mystery animals often termed the 'pseudo-cryptids'. This is not strictly part of cryptozoology, and was one of the reasons that Downes formulated the portmanteau discipline of Fortean Zoology.
These include animals which are out-of-place: known species which by accident or artificial introduction (or sometimes both) live in a geographical area where one would not normally expect to find them. An example being Alien Big Cats on British moorlands.
However, not all out-of-place animals occur because of human intervention. Others are accidental migrants blown off course by inclement weather or unusual marine currents, and yet more are known species of animal that seem to be dramatically increasing their geographical range.
Other `pseudo-cryptids` include outsized, or oddly coloured individuals or groups of animals of a known species. A good example of this is the golden frogs of the United Kingdom which are the subject of one of the current CFZ research projects.
[edit] 3. Zooform phenomena
The third category are zooform phenomena.
These are not animals at all, but are entities or apparitions which adopt or seem to have animal or part-animal form. This is where we, at least partly, enter science fiction territory. In many ways, these elusive and contentious entities have plagued the science of cryptozoology since its inception - and tend to be dismissed by mainstream science as thoroughly unworthy of consideration. Zooform phenomena seem to be a mysterious blend of paranormal manifestation and mythological icons.
However Jonathan Downes who first coined the term in 1990, also maintains that many zooform phenomena are the result of complex psycho-social and sociological phenomena, and suggests that to condemn all such phenomena as being "paranormal" in origin is counter productive. A good example of a zooform phenomenon is the Owlman of Mawnan.
[edit] Foreign Expeditions
They have carried out expeditions to:
- Sumatra (2003 and 2004)
- Mongolia (2005)
- Puerto Rico (1998 and 2004)
- Mexico (1998)
- Thailand (2000)
- Florida (1998)
- Nevada (1999 and 2003)
- Texas (2003 and 2004)
- Illinois (2004)
- The Gambia (2006)
[edit] UK Based Investigations
- Martin Mere (2002)
- Cannock (2003)
- Bolam Lake (2004)
- Loch Morar (2005)
- Lake District (2006)
- Llangorse Lake (2006)
[edit] Publications
They also have an impressive range of publications to their credit. These include nine issues of the annual CFZ Yearbook and (to date) thirty-nine issues of their journal Animals & Men. The CFZ has a commitment to publishing books on cryptozoology and related disciplines that would otherwise remain unpublished by purely commercially orientated publishers.
[edit] Education
The CFZ has a commitment to education, and works closely with schools and adult education authorities. It provides an online educational resource, and also teaching sessions in schools, colleges etc.
