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Richard Freeman (cryptozoologist)

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Richard Freeman
Richard Freeman, photographed in October 2000
Born1970 (age 53–54)
Nuneaton, England
Occupation(s)Author
Journalist
Lecturer
Cryptozoologist
OrganizationCentre for Fortean Zoology

Richard Freeman (born 1970) is a cryptozoologist, author, zoological journalist, and WebTV Presenter. He is also the zoological director of the Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ),[1][2] and co-edits both the journal, Animals & Men[2] and several editions of the annual CFZ Yearbook.[citation needed] Freeman has written, co-written, or edited a number of books, and has contributed widely to both Fortean and zoological magazines, as well as other newspapers and periodicals, including Fortean Times and Paranormal Magazine.[citation needed]

He has also lectured across the UK at events such as the Fortean Times Unconvention, the Weird Weekend, Microcon[3] and at museums and universities such as the Natural History Museum, the Grant Museum of Zoology, Queen Mary, University of London and the Last Tuesday Society.[citation needed]

Richard claims an early obsession with the classic science fiction series Doctor Who (with Jon Pertwee) had sparked an interest in all things weird.[2][4] He studied zoology at Leeds University.[5] After school, he became a zoo keeper at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire and became head keeper of reptiles, working with more than 400 exotic species from ants to elephants (but with a special interest in crocodilians).[citation needed] After leaving the zoo, he worked in an exotic pet shop, a reptile rescue centre, and as a gravedigger.[citation needed]

Whilst on holiday he learned of the CFZ and bought a copy of the Centre's journal, Animals & Men, which left him impressed enough to subscribe and begin contributing.[5] He eventually became the CFZ's Yorkshire representative, then moved to Devon to become a full-time member of the Centre.[citation needed] He is now the zoological director[1] and co-editor of Animals & Men.[citation needed]

Cryptozoological expeditions

  • Thailand in 2000 for a species of a giant crested snake known as the naga.[2][6]
  • Sumatra, Indonesia in 2003 and 2004 for an upright walking non-human ape called orang-pendek.[2]
  • Mongolia in 2005 for the Mongolian death worm.[7][2]
  • The Gambia in 2006 for a dragon-like aquatic cryptid, the Ninki Nanka.[8]
  • Guyana in 2007 for the giant anaconda, the di-di (a yeti-like hominid), the water tiger (a spotted semi-aquatic, flesh eating mammal), and the bushmen, an unrecorded race of three-foot pygmies with red faces. He also heard of what may be a new species of tiny caiman with a red strip running along its back.
  • Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia in 2008 for the almasty, a relic hominid.
  • Sumatra again in 2009 for the orang-pendek.
  • India in 2010 for the Mande-Barung or Indian yeti.
  • Sumatra again in 2011 and 2013 for the orang-pendek.
  • Tasmania in 2013, 2016, and 2017 for the thylacine or Tasmanian Wolf[2]
  • Tajikistan in 2018 for the gul, a creature akin to the Russian almasty.
  • Sumatra in 2022 for the orang-pendek.

Creatures hunted

Books

  • Weird Devon (Bossiney, Padstow, 1999) with Jonathan Downes and Graham Inglis
  • Dragons: More Than a Myth? (CFZ Press, Bideford, 2005)
  • Explore Dragons (Heart of Albion Press, Loughborough, 2006)
  • The Great Yokai Encyclopedia; an A to Z of Japanese Monsters (CFZ Press, Bideford, 2010)
  • Orang-pendek: Sumatra's Forgotten Ape (CFZ Press, Bideford, 2011) ISBN 978-1905723829
  • Green Unpleasant Land; 18 stories of British Horror (CFZ Press, Bideford, 2012) ISBN 978-1905723850
  • Hyakumonogatari: Tales of Japanese Horror (CFZ Press, Bideford, 2012)
  • Adventures in Cryptozology: Hunting for Yetis Mongolian Deathworms and Other Not-So-Mythical Monsters (Mango Publishing, Florida 2019) ISBN 978-1642500165
  • In Search of Real Monsters: Adventures in Cryptozology Volume Two (Mango Publishing, Florida 2022 )

Appearances in media

Penn & Teller: Bullshit! – Season 4 Episode 1: Cryptozoology[10]

References

  1. ^ a b "CFZ personnel". www.cfz.org.uk. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Ellis, James (22 March 2006). "60 SECONDS: Richard Freeman". Metro. Archived from the original on 17 December 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Microcon 2009 programme" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  4. ^ Thomas, Richard (6 February 2009). "A Room 101 Interview with Richard Freeman". Room 101. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  5. ^ a b Regal, Brian (2011), Regal, Brian (ed.), "A Life with Monsters" (PDF), Searching for Sasquatch: Crackpots, Eggheads, and Cryptozoology, Palgrave Studies in the History of Science and Technology, New York: Palgrave Macmillan US, pp. 157–186, doi:10.1057/9780230118294_8, ISBN 978-0-230-11829-4, retrieved 5 July 2021
  6. ^ Flanagan, Jack. "These 'Scientists' Chase Legendary Monsters Like Bigfoot And The Kraken". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  7. ^ Butler, Rhett (3 May 2005). "Scientists search for Mongolian Death Worm". Mongabay,com. Conservation news. Archived from the original on 13 April 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Hunt for Gambia's mythical dragon". BBC News. 14 July 2016. Archived from the original on 8 January 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Experts close in on 'Mere Monster'". 27 July 2002. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Showtime: Penn & Teller: Bullshit! Season 4 Episode 1". Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
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