amyasleigh
Abominable Snowman
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2009
- Messages
- 813
Spin-off here, from the new "Irian Jaya thylacines" thread on "mystery quadrupeds": concerning New Guinea, I'm rather taken with the idea of that part of the world's "Ropen". Envisaged by some, as a possible pterodactyl / pterosaur. Admittedly, anecdotal evidence only: account by an American WW2 veteran of his sighting in 1944, when stationed near Finschhafen, north-eastern Papua New Guinea, of what he thought to look very much like a pterodactyl. Plus reported sightings by locals, at various dates between then and recently, of similar-seeming creatures, chiefly on various islands off the coast in that area.
The pre-eminent Ropen proponent and publiciser would seem to be one Jonathan Whitcomb, who has published a couple of books on the matter -- "Searching for Ropens" and "Searching for Dragons". In the eyes of many in the "fancy", this whole issue is contaminated by Whitcomb's holding creationist beliefs, which he would see as supported by pterodactyls / pterosaurs being alive and well at the present day. Rightly or wrongly, I don't consider the guy's believing what he does in this matter, to be conclusive proof that the whole Ropen thing has to be baloney.
The pre-eminent Ropen proponent and publiciser would seem to be one Jonathan Whitcomb, who has published a couple of books on the matter -- "Searching for Ropens" and "Searching for Dragons". In the eyes of many in the "fancy", this whole issue is contaminated by Whitcomb's holding creationist beliefs, which he would see as supported by pterodactyls / pterosaurs being alive and well at the present day. Rightly or wrongly, I don't consider the guy's believing what he does in this matter, to be conclusive proof that the whole Ropen thing has to be baloney.