Cryptozoology is the study of legendary or unknown animals, aka "cryptids". For example, Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. Most scientists dismiss cryptozoology as a pseudoscience because it relies heavily on myths, folktales, unverified sightings, and other dubious evidence.
However, a number of previously unknown animals and animals thought to be extinct have been discovered. For example, the ceolacanth, an ancient species of fish from the time of the dinosaurs, was discovered near Indonesia in 1938. The ivory-billed woodpecker, last seen in the 1940s and thought to be extinct, may survive in remote areas of Arkansas and Louisiana. Some audacious scientists believe that it may be possible to bring back extinct species such as the mammoth through cloning or gene editing.
One of the world's best known cryptozoologists was Jeff Meldrum, a professor in the Department of Biology at Idaho State University. Professor Meldrum spent decades researching Bigfoot, aka Sasquatch, a large ape-like creature thought by some to inhabit the Pacific Northwest. Professor Meldrum authored several books on Bigfoot, numerous academic papers and magazine articles, and appeared in television programs and documentaries. He passed away on September 10, 2025.
To commemorate Jeff Meldrum's work, and the work of all cryptozoologists, the Engineering and Science Library has declared October Cryptozoology Month. Below are a selection of books on cryptids, living fossils, and recently extinct animals.
