Beware the Beast of Bodmin

November 10, 2003 1:50 AM

The Beast of Bodmin. 'Photographs and even films had been taken of these beasts, but there has been little physical evidence to support the sightings. That was until recently when a 14-year-old boy discovered a skull with large fangs, in the River Fowey on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. '
'This is the story of how The Natural History Museum tracked down this beast... '
More at the British Big Cats Society.
posted by plep (8 comments total)

Fortean Times runs stuff on this topic from time to time. Here's one.
posted by synecdoche at 2:20 AM on November 10, 2003

As you value your life or your reason keep away from the moor.

Ever since reading The Hound of the Baskervilles I've been terrified of moors* and its hidden horrors. Thanks for posting this in the morning, plep!

*No pun intended. ;)

posted by MiguelCardoso at 2:22 AM on November 10, 2003

Ever since reading The Hound of the Baskervilles I've been terrified of moors* and its hidden horrors.
I guess I should avoid that book then, given that I'm working on a photography project that involves photographing crashed planes in remote moorland at night.
posted by chill at 3:19 AM on November 10, 2003

Great post. Being a 'regular' FT reader, I just love this stuff.
posted by moonbird at 3:32 AM on November 10, 2003

Stick to the roads...
posted by Witty at 4:33 AM on November 10, 2003

"Beware the moon, lads"....

Never mind the Hound of the Baskervilles, check out An American Werewolf in London...
posted by tomcosgrave at 4:42 AM on November 10, 2003

I used to live on Bodmin Moor. Nice place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there, it's the back of beyond and turn left.

Never saw any beast though.
posted by MattM at 11:16 AM on November 10, 2003

I post because I believe one of these creatures may have been outside my bedroom window a couple of years back. Big pawprints in the gravel and in soft soil in the neighbours' back garden, and also along a disused railway line. A zoologist from the local zoo came round and identified them as puma prints.

For those who don't know, it's widely believed that these creatures are descended from big cats which escaped from private zoos in the past, a bit like these wallabies.
posted by plep at 10:51 PM on November 10, 2003