A TV crew in Canada has reported finding a baby Ogopogo. Although the claim was intended to be "tongue-in-cheek", many a true word... One way or another the programme makers appear to have discovered an interesting biological specimen.

The Ogopogo - also known as the Canadian Nessie - is a creature believed to live in British Columbia's Okanagan Lake. The first documented sightings date back to the late 19th century. According to witness reports it appears to be some form of giant sea serpent.

The newly discovered specimen is no monster but it is a mystery. According to Bill Steciuk who helped organise the shooting for the History Channel:

"It was all curled up. The features were really hard to see. You could see a little head tucked in and a straight tail with no fins."

Stecuik also added:

"I couldn't recognize it. Nor could anyone else. Maybe a new species has been found."

Local Ogopogo-ologist Arlene Gaal is unconvinced. According to her:

"It looked to me like a decomposing ling cod"

We should know more in February when the results of DNA testing are expected to be released.

The Famagusta Gazette reports that officials from the Cyprus government are hunting for a strange sea creature said to have been spotted in the waters of the Kouris Dam. The creature, which was first seen three years ago, has been described as a Cypriot version of the Loch Ness Monster.

Officials from the Cyprus Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Affairs are searching dam trying to find the mysterious creature. As of yet they've had no success - the Kouris Creature seems as shy as our own Nessie. Perhaps that's a good thing - the officials plan to try and coax it out using raw meat and live hens as bait. The idea of a meat eating giant serpent on the loose is an unpleasant one.

Some people believe that the sightings may be related to reports of a crocodile having been dumped into the waters.

Cryptozoologists have gone on many long and difficult expeditions to seek out new life, new species. Maybe they could have saved some time by simply going onto an online auction site such as eBay!

The BBC reports that fossil bought on eBay has turned out to be a previously unknown species. The fossilised insect, which had been preserved in amber, was bought by Dr Richard Harrington for just £20. After examination by experts the insect was confirmed as being a new species - now, of course, probably extinct.

OK, so it’s just an aphid, it’s hardly Bigfoot. Yet even a bug can give you a place in history - the new species has been named Mindarus harringtoni.

Topic Tag: Cryptozoology

Scientists from the Sebangau Felid Project have captured pictures of a rare Clouded Leopard in Borneo’s Sebangu National Park, Central Kalimantan

The Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi) was only identified as a new species in 2007 following DNA testing. This is the first time that this particular big cat has been sighted in this location. Professor David Macdonald from the Oxford University Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) said:

“We are very excited by this evidence that they occur at Sebangau - a great deal remains to be discovered about these beautiful felids, which are a flagship for conservation in South-East Asia”

Estimates put the number of Clouded leopards as low as 10,000.

The Sebangu National Park is also home to other rare species including Bornean orangutans and Bornean southern gibbons. These are all at risk as the Park, one of the largest deep peat-swamp forests in the world, is very susceptible to forest fires and also at risk from illegal logging.

Topic Tag: Cryptozoology

Scientists from the Smithsonian Institution have discovered a brand new species of bird.

The olive-backed forest robin is around four and a half inches long with a fiery orange throat. It was discovered in Gabon, Africa, and has been given the technical name Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus.

The bird was first spotted back in 2001 but was initially thought to be from a known species, however Brian Schmidt of the Smithsonian realised it had a different appearance. DNA tests have now confirmed that the olive-backed forest robin is indeed new. The new discovery brings the total number of known species in Gabon to 753 - there may still be many more unknown ones.

Alfonso Alonso of Gambon’s Biodiversity Program commented:

“Finding the olive-backed forest robin strongly underscores the importance of our research. This helps us show the conservation importance of the area.”

Topic Tag: Cryptozoology