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BEASTLY THEORIES - is a low tech, low key, low brow endeavour, hosted by author of Beasts of Britain & Beasts of the World book series - Andy McGrath, as an attempt to discuss the highs and lows of Cryptozoology research and obsession. Although ’podcast’ in name, the ’show’ is more of an exercise in nepotism, as Andy seeks conversation with those embroiled in the subject he is chiefly interested in, and determines to avail himself (and you) of the prize of knowledge, that lies inside their brawny brains.
Episodes
6 days ago
6 days ago
Join me as I chat with Matt Everett, the maker of 'Britain's Big Cat Mystery', and ‘Cat Hunters, to talk about his new award-winning feature-length documentary - ' Panthera Britannia.'
Matt relives his first encounter with a big cat while driving home in rural England, and how this life-changing event compelled him to seek answers about Mystery Big Cats in the UK.
We explore the facts and theories surrounding this story, sightings dating back to the Roman Empire and the reign of King Henry VIII, and the many eyewitnesses who have claimed to see one of these now endemic animals in the British Countryside.
Matt highlights lots of little-known evidence that proves that Big cats are living in the UK, such as the bodies of big cats which have been trapped or killed; lost archive footage demonstrating the widespread ownership of big cats in private collections across the United Kingdom during the height of the unregulated exotic pet trade of the 1960s and 1970s; a 'lost' audio recording from police records featuring a confession of a mysterious individual who claims to have released a big cat into the wilderness of southern England and most importantly of all - recent DNA evidence obtained from a fresh kill that proves that, leopards at least, are preying on UK livestock!
Later, he weighs in on the big question of 'what should be done?' with these large predators if they were to be found in large numbers, as well as his ideas about a possible acceptance of these beautiful animals as one of the naturalised fauna of the British Isles!
Watch Panthera Britannia here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B0B6DW27PY/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r
Find Matt at: https://dragonflyfilms.co.uk/tv
Check out my other Beastly Endeavours here: https://linktr.ee/beastsof
Saturday May 20, 2023
Saturday May 20, 2023
Join me as I chat with Spanish Wildman Investigator- Ignacio Gallo Campos.
Watch here: https://youtu.be/Aoom7zwFgWU
Ignacio is the Founder of the School of Natural Activities and has extensively studied mycology, flora, and fauna in England, Ireland, Spain, India, and South Africa, and worked as a Nature Guide and environmental interpreter.
His entire life perspective changed in 2020 during a solo hike to a remote Irish lake island that was only reachable by boat.
Upon disembarking from his vessel, Ignacio was surprised by an overwhelming sensation of fear, which was exacerbated when he discovered huge teepee-like structures that were roughly woven together and dotted around the island.
Surprised by the immense size of the structures and the seeming implausibility of their having been fashioned by human hands, he admits to succumbing to the 'uninvited' feeling that surrounded him and says that he hurriedly rowed away from the island, still at a loss to explain what he had just experienced.
This led Ignacio to start researching legends about the area and he then discovered similar stories associated with the Irish wildman.
Ignacio was taken aback to discover that Spain too (as well as much of continental Europe) had many historical wildman legends, such as the Basque Country's - Basa-Jaun and Catalonia's wildman - the Simiot, whose shadowy form later stalked him in the mountains, near the French border, close to Sant Laurent de la Cerdanya.
Find Ignacio here: Www.escueladeactividadesnaturales.com
Check out my Beastly Endeavours:
Read my Beastly Books:
BEASTS OF BRITAIN
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Beasts-of-Britain-Audiobook/B09PG8CDS2
BEASTS OF THE WORLD (VOL.1) Hairy Humanoids
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09R6FMT4Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_YCXC693KWJR0EDTXXRMQ
Monday May 15, 2023
Monday May 15, 2023
Join me, as I chat with Mister Sam Shearon, a British dark artist, specialising in horror, science-fiction, and more importantly - Cryptids!
Watch here:
Sam's list of commissions, reads like a who's who, of legendary comics, rock albums, and cryptozoological books and leaves one with an impression of a devotee, able to express the hidden beauty in the monstrous and the macabre.
We talk about his theories on the cryptozoological triangle (Cryptozoology-Art-Music) why so many adherents seem to have a foot in at least 2 of these camps, and what started his own journey into cryptozoology.
Sam shares how he got his big break into the genre, his struggles in gaining recognition, and importantly, shows that sometimes just having the audacity to ask for what you want can solicit a positive outcome.
He also shares his artistic tips and techniques for realistic cryptid commissions and what part of these creations are composed of eyewitness descriptions and creative license and gives good advice on what and when to charge, and how taking a long-term view is paramount when it comes to attracting repeat business.
Sam weighs in on the looming crisis threatening the arts with the dawning of A.I. Whether he thinks artists will commandeer this new technology or if this cheap and affordable spells the beginning of the end for creative art?
Later, Sam shares his view on the competing theories within the cryptozoology community about the taxonomic identity of these creatures and the philosophical beliefs surrounding them.
Check out Mister Sam Shearon at: https://mistersamshearon.com/
Check out my Beastly Endeavours:
https://linktr.ee/beastsof
Read my Beastly Books:
BEASTS OF BRITAIN
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Beasts-of-Britain-Audiobook/B09PG8CDS2
BEASTS OF THE WORLD (VOL.1) Hairy Humanoids
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09R6FMT4Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_YCXC693KWJR0EDTXXRMQ
Sunday May 07, 2023
Sunday May 07, 2023
Join me as I chat with Portuguese Wildman Researcher and You Tuber, Rui Caratao, to discuss his investigations into sasquatch phenomena in South West Europe.
Rui, shares his strange experiences as a wildlife and forestry conservation officer travelling throughout Portugal and Spain, as well as the continuity between wildman signs and behaviour reported worldwide that he has also observed in his own region.
Later, we discuss his recent trip to the Basque Region of Spain, where a local folk legend named the Basa-Juan (forest man) has come to life in recent years, with several eyewitnesses reporting a large, bipedal, man-like creature that is covered in long, reddish/dark brown hair, that hangs down to its knees, and that is reputed to live in caves, deep in the woods of Navarre.
Rui, who describes himself as: "Just a normal guy trying to get some answers about wildman phenomena in Europe." Says that he believes that these now folkloric creatures of our yesterday do still inhabit our ancient forests, and that he has even heard howls and calls in these wild areas that he has not been able to identify and that he feels that the wildman represents a call from nature itself., saying: "The magic that forest people bring to our lives, gives back our ability to daydream, and believe again that the world its much more than the sick society based on fear and war that we are living in..."
If you would like to contact Rui to discuss his research or share your experiences, please email:
sasquatchsweurope@gmail.com
Or check out:
Saturday Apr 29, 2023
Saturday Apr 29, 2023
Rory Nugent is a writer and an explorer. His work covers war and dying traditions/cultures as well as cryptozoology. His articles have appeared in newspapers and magazines around the world and his three books: Down at the Docks; Drums along the Congo; and, The Search for the Pink-Headed Duck; are internationally acclaimed and respected.
Originally a seaman, he was the youngest entrant in the 1976 observer single-handed trans-Atlantic race, and went on to make 4 solo ocean crossings; his fifth in 1980, ended in shipwreck and five days adrift at sea.
Seeking a somewhat quieter life Rory took to field research and set out to document some of nature's wonders while they still existed. He mounted a one-man expedition in search of India’s missing jewel, the pink-headed duck, and afterward, set off alone to find a living dinosaur (mokele-mbembe) that is said to inhabit the swampy forests of the Likouala Basin in the Congo; which is where we pick up the story...
We discover what initially attracted him to the legend of Mokele-Mbembe and how he prepared for a one-man expedition into uncharted territory... The contrast between his expectations of the region and what he experienced on location; the endemic low-level corruption and poor administration that hindered his expedition and whether this was simply an in-built feature of the local culture or a form of 'special treatment' reserved for outsiders!
Nugent describes his difficulty in finding first-hand witnesses of this intrepid beast, as well as the generalized knowledge of Mokele Mbembe tourism that exists within the general population, and the obvious dollar value such exploration represents to this largely rural population.
Later, we discuss the socialist government that was in place at the time of his visit in the 1980s, and his being assigned a guide by local officials (who suspected that he might have been an American spy or an oil contractor trying to identify new energy resources) to 'watch over him.'
Rory weighs in on the identity of Mokele-Mbembe and whether the dinosaurian interpretation of this legend is a hopeful attempt by Young Earth Creationists and other groups to find evidence that contradicts the scientific consensus regarding evolution.
He also sceptically reviews his rather startling sighting (including a photo he captured) of a periscope-like object cutting through the surface of Lake Tele.
Finally, we finish with the opening chapter of his book: Drums Along the Congo... which depicts him enduring a very descriptive and humiliating, preparatory 'cleansing ritual' performed by a local witch doctor, viewed by curious onlookers, in some obscure village!
You can find Rory's excellent books here:
Drums Along The Congo: On The Trail Of Mokele-Mbembe, the Last Living Dinosaur - https://amzn.eu/d/25SCe7B
The Search for the Pink-Headed Duck - https://amzn.eu/d/14FOxwZ
Or go to: https://www.rorynugent.com/
Check out my Beastly Endeavours:
https://linktr.ee/beastsof
Read my Beastly Books:
BEASTS OF BRITAIN
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Beasts-of-Britain-Audiobook/B09PG8CDS2
BEASTS OF THE WORLD (VOL.1) Hairy Humanoids
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09R6FMT4Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_YCXC693KWJR0EDTXXRMQ
Saturday Apr 22, 2023
Saturday Apr 22, 2023
Join me as I chat with Brian Brown who has been active in the community of wood ape community, since he founded the Bigfoot Forums in 2002. He has created several podcasts - including The Bigfoot Show. Currently, he’s a member of the Wood Ape Research Group (WARG).
We talk about his big city origins and how he first began to consider the possibility that Bigfoot could be a real flesh and blood animal; the multi-denominational marketplace of competing theories in the bigfoot community, and whether there is something of a religious component to the myriad beliefs surrounding this creature, as well as his own theories on the taxonomic identity of the Wood Ape.
We also discuss his recent expedition in the notorious 'Area X' (an established and active Wood Ape territory in Oklahoma) that his group have been monitoring for several years and review some of the unnerving encounters that they have experienced with what appear to be large Hairy Hominids!
Later, Brian shares some of his bigfoot hunting tips and techniques, reveals what he believes to be the most plausible evidence for Bigfoot; and his aspirations for a future 'Big Reveal' that will help to classify these animals and protect their habitat!
You can find Brian on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/9six7/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/9six7?s=20
Check out my Beastly Endeavours:
https://linktr.ee/beastsof
Read my Beastly Books:
BEASTS OF BRITAIN
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Beasts-of-Britain-Audiobook/B09PG8CDS2
BEASTS OF THE WORLD (VOL.1) Hairy Humanoids
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09R6FMT4Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_YCXC693KWJR0EDTXXRMQ
Sunday Apr 16, 2023
Sunday Apr 16, 2023
Join me as I chat with Robert E. Bartholomew - American medical sociologist, journalist, Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland (New Zealand), and author of my favourite lake monster book - The Untold Story of Champ: A Social History of America's Loch Ness Monster!
In addition to publishing more than 60 academic papers, he has written or co-written 16 popular science and skeptical non-fiction books. He writes for several newspapers and journals on sociological and fringe science topics, including Psychology Today, Skeptical Inquirer, and British magazines The Skeptic and Fortean Times.
Robert's expertise in fields such as - sociological phenomena, mass hysteria and mass psychogenic illness, combined with his objective disposition and interest in fringe phenomena; make him the perfect person to examine the denominational spectacle of communitarian cryptozoology with its myriad canons and creeds.
We discuss the family origins of his interest in Champ, as well as its folklore and history; and other similarly described lake monsters in the region.
Robert weighs in on my charge that the modern desperation for social content, leads some researchers to ‘exaggerate‘ their findings, and gives some candid advice to researchers about the trials and tribulations that can beset those who dedicate their lives to finding mystery animals.
Later, we talk about the problem cryptozoology has with the foundational theories of its forefathers being built upon as though they were fact; the protectionism many cryptozoologists exert around their research areas and evidence, and one of the most surprising chapters in his book, titled: Egos, Obsessions and the Quest for Fame: The Monster Hunters. Which aptly portrays the animosity and lack of cooperation that so often exists between many researchers.
The Untold Story of Champ... is just one of the awesome books that Robert has written - check them all out here!
(Note: there is a slight break in audio due to a storm that briefly passed over Robert's house. As it was not possible to edit this out, I hope that you will bear with this minor disruption)
Check out my Beastly Endeavours:
https://linktr.ee/beastsof
Read my Beastly Books:
BEASTS OF BRITAIN
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Beasts-of-Britain-Audiobook/B09PG8CDS2
BEASTS OF THE WORLD (VOL.1) Hairy Humanoids
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09R6FMT4Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_YCXC693KWJR0EDTXXRMQ
Saturday Apr 08, 2023
Saturday Apr 08, 2023
Join me for episode 81, as I chat with Argentinian author, Austin Whittall.
We talk about his ancient English forebears and the cultural composition that has shaped this part of the country and its folklore. The origins of its most famous lake monster - Nahuelito, and other similarly described lake monsters in the region and whether the Mapuche people's myth of the Cuero could be an as yet undescribed species of giant freshwater ray?
We critique recent viral footage of the Culebron, (a monster that is believed to inhabit Branco Lake) its subsequent, sea-lion identification, and the importance of eliminating all logical monster-imposter candidates, when investigating the extraordinary claims pertaining to the existence of cryptid creatures.
Later, we discuss tales of large birds and even a pterosaur-like animal in this region, historical reports of a Patagonian Hippo, the Patagonian Wildmen and his theories about the true identity of the Camahueto (Patagonian Unicorn).
Austin's book: Monsters of Patagonia (Monstruos de la Patagonia) is a fascinating deep dives into the subject of cryptozoology and offers a view into the folklore, fauna, history and cultures that have defined this peculiarly pristine part of South America.
Buy the book here: Monsters of Patagonia (Monstruos de la Patagonia) - https://amzn.eu/d/dhZklm4
If you would like to contact Austin to discuss your encounters or local legends of Patagonia please email: austinwhittall@gmail.com
Check out my Beastly Endeavours:
https://linktr.ee/beastsof
Read my Beastly Books:
BEASTS OF BRITAIN
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Beasts-of-Britain-Audiobook/B09PG8CDS2
BEASTS OF THE WORLD (VOL.1) Hairy Humanoids
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09R6FMT4Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_YCXC693KWJR0EDTXXRMQ
Saturday Apr 01, 2023
Saturday Apr 01, 2023
In episode 80, I chat with Director - Alex Brecher to discuss his new documentary: - 'The Explorer'.
His documentary follows cryptozoologist Michel Ballot and his team on their journey into the heart of Africa to search for a mysterious sauropod-like creature, known as the Mokele-Mbembe.
Alex, describes the challenges involved in exploring this beautifully pristine and undeveloped part of the world, as well the dangers posed to life and limb, by insects, snakes, crocodiles, forest elephants and the heavily armed poachers who frequent the forest...
We talk about local knowledge of this strange beast, its dinosaurian appearance and whether it could even represent a species of outsized monitor lizard, as yet undiscovered!
Alex mysteriously alludes to new evidence being discovered by the team in the heart of the uncharted Nki area, on the aptly nicknamed: "Dinosaur Island", in the form of footprints and 'something else!'
I thoroughly enjoyed this documentary which really does deliver on every level and manages to invoke the spirit of exploration in the viewer!
Check out 'The Explorer' documentary on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/theexplorerfilm
Check out my Beastly Endeavours here: https://linktr.ee/beastsof
Your support is appreciated: £ $ € ¥
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/beastsofbritain?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GB
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
Join me as I chat with the awesome - Lauren Smith!
Lauren, is the host of the Nitecallers Bigfoot Radio show and a lifelong Bigfoot researcher.
Watch here: https://youtu.be/XG1ewhOjlgQ
We discuss her initiation into bigfooting as a child, after her mother became intrigued by the mystery, how she would attend so many conferences and expeditions that the bigfoot community became like family...and how she is now raising her own children in the same way, to pass on to them what she has learned.
We also chat about her pro-tips for tracking a bigfoot, the do's & don'ts of expeditions; and her close call with a few gun-toting vandals during a solo night-camp in a bigfoot hotspot!
As a bigfoot-lifer, Lauren has seen many theories, hoaxes, and researchers come and go, but believes that many of the new young bigfooters coming up, have a fresh new 'open-source' perspective on research that offers the best chance we have for a future with a discovered, classified and protected species of Bigfoot, in it!
Find Lauren here: https://www.nitecallersproductions.com/
Check out my other Beastly Endeavours, here:
https://linktr.ee/beastsof