C.R.S.Q.
Two Scientific Papers on Modern “Pterodactyls”
Scientific Papers on Living Pterosaurs
Both David Woetzel and Jonathan
Whitcomb wrote scientific papers in
a peer-reviewed journal: the ropen
of Umboi Island, Papua New Guinea
Copyright 2009-2015 Jonathan David Whitcomb
“Reports of Living Pterosaurs
in the Southwest Pacific”
By Jonathan Whitcomb (excerpts)
The search for living pterosaurs is cryptozoological.
Cryptozoology is the study of “hidden” or
“unclassified” zoological species or possible
species, especially in the early discovery stages. A
number of expeditions in recent years have
collected and analyzed eyewitness testimony,
primarily in Papua New Guinea (PNG) (Figure 1).
These accounts center on a strange creature the
natives of Umboi Island (Figure 2) call a “ropen.” In
addition to interviews (from 1994 through 2004) with
PNG natives, interviews with five Western
eyewitnesses were conducted (from 2004 through
2007) by e-mail, telephone, mail, and in person.
Following publication of the book Searching for
Ropens in mid-2006, Paul Nation’s late-2006
expedition resulted in video evidence of what is
believed to be bioluminescence of an unidentified
flying creature. This interested the producers of
Destination Truth on the Sci-Fi Channel enough that
they mounted a video expedition in early 2007 that
recorded another instance of this unidentified light.
Thanks to the broadcast of that episode [2007], the
public has been exposed to the possibility of living
pterosaurs. . . .
Eyewitness Accounts
Eyewitness testimonies can be divided into two
categories: those describing a flying light and those
describing a creature. Four of the eyewitnesses
describe both a glow and a shape or features,
connecting the two types of description.
Most ropen sightings are of a bright but brief glow
that moves approximately horizontally at about 330
ft (100 m) above ground level, often against a
mountain background. Based on interviews from the
2004 expeditions (Tables I and II), an estimated
several hundred Umboi Islanders have seen this
light. This is not conclusive of living pterosaurs but
is strong evidence of an unknown flying creature,
probably displaying bioluminescence. Of the nine
American expeditions (1994–2007), six resulted in
at least one sighting of the light.
Live Pterosaurs in America, third
edition, by the American Jonathan
Whitcomb, is in cryptozoology
genre, with only limited reference
to anything of any religious or
philosophical nature.
Nonfiction cryptozoology book
Three of the natives interviewed by
Whitcomb during his expedition in 2004
“The Fiery Flying Serpent”
Biblical creature and cryptozoology
By David Woetzel (excerpts)
“The burden of the beasts of the south: into the
land of trouble and anguish, from whence come
the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying
serpent,” (Isaiah 30:6). In this verse the Bible
mentions an intriguing creature, the fiery flying
serpent. The Hebrew words are m’opheph
[translated flying] and saraph [translated fiery
snake]. It is here distinguished from the viper.
Moreover, Isaiah 14:29 states: “Rejoice not thou,
whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote
thee is broken: for out of the serpent’s root shall
come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a
fiery flying serpent.” Here the same animal is listed
as distinct from all serpents in general. What
exactly is this ancient flying creature referenced by
the prophet Isaiah? . . .
Modern Day Research
. . . Reports of extant pterosaurs come from around
the world, including the Kongo-mato of Zambia and
Kenya and the thunderbird of the western United
States. But in my estimation the most promising
region for finding a live pterosaur is Papua New
Guinea (PNG) . . .
It seems that the Ropen posseses the ability to
turn its internal light on and off at will. Also, reports
suggest the presence of a secretion that drips
behind when the underbelly glows. Reports
suggest that this secretion is alkaline and burns
the skin of those who come in contact with the
creature. This brings to mind the ancient historian
Aelian’s words about the flying snakes:
“Megasthenes states that in India there are …
snakes (ophies) with wings, and that their
visitations occur not during the daytime but by
night, and that they emit urine which at once
produces a festering wound on any body on which
it may happen to drop” (Aelianus, 1972 . . .)
Additional comments from
Jonathan D. Whitcomb:
When David Woetzel's scientific
paper "The Fiery Flying Serpent"
was published in the Creation
Research Society Quarterly
(in Volume 42, March, 2006),
the many references to possible
living pterosaurs in scriptures
and in old historical documents
impressed me. But this left
limited space, in his scientific
paper, for details of recent
expeditions in Papua New
Guinea (Woetzel and I had
been on separate expeditions
on Umboi Island in late-2004).
I felt a need for a more detailed
account of recent living-ptero-
saur investigations, but my
writings at the time were mostly
in my nonfiction book Searching
for Ropens.
After writing the second edition
of my book, I made time to write
a scientific paper for publication
in the quarterly journal of the
Creation Research Society:
"Reports of Living Pterosaurs
in the Southwest Pacific."
Although still mostly on a crypto-
zoological foundation like David
Woetzel's paper, my paper left
out Bible references and
quotations of old documents.
There were too many details
about modern live-pterosaur
investigations to cover.
Although mostly concerning the
two expeditions of 2004, my
scientific paper also included
a few comments about previous
expeditions with the Americans
Carl Baugh and Paul Nation.
By the way, the second of the
two expeditions of 2004 was
led by David Woetzel, Garth
Guessman, and Jacob Kepas.
Cryptozoological investigations have continued into 2015, with research and limited expeditions by David Woetzel, Garth Guessman, Jonathan Whitcomb, Paul Nation, and others