Posted on 12/01/2025 7:07:53 PM PST by logi_cal869
The Ivan Sanderson Papers hold an amazing array of archival material, covering topics from natural history to radio and television programming to cryptozoology. Sanderson was a prominent zoologist in the mid 20th century who turned his attention to less mainstream scientific fields like ufology and cryptozoology.
Ivan Sanderson, born in Scotland in 1911, was educated in zoology and botany at Cambridge. After working in counter-espionage for the British Naval Intelligence during World War II, he began to focus on his academic pursuits. Sanderson used the media to bring information about the natural sciences to a wider audience. In the late 1940s, he began making regular appearances on radio and television programs in New York lecturing on zoology and animal life. Sanderson kept wild animals in his New York apartment. Below, a summons from the Department of Health demonstrates that not all of the animals were well behaved.
In the 1950s Sanderson became increasingly interested in the study of the unexplained, including cryptozoology and ufology. Sanderson founded the Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained (SITU) to look into such topics as UFOs, the Loch Ness monster, Sasquatch, the abominable snowman, and the Bermuda Triangle among others.
The Sanderson Papers include 27 linear feet of material about 17,000 items. A small but substantial amount of material from the collection has been digitized and is available to view here in our digital library. Included in the digital materials are chapters from Sanderson’s Abominable Snowman book, articles on Alaskan Sea Monsters, discussion on the problems with the term “Sea-Serpent,” a citation from the New York City Department of Health, and much more!
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I'm posting this for scientific interest, astonished that I never discovered this free, searchable archive for myself prior.
Ivan Terence Sanderson
Born: January 30, 1911
Died: February 19, 1973 (aged 62)
Bio: Ivan Terence Sanderson was a biologist and writer born in Edinburgh, Scotland, who became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Sanderson is remembered for his nature writing and his interest in cryptozoology and paranormal subjects.
Born: January 30, 1911
Died: February 19, 1973 (aged 62)
Bio: Ivan Terence Sanderson was a biologist and writer born in Edinburgh, Scotland, who became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Sanderson is remembered for his nature writing and his interest in cryptozoology and paranormal subjects.
“Science is defined in the dictionaries as the pursuit of the unknown; yet science today is coming more and more to insist that it not be bothered with this, and it has reached a point where anything that is not already known is frowned upon.”
― Ivan T. Sanderson, Abominable Snowmen: Legend Come to Life
Discovering Ivan T. Sanderson: The Pioneering Cryptozoologist
Ivan T. Sanderson’s books [Goodreads]
Abominable Snowmen, by Ivan T. Sanderson, [1961], at sacred-texts.com
Lost Monster Files [Amazon Prime, Discovery+]
Chapters from Ivan Sanderson's"Things"
FULL DISCLOSURE: Ivan Anderson has riled the establishment (i.e., earned his derisive 'kook' badge).
Back in 1972, when I was about 15 or so, I was an avid reader of Sanderson. This was about the same time that “Chariots of the Gods” (about ancient astronauts coming to earth) and the “Late Great Planet Earth” came out. Lots of new, wild speculative material for impressionable young minds. It’s all pretty old hat now.
I read some of his writings before posting, after discovering the archive and other resources.
I’ll be reading much, much more. His theories about the so-called Chupacabra have already been validated.
It’s just to refreshing to have insight into a truly scientific mind, especially about controversial topics. I’m a bit curious if he ever made it into academic textbooks.
One thing I remember about him is that he had a great wit. Not only was he interesting to read, but at times very funny in a dry British way.
There is a lot of personality in his writings; I’ve not yet seen the wit.
I still have a copy of his “Abominable Snowman, Legand come to Life” that I bought and read in 1966. Good read and introduction to the whole Bigfoot thing long before anyone else was writing about it.
"Individuals believe that science is simply a list of what the collective already knows.Note: Apologies for my typo in comment #1 re Sanderson's last name (sp, i.e., "Anderson"). I misremembered his name and that error remains stuck in my headI believe that science is a set of tools to uncover what we do not know."
- Ivan T. Sanderson
Ivan T. Sanderson.
He wrote normal books such as How to Know the American Mammals before he went paranormal looney toons.
He liked to wear a kilt.
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