Posted on 07/31/2002 1:28:36 AM PDT by trussell
Mystery reptile loose in county?
By Katharhynn Heidelberg Journal Staff Writer
Cortez, CO, July 30 - Could the Southwest be home to a mysterious new species of reptile?
Nick Sucik, a private researcher from Minnesota, thinks it's possible. Sucik has been tracking sightings of an elusive lizard-like creature ever since hearing tales of "river dinosaurs" from those involved in the legally sketchy "reptile trade."
The "dino" is said to walk exclusively on its hind legs; to stand about 3 feet tall; and to have armlike appendages instead of forelegs. The reptile usually is seen near a wet environment and moves swiftly, with grace, Sucik said.
And, he said, the same thing happened here in Cortez - "But it was kind of unexpected how we heard about it."
An Unsolved Mysteries episode had featured the story of a Cortez couple who had been visiting in Arizona. While there, the couple apparently saw the body of a reptile unlike any they had ever seen before. "It looked like a toy to them," Sucik said, and when they told their tale, "No one took them seriously."
In an attempt to follow up on the story, Sucik wrote the Journal and later placed a classified ad, seeking communication from anyone who might have seen the enigmatic reptile. The letter netted a response from Northern California, but the ad brought results from closer to home.
According to Sucik, a woman and her daughter e-mailed him details of a similar sighting that took place in 2001 as they were driving in the Yellow Jacket area.
"Suddenly, this thing runs out. At first, they thought it was a young deer, because of its size," Sucik said.
The women described it as having a long neck and skinny legs like a bird. However, it had no feathers and its "arms" seemed to go out of its upright neck rather than its body.
The women estimated that the creature would measure about 5 feet, if stretched from neck to tail.
"It looked to them like a cross between a bird and a dinosaur." When they got home, each drew a picture of the creature and realized they had each seen exactly the same thing, he said.
The description matched that of other sightings, and the women happened to have been near an irrigation creek. "Every reference we've heard usually affiliates them with water," Sucik said. "That's where the term 'River Dino' comes from."
Thulin said others have since mentioned that they have seen "a large lizard running around. I don't know any specifics at all except that it's large and looks out of place."
"It doesn't match anything," he said of the description.
The woman said she has tried to put it out of her mind. "Some people think you're nuts."
Sucik isn't sure what people have seen. A lizard, he said, "is a reptile on four legs. These reptiles are always on their hind legs. The only reptile to fit that morphology is a dinosaur - that kind of creates extra interest."
"It's not strange. It's like a new species that hasn't been classified in the area."
Sucik said it's possible the reptile is an escapee from trade in exotic pets. Even so, the description doesn't match anything known, he said.
He welcomes reports of sightings at nicksucik@hotmail.com or 22969 Old Gov Trail, Nisswa, MN 56468, and also suggests checking www.herper.com/nabr/nabr4.pdf
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.com ...
For the full story, click on the link. This is worth the time to read.
ROFLMBO. Didn't expect that one petuniasevan.
Am trying to find a sketch. So far, no luck.
LOL Well a 5' Roadrunner would be a mystery in itself! LOL
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Robert Reich, Candidate For Governor of Massachusetts?????
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