The Centre for Fortean Zoology [CFZ] Newsletter

2006-11-18

Dear Friends

Two updates in one day! Wow! It’s a bit like they say about London buses – none for ages and then a whole slew of them turn up. This is just a quicky, but after this afternoon’s newsletter, we have had a phenomenal response to the new CFZtv site, and I just wanted to thank you all for being so supportive.

Also, the long-awaited 40 minute documentary on our preliminary expedition to Lake Windermere is now up. I hope that you all enjoy it, because I am rather proud of it. Featuring Jon Ronson (star of stage, screen and The Guardian), various moments of derring do, and some rather nifty editing and music from yours truly, the video can be found here:

http://www.cfztv.org/eel.htm

We have had several people volunteer to join us when we return to the lakes next year, but if we are going to make this project succeed we are gonna need a lot more volunteers. If you fancy joining us, or if you can somehow help with logistical support please get in touch.

The Lake District project is only one of our planned investigations for next year. We are currently discussing sponsorship for a return trip to Mongolia, and – as anyone who has seen Oll’s excellent little film on the CFZtv site will know – we are also going back to Llangorse Lake. We have some other high profile British investigations also pencilled in for next year, so if you are interested in coming along please get in touch.

I think that it is one of the strengths of the CFZ that our investigations are open to all. Once upon a time there was another organisation (who shall remain nameless) and the impression that one always got from them was that all monies raised by them always went on sending the same two or three people on expensive foreign trips. Not so with us! We are always looking for new blood, so come aboard.

If you want to know more about how the foreign expeditions work, you could do worse than check out the book that we recently published on the 2006 Gambia expedition.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Centre-Fortean-Zoology-Expedition-Report/dp/1905723032/sr=8-1/qid=1163886844/ref=sr_1_1/202-4697988-9395045?ie=UTF8&s=books

But I don’t want this newsletter to appear to be just me trying to sell you something, so I will leave the commercials for this time.

Recently the CFZ menagerie has been expanded somewhat. A few weeks ago I managed to fulfil one of my (fairly major) ambitions. During the weekend, I managed to fulfil one longstanding ambition. As regular readers will know, from 1989 and 2001 the CFZ were proud owners of a two-toed amphiuma called Cuddles. What is an amphiuma I hear you ask? (Actually I don’t, but I am indulging my whimsical side for your entertainment). There are three species of amphiuma – heavily specialised, and primitive, salamanders. They are almost exclusively aquatic and look like long fat eels with teensy weensy stubby legs. Cuddles was four foot long when she died, and I have been frantically looking for a replacement ever since. Through the kind offices of Chris Newman, I am now £60 poorer, but the proud owner of a pair of three toed amphiumas called Gumbo and The Moog. (Don’t ask me, ask Corinna). They are only about 18” long at present, but I am confident that they will eventually reach their full size of nearly a metre.

Next year the CFZ museum will open, and I hope that some of you reading this will come along and visit us. You are assured of a warm welcome, a cup of tea, and a personal introduction to my amphiumas…

Until next time,

Onwards and Upwards

____________________________________________
Jonathan Downes
Director, Centre for Fortean Zoology [CFZ],
Myrtle Cottage,
Woolfardisworthy,
Bideford,
North Devon
EX39 5QR

Telephone: +44 (0) 1237 431413
Mobile:        +44 (0) 870 1935443
email:           jon@...
website:       http://www.cfz.org.uk

CFZtv          http://www.cfztv.org

yahoogroup: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/CFZ_Volunteers/