Cryptid Profile - The Ropen or "The Living Pterosaur"

Today we combine Paleo Profile somewhat with Cryptid Profile when we examine the bizarre cryptid called “the Ropen” or “the Living Pterosaur”. The Ropen is a strange alleged beast from Papua New Guinea that is bioluminescent and digs up graves! Yes a grave digging glow-in-the-dark pterosaur! But that’s not all! It’s a Christian too!
We have a long examination of the cryptid’s plausibility, reliability of eyewitnesses, and strange association with religion!
Oh, and I also go on a few rants along the way.
Hope you enjoy!
I want to thank all that submitted fan art for this video! Thank you so much!
Special thanks you Mark Witton who allowed me to use his ark and email him for questions! His website can be found here: markwitton-com.blogspot.com/
John Conway also allowed me to use some of his ark, here’s his website as well: johnconway.co/
Sources:
www.smithsonianmag.com/science...
www.mythencyclopedia.com/Le-Me...
paleo.cc/paluxy/livptero.htm
www.antiquehelper.com/item/35...
scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoolo...
blogs.scientificamerican.com/t...
www.genesispark.com/exhibits/e...
www.ropens.com/
pterosaur.net/anatomy.php
www.markwitton.com/about/45527...
books.google.com/books?id=s0D...
books.google.com/books?id=bGx...
cryptidz.wikia.com/wiki/Ropen
www.livepterosaur.com/media/im...
rspb.royalsocietypublishing.or...
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Music by Kevin Macleod

[@jessehunter362]

There are, actually, pterosaur like creatures commonly referenced in Papua New Guinean cultures! They're called bats.

[@nou7730]

@cat snake I'll tell what it proves, nothing, because its a joke dumbass

[@lauramays9296]

I said this aloud and it cracked me up XD. Thanks for making me laugh!

[@doubtful_seer]

And some bats can get pretty damn large too. Not quite as large as the Ropen description, but there are absolutely bats as large as a human male

[@youraveragefloridaboy519]

They had us in the first half not gonna lie

[@boppitycroppity9989]

Deez

[@Poilu_Du_Sud]

It’s actually a highly decomposed basking shark

[@kiranroye6498]

no its obviously its a mutant barn owl. Duh

[@alpharaptorjp3134]

Flying shark?

[@ShayShayPlay]

Absolutely.

[@smithyMcjoe]

Decompossed basking shark being flown about by hundreds of owls.

[@brighty-go6nn]

@@alpharaptorjp3134 Yes.

[@kitkatboard]

A glow-in-the-dark pterosaurs amalgamate eating corpse would make a great Dark Type Pokémon.

[@kociarzultimate384]

Except Darwinian evolution still exists in pokemon world

[@kitkatboard]

@@kociarzultimate384 And that means ?

[@sumitavaid9554]

So can we request to pokemon to add ropen like they added lapras

[@nohi3619]

Kociarz Ultimate eh it’s more like metamorphosis than anything I don’t think Pokémon are limited to the rules of our reality, since Pokémon like Arceus exist lol

[@kociarzultimate384]

@@nohi3619 but Darvinian evolution also exists as confirmed by gen 7 and various fossil pokemon, especially that it is everywhere shown that lot of pokemon naturally hunt other pokemon

[@JonPITBZN]

*Video Evidence: Ropen (Flying Dinosaur)* Me: "It's a friggin' bird." Trey: "It's a Frigate Bird." Me: "Close enough."

[@Tengu125]

And the best part is that the video actually does feature a flying dinosaur xD

[@sentientprogram660]

@@Tengu125 no such thing as flying dinosaurs 😁👍

[@notinsane4165]

@@sentientprogram660 *cough* avians *cough*

[@pauliusthemad3498]

@@sentientprogram660 Most of dinosaurs today are flying :P

[@icarusunited]

I believe it could be a unknown species of bat. It seems more likely than a bird considering shape, and accounts.

[@friedhedgehogs6392]

ITS A BIRD... ITS A PLANE... ITS A FLYING BASKING SHARK!!!

[@thelegendaryjerry1730]

Where did that joke come from?

[@snuffythefloof5448]

A lot of washed up corpses that are claimed to be new creatures end up being basking sharks, and multiple cryptids have been speculated to be owls. ( barn owls specifically )

[@bmxriderforlife1234]

no its clearly just some swamp gas :P

[@iiiiitsmagreta1240]

In all seriousness, a flying basking shark sounds like the most amazing creature ever and I so badly want it to exist now.

[@ethansmith2942]

An oceanic owl is more likely

[@movingstone4910]

The Ropen existed, but it became extinct for being so unpractical.

[@genitalgrievous5293]

As it actually would You know, natural selection and all

[@worldforger0]

Fair enough

[@m4tt655]

Oscer Likedraw the comment is 11 months ago, the guy who replied first was 1 month, your comment was 1 day ago. Mine to yours is 1 second ago.

[@worldforger0]

Shall the cycle continue

[@akeel_1701]

They made a movie about it... Rodan!

[@Confused_Mista]

Ropen is like somthing 13 years old would draw and describe it traits as edgy as possible

[@nerbs_the_word]

"This is Blackfang Bloodbank, my ropen OC who likes satanic stuff, is a half-vampire and also exists in the Sonic universe. Oh, and he has a gun and smokes weed."

[@sweatyslapfight7900]

It looks like an edgy cliff racer from morrowind.

[@syafiqjabar]

If it's a video game character it would totally carry a gun.

[@philyeary8809]

Weed Smoking Pterosaurs. Rare Native American cryptid, a strange smell like purple kush emanates from it.

[@orionskittles]

As a 13 year old I can confirm but I would either give it a traumatizing backstory or I would make it an extremely evil villain Going off pure vibes from the design it's an extremely evil villain

[@dexfrancolini4734]

I think it’s actually a highly decomposed threatening basking owl who was protecting her young

[@mikhaeldarriens3810]

*Shouts from the crowd* "I get it"

[@somerandomschmuck2547]

@@caitlyncarvalho7637 I think Secret Saturdays had an episode dedicated to it.

[@spink_8260]

Guys! I've discovered a late-surviving dinosaur and its called a "bird." Weird right?

[@griledchese2056]

amazing!

[@justwow768]

Probably a barn owl, case debunked.

[@lekhaclam87]

Nonsense! It was clearly a basking shark!

[@goose_3447]

BLEH! IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE GOVERNMENT!

[@raishukimuno2115]

Kaiju Killer yeah yeah shut up

[@lamia197]

Anyone think the Ropen looks alot like an airliner? Short head and neck. Long tail Long wings. flashes light. Sound like an airliner

[@sergioramirez924]

sounds more like a basking shark

[@feragosmyxixarashtra7948]

An Airliner riding a Flying Basking Shark on it's way to a Ceremony to dig up graves.

[@edmondantes4338]

An airliner digging up corpses.

[@rubenb8653]

in case of doubt, blame aliens

[@hadleyodenbach804]

@Digicraftmon the Crystal Gem Not yet at least

[@Fishy_VA]

Explanation: It’s a Nightfury. Case closed.

[@jackojaxko5885]

Objection

[@kankrivantas5536]

@@jackojaxko5885 overruled.

[@jackojaxko5885]

@@kankrivantas5536 damn

[@jackojaxko5885]

Whats the evidence its a night fury KANKRI!!!!

[@kankrivantas5536]

@@jackojaxko5885 did y9u even watch the vide9?

[@lsdcyclops7316]

*Whitcomb* : It says so in the Bible. *Trey* : This says the Bibble.

[@glitchedoom]

You DARE question the word of Jimmy!?

[@direlinqqed]

that sounds like an oc i would have made when i was 7

[@hendrickscott2899]

Same.

[@scramblecore9156]

i used to have a glow in the dark phase so ropen sounds like something i would've made

[@Fungusthedinoguy1915]

When i was 8 i saw an pterosaur looking creature gliding in the sky. Yes it was gliding, anyways its proably just an condor or an eagle.

[@francofernandes2006]

Prehistoric OCs are a thing now? That's it. No one can judge me for drawing myself as a Spinosaurus.

[@CommanderWiggins]

2:58 "It also digs up people's graves in the night and eats their corpses." Well that escalated quickly.

[@duckwashere4826]

i had the same thought

[@grimtheghastly8878]

Roses are Red Cacti are prickly Hot damn that escalated quickly.

[@psychronic8327]

You see the ripen prefer to let the meat age a little

[@Scarletthespud]

I mean that really got out of hand fast

[@VintageNarwhal]

William Thespud glad someone referenced this.

[@isaacbailey3681]

Ropen: Obviously an aerial hunter that catches live prey Also Ropen: Apparently a scavenger for some reason

[@valivali8104]

Being part-time scavenger wouldn’t be impossible - being digging full-time scavenger on other hand...

[@jackobrien3574]

11:20 I just imagine David Attenborough doing a documentary, “Ah yes, the ropen, and its elusive ground dwelling prey... human corpses”

[@RamMustard]

Natives: ...we saw a glow in the night- Witcomb: Ok, monster demons that flies around, digs up and eats corpses, is a dinosaur, and glows Natives: What? How did you get that? I'm saying- Witcomb: Wow, it's a serpent! Amazing... Natives: No, no- Witcomb: It also has a giant wingspan and has a diamond on it's tail! Incredible... and you said it was brown!?

[@kendallchaos]

Bright Atlas sounds legit

[@wakeup01]

Whahahaa, got a Southpark feeling with this one😂🤣

[@ProtectAnimalLife]

(I am Jonathan Whitcomb) I have written over a thousand web pages and blog posts, four nonfiction books, and a scientific paper in a peer-reviewed journal, all of those on the subject of apparent modern pterosaurs. When, in any of those publications, did I say that human corpses are a significant part of this animal's diet? I have written, however, much more about what seems to be a much more common food source for the ropen: fish.

[@almarc]

More like: Natives: Whitcomb: You saw a giant flying monster in the sky? Natives: Wh.. Whitcomb: It was brown, glowing and ate corpses! Natives: ...

[@gorekush]

@@ProtectAnimalLife does it hurt to be this much of a meme?

[@mrbigoofs9820]

Bio luminescent pterosaurs are secretly decaying corpses of basking sharks that work for alien forces.

[@amazinglyidiotic8607]

Homer the Triceratops lead by a barn owl.

[@Tareltonlives]

E.L. Wallace: (evil laugh)

[@themoth1360]

You know too much………

[@mladen7641]

And illuminati is doing something, because yeah!

[@danmeyers708]

Stop blaming everything on the aliens. There not that bad

[@paulwalker5225]

Ah, yes. The highly elusive basking owl. Or was it a decomposing barn shark, I forgot.

[@beek.4860]

The concept of a barn shark is both horrifying and very funny

[@dylantennant6594]

@@beek.4860 I'm picturing the shark from that Helluva Boss, just hanging out in barns and suplexing any dumbasses who wander in.

[@enriqueramirez0615]

Anatomy of "The Ropen" form other pterosaurs 1) Head crest of "Pteranodon", 2)Tail with a diamond shape of "Rhamphorhynchus", 3) Wings of "Sordes", 4) Giant body of "Quetzalcoatlus".

[@scotth6814]

It's a chimera.

[@calamitara]

frankenstein's pterosaur

[@canonbehenna612]

@@calamitaraactually rodan New Guinea cousin

[@HoundofOdin]

In all honesty, I can understand why cryptid witnesses (meaning people who _truly believe_ they have seen an undiscovered animal) want people to take them seriously. If I had seen something I couldn't explain, I would want to be taken seriously, that way an expert would go figure out what that odd creature hanging out in the blurry part of my property is.

[@Mallowgrin]

Dr.Bright that was my dog. Damn thing keeps getting out

[@lukasnovella9001]

Avi-Lad Animations I’m sorry, is your dog a massive, bioluminescent, flying bat like creature that digs up corpses?

[@Mallowgrin]

Lukas Novella yes

[@rowanheart8122]

@@lukasnovella9001 yes

[@uncannyvalley2350]

Theres actually whole rashes of new sightings coming out in sites already identified in past sightings

[@RF-pj4bs]

I am betting now the Ropen is a plane. Lights. Large wings. Long tail. Flying about. Hard to notice body.

[@Meirstein]

Don't forget digging up and eating bodies. What do airplanes eat? Jet fuel. What is jet fuel made of? The dead bodies of animals from millions of years ago.

[@smorrow]

Plants, actually.

[@Meirstein]

Coal is plants, petroleum is mostly plankton and such.

[@fishyfishyfishy500akabs8]

Lol very funny man, also they never say where it lands or how it nests or etc.

[@dakotamayer8491]

Case closed.

[@limegrass6194]

"There are no bioluminescent tetrapod" Rats with jellyfish DNA: Am I a joke to you? Yes I knew he means naturally evolved tetrapods, take a joke.

[@thechromeassasin9517]

And also there could be some undiscovered

[@terrorbird3080]

They were genetically engineered

[@thechromeassasin9517]

@@terrorbird3080 did you read the entire comment. He knows that they were genetically engineered

[@terrorbird3080]

@@thechromeassasin9517 I KNOW

[@limegrass6194]

@@terrorbird3080 i know, I alluded that.

[@sangwaraumo]

The latest research has shown the ropen to be a decomposed basking shark being carried by barn owls surrounded by fireflies.

[@Bronasaxon]

Under rated comment

[@tristantodd9972]

That's a cannon event

[@fireops]

0:50 "What is the worst cryptid you've ever seen? No, I'm not talking about Bigfoot or Mothman, I mean a cryptid so unbelievable, so fundamentally broken that it leaves a pit in your stomach or makes you feel frustrated and angry beyond any reasonable measure. This is a question I've been asking myself for a while and I think it's about time to do something about it. So I've pulled up the list of the bottom 100 most inconceivable cryptids on ICDb and I'm going through them one by one to find the most implausible cryptid ever. Welcome to The Cryptid Profile."

[@daliborjovanovic510]

Mine`s the Ropen for now.

[@Seb90009]

nice IHE refference ;)

[@Charley_Goji]

OMG TREY NEEDS TO DO THIS AND ACT JUST LIKE IHE!!!! I COULD DIE HAPPY

[@fallingsoot6173]

+Dino Gojira Guy no

[@creakingskull7008]

Do a profile on Mars bars

[@Acesarecool4269]

It sounds like an airplane XD Long wings, long tail, short head, no legs, glow in the dark

[@goon9306]

Timothy Spears o shit u right

[@fishyfishyfishy500akabs8]

they must have saw frigate birds and planes

[@crochetcocoking4275]

It's a bird? It's a plane? No! It's a ropen!

[@HenriqueLSilva]

"Oh finding a living pterosaur surely will be enough to completely invalidate evolution" Has this man never heard of dragonflies and how they said "screw it I'm perfect" about 700 million years ago?

[@olyvia1380]

same thing with crocodiles/alligators (don’t remember which, or if it’s both) and squirrels. they’ve been nearly the same for SO long.

[@beastmaster0934]

Same thing with sharks. Those fuckers are older than TREES!

[@jamesboord8997]

Evolution is only a theory,true science is based on observable facts.

[@netherdominater9960]

Wait a minute... -Leathery black body -Large wingspan -Bioluminescent patches -Long tail with a diamond shape at The end This thing isn't a pterasaur, it's a goddamn DRAGON

[@billytalentxpokemon]

Yeah it's Toothless

[@71160000]

In my area great grey herons are common. I'm always struck by their profile while flying. They trail both legs behind them giving the impression of a long tail with a club ending. All told they make a good representation of a small pterodactyl.

[@CrazyPangolinLady]

Are there herons or something similar in Papua New Guinea? It can be difficult to judge the size of something in the air, cause there’s nothing to compare them too. Perhaps a mix of herons and airliners mushed into one.

[@Dualbladedscorpion7737]

If the ropen did exists and if it was a small pterodactyl aswell having some sort of bioluminescent tissue, the bioluminescent tissue would be more pronounce in the males rather than the females.

[@whereswaldo5740]

Same. I live on the shore of Lake Erie and have many similar birds. Eagles hawks King Fishers bitterns and herons. They do look pretty prehistoric. With all the tributaries they are abundant. But you will see them more and different ones the more you press into their territory. Which makes me believe this thing or things exist. There are still places in Africa people do not go.

[@jasondaveries9716]

ive always thought that too!

[@whereswaldo5740]

@@Dualbladedscorpion7737 There is a story of a guy fishing on a river in Africa and he saw one drop out of a tree into the river and come up a good ways distance and climbed out and got back up into a tree. He said it was leathery and had no feathers. The ones seen in South America I think Brazil on the Amazon there were multiple sightings. The natives were fishing from boats on the river at night and after catching some fish they thought the sound attracted it and glowing pterodactyl like creature swooped down and came up short and flapping hovered close over head dripping with a luminescence that was thought not to be naturally occurring as in exuded or part of them but a glowing slime or fungus. My theory. Maybe even symbiotic?

[@highlyvurgultis3706]

"two flying dinosaur species in papua new guinea" come on man, there are over 700 flying dinosaur species in new guinea (and a few flightless ones too)

[@nectarinn3]

@Digicraftmon the Crystal Gem uhhh not sure if you're joking or not, but ... birds. Birds are the flying dinosaurs. (Sorry im bad at recognizing sarcasm and honest questions)

[@malburian]

Can.t be 700 on an island, all europe has less than 400

[@highlyvurgultis3706]

@@malburian New Guinea is more biodiverse than Europe

[@russiaball4851]

@@highlyvurgultis3706 Europe is the worst continent for biodiversity

[@highlyvurgultis3706]

@@russiaball4851 It probably is

[@Jmorris3265]

I just want to say, videos like these made by people who are obviously really passionate about their fields of study make it fun to learn. It feels like we’re students discovering something together.

[@cartoonraccoon2078]

"Almost as if it was made up..." Exactly. Just like the medieval paintings of Jesus showed him as a white dude dressed in medieval finery.

[@melofiloxd1429]

Every culture portrays Jesus as if their own, Chinese paintings portray him as Chinese, African paints as African, etc.

[@jonmkl]

I saw a pterosaur when I was 4, flying over head as we were getting into our car one day. It had huge wings and a diamond shape at the end of a long tail. It glided by, wasn’t flapping it’s wings. It was probably a year later when I realized it must have been an airliner.

[@Mngalahad]

Did it have a machine gun? yes.

[@alexiboo7309]

Did it have a pet dog that had bee's in its mouth, so that when it barks, it shoots bee's?

[@Palewyrmie]

@@alexiboo7309 yes

[@connorscott6479]

Did it have a nuke... somehow? *YES*

[@colk5373]

did it have 6 accounts of war crimes and 5 accounts of arson?

[@unlucky_2nd897]

@@colk5373 Did it own a black orphan slave farm? Yes

[@theeyetriangle]

I'm indonesian and this is the first time i heard of this myth

[@sleepysloth7244]

Wait a minute.. Indonesian with a dead ass german name? Please explain me this. Greetings from GER lmao

[@theeyetriangle]

@@sleepysloth7244 oh no my dad just thought the name was cool and gave it to me lmao, I have absolutely no connection with Germany whatsoever.

[@sleepysloth7244]

@@theeyetriangle actually that is indeed pretty cool. That pretty amazed me to see haha

[@aselweerasekara3319]

Ropen is real! But it's a species of peacock wearing a pointy hoody with glow in the dark paint on the sleeves, it digs holes looking for Ganja

[@DavidRamirez-se2yt]

Brings a new meaning to getting high

[@an0rmalp3rson70]

@@DavidRamirez-se2yt they get _high_ and get *high*

[@alphaundpinsel2431]

me: I saw a star.. witcom; cool, a ropen light? me: no, how are they related.. witcom: good, it had a crest, huge wings, and ate your, dead granny! me: dafaq... witcom; and its brown!?

[@KingNedya]

"Pterosaurs didn't have leathery/scaly skin." (Not an exact quote from the video, but a paraphrase) R.I.P. Dinosaur Train.

[@alexanderchippel]

They also didn't have a textile industry nor advanced form of technological locomotion.

[@yormpbirdhouse4407]

Stop ruining my childhood!

[@dilophosaurussk4333]

@@alexanderchippel "Absence of evidence does not mean evidence of absence"

[@alexanderchippel]

@@dilophosaurussk4333 I know an invisible pink unicorn riding a tea kettle around Mars who'd disagree.

[@dilophosaurussk4333]

@@alexanderchippel (I kind of hate saying this but) r/Wooosh

[@Tyme_Whyrlwynd]

Science: Seeing is believing Religion: Believing is seeing

[@brianjensen5661]

Religion: Seeing is... Don't ask questions heretic!

[@butterskywalker8785]

@@brianjensen5661 "you'll now burn in hell because I believe so"

[@michellelindroth4072]

@Butter Skywalker Hell dose not exist

[@melofiloxd1429]

@@brianjensen5661 Have you ever heard of a dude called Thomas of Aquinas?

[@scotth6814]

Religion: You should believe without seeing, without evidence, without questioning. If you see something that makes you question your beliefs, it's the Devil trying to trick you and you'll rot in hell!

[@samiamrg7]

3:05 The glowing spots and eyes in the dark here are so cool and creepy. I love the Ropen as a fantasy creature.

[@Itnasias]

26:32Imagine if the Finding Bigfoot crew interviewed like that. Finding Bigfoot crew: "Did it have hair?" Eyewitness: "Yes." Finding Bigfoot crew: "What color was the hair, was it brown?" Eyewitness: "Yes."

[@kendallchaos]

Saisanti Xiong well they kinda do that

[@rowanheart8122]

No, FBC: did it have hair? Witness: yes FBC: what color was the hair? Witness: yes

[@ProtectAnimalLife]

I am Jonathan Whitcomb, who interviewed the native eyewitness Gideon Koro on Umboi Island in 2004. The actual words we spoke differ from what you suggest it may have been. Regarding the color of the flying creature he had seen, I asked what color it was. Gideon thought about it for awhile, perhaps trying to remember the word in English. He then said, "brown." I never spoke the word "brown" to Gideon before he spoke that word.

[@MattrixNY]

@@ProtectAnimalLife Mr. Whitcomb thank you for your research and passion on this and many other mysterious subjects. God bless you sir.

[@noel_21]

@@ProtectAnimalLife Mate you can hear the interviewer leading the intervewie on in the video.

[@micah723]

I just realized Trey would be really good at creating a fake animal hoax. who would've thought.

[@foureyesisafish7968]

DO IT TREY DO IT!

[@LostSwiftpaw]

Basking owl

[@Trike71171]

DO IT JUST DO IT

[@TheHeka42]

Maybe he's behind all of these hoaxes. You know, to get good content for video essays.

[@zedantXiang]

I'm just hoping that today he will do it. 1st april

[@wyatt1339]

Trey the Explainer: I’m about to end this man’s whole career

[@jackojaxko5885]

Witcomb:snakes are flying furred bords Trey:Are you clallenging me?

[@allisonworf-anderson7347]

@@jackojaxko5885 I just hate how he made that Cosby joke

[@blixer8384]

So according to creationists: ancient english speaking Hebrews saw a long tailed pterosaur that exists nowhere in the fossil record, said “that bat-like creature looks like a snake,” and then watched as a it flew all the way from Israel to Papa New Guinea in defiance of the laws of nature and aviation.

[@MouldedMind]

@@caitlyncarvalho7637 he specifically said young earth creationists, learn to listen before you speak.

[@macgeorge8229]

@@caitlyncarvalho7637 Yes they are egales and other birds show up.

[@sifuller7456]

Just came across this video. Never heard of a ropen before. There's a couple of points I'd like to make: 1) There are an incredible number of cultures and languages in New Guinea, it's entirely possible that the myth is legit and has been around thousands of years, but doesn't have a lot of exposure in Western literature. 2) Some ground-nesting birds apparently are bio-luminescent, due to glowing fungus that sometimes grows on their undersides. There's also birds with white undersides that can appear to be lights when against a black night sky. They're often mistaken for UFOs. It's entirely possible that the ropen is misidentified birds. Having a close acquaintance with nature is no safeguard against this kind of misidentification. 3) There are myths like grave robbing and all sorts of other supernatural powers ascribed to ordinary animals, worldwide. Hyenas and aye-ayes have all sorts of myths pinned to them, for example. Maybe the ropen is a real (non pterosaur obviously) animal that doesn't really eat corpses. 4) It is common for people from Papua New Guinea to see disagreeing or even saying "no" to people they don't know well, as rude. It makes tech support very difficult, I can tell you first-hand. That interviewer could have asked absolutely anything and the man would have replied "yes". Not out of being guided by the interviewer, but simply out of politeness.

[@ProtectAnimalLife]

I am Jonathan Whitcomb. Since a significant part of this video is about me, I feel it appropriate to respond. I don't know the real name of TREY, but of all the persons who have interviewed me over the past 16 years I don't think TREY was one of them. What he says about me and about my beliefs and about what I have said-they are just too far from the reality. I'll stick with your point #4, Si Fuller, for the moment. It seems reasonable, at least on the surface, that natives in Papua New Guinea (PNG) would tend to avoid saying no to an interviewer. But my own interviews with natives on Umboi Island, in 2004, showed me something different, at least with one eyewitness. Gideon may have hesitated in some of his responses to some of my questions, when his answers were on the negative side, but he still responded in the negative in those answers. I'll share some examples. I believed that the seven boys (including Gideon) had seen a number of ropens at Lake Pung, many years earlier. My belief did influence the nature of my questioning Gideon about that, for I said "how many" when I asked one question. He looked puzzled at first, but then made it clear: "We saw only one." In addition, I believed that he had seen a head crest, and that influenced the nature of my questioning him about that. Yet after he thought about it he made it clear that he did not get a good-enough view of the animal to see such a detail on its head, for it was flying above them.

[@stevenhair3250]

@@ProtectAnimalLife I'm not buying it. After viewing your channel I gotta agree with Trey. Just to much I disagree with between you and the original commenter.

[@agathosfrekils]

@@stevenhair3250 It's apparently Whitcomb himself who runs that channel so of course its loaded with crock. As for the other commenter, some things sound plausible but I highly doubt. Especially about Papaun myths, we would expect more evidence than what we have if it was a long lasting myth.

[@mooroo6969]

@@ProtectAnimalLife mhm proof

[@Scarletthespud]

@@ProtectAnimalLife God isn't reality

[@kjt7971]

*_"They are not Ropens, just penises... Wait, what?"_* LOL

[@mistyhawkins9951]

Omega Rasetsu that’s just funny

[@casualsleepingdragon8501]

As soon as i saw this comment trey said in the video "they ain't ropens, just penises... wait what?" And i found that hilarious.

[@eliasaltman4439]

This video planted an interesting thought in my head... due to us having encyclopaedias and pictures of almost all living creatures today, future paleontologists will have a really easy job

[@spinosaurusgyptiacus554]

Paper Decays. Smartphones glitch and "Die".

[@zennyfieldster4220]

a wingspan of just over 20 feet, a length of just over 20 feet, flashing lights saying its bioluminescent, nocturnal. I think the people at night are seeing small bush planes flying overhead.

[@uncannyvalley2350]

Literally makes no sense as witnesses include scientists and military personal and every day americans Brits and hawaiians

[@11Survivor]

@@uncannyvalley2350 Interesting then, that this plays right into the point of it being a western invention.

[@uncannyvalley2350]

@@11Survivor because westerners saw it? Ah you're missing the Papua New Guinea people in your little summary declaration there professor. Pml what a weak attempt

[@hedgehog3180]

@@uncannyvalley2350 What witnesses? He interviewed like five people total.

[@xonus1487]

dam it I thought it was an owl

[@Cooliostuff]

XD

[@BlockyNinjaVidz]

Same

[@BlockyNinjaVidz]

Same

[@rexy1.0.87]

What is it with you guys & owls? :P

[@rexy1.0.87]

I did, & the joke is still going on

[@yellowpowr8455]

I can't believe you went above and beyond genuinely considering everything above the claims for a 33 minute video, rather than point out how obviously unrealistic the claims are for about 1 minute. Your videos have also helped me understand how evolution of certain traits works, and it's been helping me with my fictional alien designs.

[@swancman]

five years later and this is still a must watch video!

[@dreamingdragon6779]

I think ya forget to mention “how did it even know where to *look* for a human graves?!”

[@skeleletonboi4533]

@Chicken Tortilla that's why it glows! radioactive x-ray vision!

[@butterskywalker8785]

@Chicken Tortilla actually ropen sounds like a cool super villain idea, "it's over bird-man,I already ate your dead granny!!"

[@butterskywalker8785]

@Chicken Tortilla wut?isn't it actually a cool villain idea?

[@skythedragon7897]

Obviously it has the trained conditioning by looking for grave sights. (Tho x-ray is an idea too)

[@ctdaniels7049]

It can also read maps

[@berkleypearl2363]

I know it’s not really the focus of the video, but if what you say is true “fiery flying serpent” should really be translated as “striking venomous snake” and that really bothers me

[@RamGilamar]

welcome to language

[@JonPITBZN]

"Skulking venomous snake" would be closer.

[@corrauniverse269]

Serpent still fits since they're almost the same thing. I looked it up and the main difference is that serpents are mythical creatures that almost always venomous while snakes have distinct species and aren't always venomous

[@AsymmetricalAce]

There is a bunch of amalgamations and other stuff like that in the Bible that if translated differently makes a whole lot more sense.

[@corrauniverse269]

@@AsymmetricalAce I'm pretty sure that originally the texts weren't directly translated to English but went through at least one or two other languages before it got here. The more translation layers, the more likely errors are to be made. It's like those Google translate music videos but less extreme.

[@picklejimy8309]

If the ropen is 27 feet and glows then why isn't it seen all the time.

[@vivienneyeki3894]

It is seen often is the isolated mountains of PNG. My hubby saw one once or twice every year while he was growing up. In his area their wing-span was about 4m.

[@2PRO_4U_2NO]

@@vivienneyeki3894 Have you heard of planes

[@vivienneyeki3894]

@@2PRO_4U_2NO Roepn are nocturnal. Planes are not.

[@2PRO_4U_2NO]

@@vivienneyeki3894 No, I'm saying he may have seen a plane at night

[@hedgehog3180]

@@vivienneyeki3894 Planes fly at night pretty often, that's why they have lights.

[@Sea_Leech]

My brain: **hears "flying dinosaur"** Trex with lil wings rumbling in the sky Also my brain: Ay he already mentioned in another video that pterasaurs werent dinosaurs and just flew but that bird were flying dinosaurs

[@ghostiegoober108]

While not a good real life animal, it sure does look like a good scary story that parents could tell their kids

[@ghostiegoober108]

Also I think the jersey Devil would be a cool thing for you to tear at the evidence

[@creakingskull7008]

nah, it was a flying basking shark

[@ai-dooffical2907]

flying decaying baking shark

[@qu0temarx722]

George Parker carried by owls

[@cryptozoologistinvestigato6964]

DarthStudios or use the ropen as a subject of artwork

[@tuxedotoad4160]

How is finding a bioluminescent Pterosaur make you closer towards God?

[@xxXthekevXxx]

They believe modern dinosaurs would prove young earth creationism (they wouldn’t) and that disproving evolution would prove god (it doesn’t)

[@20firebird]

the ropen is god

[@rowanheart8122]

@@20firebird oh fuck. Well now I want to pet god if the ropen is God because if its an animal i want to pet it. I don't care, if i can pet it, I will pet it

[@sus4644]

@@rowanheart8122 have fun petting a mosquito andit dying. Monster.

[@rowanheart8122]

@@sus4644 pet the mosquito to death >:)

[@Manuelslayor]

Ima be honest the description of biblicaly acurate angels is enoough proof that there was way to much drugs involved in all those relevations,

[@ratatouilledrinksclorax9897]

Yup

[@melofiloxd1429]

Why would you imagine that the manifestation of such spiritual beings as angels would be anything but isoteric?

[@dann2513]

Excellent research!! Excellent commentary. Just enough personal idioms thrown in for good measure. Great video all around - beginning to end.

[@thoruszwolf4153]

Oh God! they're Cliff Racers!

[@gruncilestan8193]

*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE* God dammit Jiub.... YOU HAD ONE JOB.

[@VelociraptorsOfSkyrim]

RUN!!!!!

[@derpchief9614]

I want off this plane of existence...

[@gruncilestan8193]

Orphan of Kos It's your lucky day! For this week only, the gates to Oblivion ARE OPEN!

[@ribstein7714]

fly so high cliff racer fly so high!!!!

[@spartancccoach]

.......Still waiting for Bill Cosby to show up in the story

[@pyroparagon8945]

DuckDude23 *ropen*

[@garrymiller6745]

DuckDude23 Being he just found guilty he really now a dinosaur LOL😕😂

[@umbrellabirb2959]

Bill Cosby is clearly a Ropen

[@kingjames4886]

if bill cosby was the ropen don't you think someone would have noticed the sweater?

[@generalgrievous2202]

Rapen

[@ProfessorGillman]

Excellent presentation. Love how you debunk all the unscientific assumptions, keep up the good work.

[@riftiee]

if anything, if the ropen is real, it’s some strange sort of bat or if it IS a late surviving pterosaur it would be one that’s evolved so far from it’s original appearance that it should be considered a whole new species

[@andrew-paulclements1502]

Wow, that guy's arguement must be a special kind of shit when a fundamentalist/literal translation of the Bible shot down his supposibly "biblically supported" cryptid stories. Awesome job, Trey!

[@clayxros576]

Every time someone brings up the cockatrice in the Bible I habitually bash my face into my desk. Absolute disgraceful lack of actual research.

[@thekrusad3r290]

Is it confirmed in the bible that the earth is only 6000 years old? Or just a stupid theory

[@hermescarraro3393]

@@thekrusad3r290 Even if the Bible did, this guy would still be a dummass. Even effing catholic PRIESTS agree that the Bible is a book filled with myths and stories that were created to teach people about morality, God etc, and are not meant to be taken literally, but be used to think about God etc. Guys who take the Bible in such a ridiculously literal way are either ignorant baboons or are part of some weird cults. So yeah. Even in the eyes of the vast majority of the effing catholic church, or most churches, and the vast majority of theology schools, this guy would be seen as a freacking joke. (I am not biased btw, I am not even Christian.)

[@TechSpec814]

@@hermescarraro3393 as someone who is Catholic, I agree with your statement and this is exactly it

[@hermescarraro3393]

@@TechSpec814 I was raised Catholic, hence why I know this stuff as well. I really don't get why so many people take the Bible literally... Like... Comeone

[@TREYtheExplainer]

7:29 I meant to say 80 MYA not 8 MYA my mistake

[@Mike-uf6wf]

Hi

[@krakaraka7272]

K

[@Leo-ro1vq]

Hi Trey can you please do a paleo profile on Argentavis Magnificens. Thanks

[@bijtmntongaf]

But why would it be the same as a pterodactyl? Evolution would have changed how it looked

[@shilohgrace7875]

I just wanna say I love the later part of this video when you start talking about biased people with their beliefs over things. I'm a Christian and love watching your videos. I've always wanted to disprove evolution or something, but after watching this video, it truly changed me. I guess I just have to realize that my opinions aren't always gonna be right and that someone else might be right for a change. Again, I love your videos and can't wait for you. :) Upload soon!

[@colehaney8836]

$10 says it’s a flying basking shark corpse

[@samiamrg7]

On the plus side, a Ropen seems like it would make a great fantasy monster for a tabletop game. Especialy if, imo, it was modified to have more Azhdarchid traits so it can stand and fight the party.

[@geirnure2857]

this is true

[@omegaforcezero5440]

3:05 In that logic, it could be Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon and it would do a lot more sense...

[@jackojaxko5885]

I may agree...(laugh) I watch memes of httyd

[@seiyuokamihimura5082]

No idea what kind of airplanes you all are seeing. All the ones I've seen blink, not glow.

[@Retrenorium]

Mine eat children, puppies and kittens. Weirdo

[@NoOne-ju8fi]

ÆyææāăäÆøœīůįųřėæy ůğøœđ?bŕøgeèæèæææ yeah

[@terrorbird3080]

CUZ IT'S A OWL

[@valletas]

@@Retrenorium seens like yours isnt a plane but a decomposing barn owl

[@pcvrisepic]

@@Retrenorium edgelord 🤮

[@Todomo]

do people just wake up one day and be like “i’m gonna make up an animal and act like i saw it with zero evidence” and people actually believe it? sounds like a crackhead.

[@oldshoes5199]

I love old myths. "I was born from a fish hugging a leg cut. they bullied me so I became the sun. then mom got mad at me and hit me with a lemon. so I made clouds."

[@Zminator1986]

Man I wanna know what they are taking.

[@dowjones5981]

@@Zminator1986 Probably some sacred "Nephilim Dust!" Haha!

[@giotm4077]

didn't finish the video yet, but I can guess what it is, its an owl

[@chrissherfield874]

OF COURSE!!!!! OWLS. OWLS EVERYWHERE!

[@chrissherfield874]

Owls are the best thing EVUR

[@kaustuv5682]

Dang it! I thought We already got freedom from owls, Basking sharks and penises! Curse U Trey!

[@nihadbulja323]

its a small plain not an owl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@steeks9132]

+Nihad Bulja its. An owl shaped plane

[@useruseruseruser6777]

Hearing the IHE music is really weird

[@bigshaner8585]

Paleo Saurian 2.0 THANK YOU! I knew I recognized it but couldn’t remember what from

[@jonahfalcon1970]

@@bigshaner8585 Aquaman is the next cryptid.

[@paintedomelettes8000]

FUCK YES I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE

[@krystalendermalie1361]

The muzak.

[@2degucitas]

IHE? I'm old. Plz explain.

[@hunterjenkins11]

I had "I Hate Everything" vibes watching this. Maybe just the music.

[@unluckychucky3979]

Something I find funny is how Rodan, a _fictional_ creature, is more realistic than this supposed abomination.

[@jakebeach8308]

I just found your channel the other day. You are one of the most thorough researchers I've seen on KZbin to date. This is incredible content, your explanation and narration is great, and you've quickly become one of my favorite channels. Sincere thanks for doing what you do.

[@pheonix6119]

Omg, the browser ad at 17:06 is hilarious. "Does your credit card processor promote the gospel?" How the hell are they supposed to?

[@Truthisscarierthanfiction]

13:00 my guess is that bioluminesence from an adaption standpoint doesn't help land creatures since there's constant light on land, while marine creatures like angler fish need it too hunt

[@powergannon]

The descriptions of the ropen sound like an 8 year old’s idea of the coolest animal ever

[@generalgrievous2202]

Nah an 8 year olds idea of the cooles animal ever would be a trex with spikes, armour, and wings.

[@revampedrenegotiate]

@@generalgrievous2202 b i r d

[@generalgrievous2202]

@@revampedrenegotiate big bird with scales and spikes.

[@revampedrenegotiate]

@@generalgrievous2202 Yeah oh and if they got misinformed by the media that t rex had feathers and add them then it will literally sound like a dragon

[@Cyrilcynder1]

Calling it right now, those photos shown at the beginning of the video are a magnificent fragatebird

[@Terraraptor1]

I used to love cryptozoology, as it was a fun way to speculate and think "What if". It inspired creativity and imagination, and in the past had some mild success even. But creationism has to ruin everything it touches.

[@arsantiqua8741]

Wait, imagining time! What if a group of Pterosaurs survived by staying on a secluded island or swam in the seas and became adapted to it. After all the ash from the meteor has settled, the aquatic Pterosaurs might have somehow re-evolved flight. It could be a possible member of the family Rhamphorhynchidae that somehow survived and became a sort of triple living fossil, surviving the changes and two extinctions. For the lights, since some fish follow THE MOON, the speculative reptile could have used lights eerily similar to THE MOON and did confusing blinking lights that would disrupt them thus allowing them to snack on the fishies. I'm referring to how confusing it is for a fish to see a Full-moon while it's low tide. I mean, that's like seeing stars other than the Sun in the day! For the Human eating part, maybe inland subspecies may have evolved to eat humans, whilst still using their highly modified bioluminescent patterns as starry camouflage. Grave digging seems unlikey tho, and seems to be a myth. And yes, I will be testing the Flight using an Aerodynamic model that retains the same proportions of the Duwa and Ropen.

[@jokuvaan5175]

Carl Ritchie. That's a big "if". Unless someone provides better evidence I will consider Ropen as real as Donald Duck.

[@spinosaurusstriker]

(imagining time!)

[@arsantiqua8741]

Nah, it's a misidentified bat. People can have a hard time seeing at night, thus accounting for the weird size and long tale. Compare this effect to the flying rods effect produced by flies.

[@yarus5889]

Fox Marj No one said Christians but yeah I believe u.

[@seleuf]

Creationist's name: Whitcomb Trey's pronunciation: Woodcum I can't help but think that was intentional. x)

[@colk5373]

cum bottom text

[@samiamrg7]

While it is obviously fake, I think the Ropen has some of the best aesthetics of any cryptid I’ve heard of. Helped, of course, by artists. It’s massive but can be stealthy, it has a huge maw (key for invoking primal fear) but it also has glowing bits that can reveal just enough to make it’s form indistinct in the dark. I, for one, think a Quetzalcoatlus-like Ropen would be terrifying. Just imagine it standing still with it’s head looming, unseen, over a dark forest path when two people walk by. It flashes it’s bioluminescent parts and strikes with it’s gaping maw, snatching one, nearly swallong them whole, and leaping into flight! Or you see a pair of glowing eyes in the distance like at 3:04 when suddenly they disappear only to reappear much closer, then right on top of you!

[@SKELTER.]

Glow in the dark CIA Pterosaurs!

[@mattr2238]

I once thought I saw velociraptor footprints and concluded that there were nocturnal raptors living in caves during the day. I was 10.

[@monkiflip8642]

So what were the footprints

[@mattr2238]

@@monkiflip8642 I don't remember. Could have been anything from a crow to a turkey.

[@tastyjerry]

Unfortunately using my cringey middle school username but I wanted to say that Whitcomb’s claims reinforce a racist and inaccurate belief that non-Western and non-Christian cultures aren’t capable of symbolic thinking. The ropen could well be a mythological creature inspired by fears generated by colonialism. It’s probably not meant to be real in the first place, but a manifestation of anything people have gone through or are enculturated to be afraid of.

[@melofiloxd1429]

Seems like you're reaching

[@paulamiles9559]

Never heard of Ropen til now. I'm way behind in my Creationist literature. Really enjoyed your video Trey. Also.just watched your mkele mbembe. Keep.up the good work!

[@1v1meinpackettracer86]

Honestly that biblical description of the flaming serpent sounds more like quetzal quotl.

[@terrorbird3080]

@christopher snedeker no it was covered in hair like filaments

[@pcvrisepic]

....

[@baldeaglesarentbald1921]

As a. Brazilian, the description sounds exactly like an mythical indigenous serpent of the north on Amazônia A flamming serpent is a highly pop culture character here lmao

[@peach2907]

I'm Mexican, I belive thats not how you write Quetzalcoatl, but I really agree with you. Saludos desde la tierra de los tacos

[@baldeaglesarentbald1921]

@@peach2907 salve da terra do cristo redentor e praias (?? Your country culture and mythology fascinates me-

[@darthplagueis13]

According to the Cryptid wiki the original Ropen was not actually invented by whitcomb but rather based on an account from 1935 by an entymologist named Evelyn Cheesman. It should also be pointed out that the original Ropen was not a Pterosaur, nor this massive in size, nor did it feed off corpses. Rather it was a creature with a long tail and a wingspan of about 1 meter (which is achieved by some bats) mostly known for creating lights in the dark and potentially eating fish (and more importantly, the original report only talked about the lights themselves). Whilst this would still require bio-luminescence but is at least less weird.

[@BoundlessEnnui]

Reject Whitcom ropen, embrace Cheesman ropen

[@successfulfailure1298]

As a Christian who is extremely interested in paleontology, thanks for the mention on Dr. Bakker. It’s easy to shut down people for different beliefs and it makes it hard to have a reasonable discussion

[@user-zs1bp4ie3z]

Did a school project on this and this video really helped, thanks Trey!

[@mou.2]

I can hear the IHE music playing in the background lol.

[@BunkerBlog]

Yet, even after ALL of this, there will still be people who say "Well you can't prove it DOESN'T exist!!! Checkmate!!!".

[@daquanrushing5584]

Yep, hardcore Christians and flat earthers in a nutshell

[@aaronjacobwillman]

dragon rampage ...i see what you did there. 😆

[@thhseeking]

I've heard the saying "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence".... By the same token, I say "Absence of evidence is not evidence of existence". I would love some non-avian dinosaurs and non-dinosaurs to have survived the K-T boundary. But until there's verifiable scientific evidence....

[@cryptozoologistinvestigato6964]

thhseeking id say evidence is only necessary if its obtainable such as fossils but in some cryptid cases like bigfoot hair and tracks would be hard to find

[@iwasted90daysonthis78]

Shark Bait ropen vs rodan

[@blobishlybelfer2717]

Even though I am a believer, I still want to hear you looking at the creation story and show all the "creationists" how much even the very source of thair idea doesn't actually support their idea!

[@scotth6814]

Believing in a creator and believing in the literal Bible creation story are two very different things.

[@catalina4424]

I enjoyed this video so much. Thanks :)

[@Hunter-hu8hj]

Do i hate mars bars

[@YaBoiDREX]

Nice reference

[@deadf13account38]

amazing reference

[@wallacethetuna945]

umit kork lol

[@biancalee9612]

he used the same music

[@manantialeterno7598]

umit kork you prob hate dust too

[@agrotesqueoldwoman1626]

I thought it was going to be the rare giant owl or the great leaping basking shark

[@agrotesqueoldwoman1626]

j

[@SomeGuy-qd3li]

what,you were right,dafuq are you talking about?

[@isaacargesmith8217]

He's making a joke about the fact that so far almost all cryptid animals trey's talking about have been either an owl or basking shark.

[@tamarpeles4760]

When Trey the explainer actually teaches you stuff about your own native language

[@blemmchan]

Fun fact, the Tasmanian devil and some other Aussie animals have been recorded to able to glow under uv light.

[@AngelBoy666]

Oh man, I've only just discovered your channel ( subscribed). I have a strong interest in Paleontology, Anthropology and Theology and my opinions mirror yours so closely. Regarding Paleontology you've taught me things I didn't know which I love. Kudos to you, an awesome job, well researched, interesting and entertaining ( any-hoo)😂. You got a new fan dude 👍🏻