What's It Like Being a Full-Time Cryptozoologist?

[@Tsotha]

Simon from the Danish Fortean organisation HidDenmark here, Jonathan Downes once interviewed me and Thomas for "On the Track" and he is always an interesting conversation partner. And yeah big cats in Britain are those cryptids I consider most likely to exist, at this point the real argument is whether there is a permanent breeding population or just individual animals who escaped from captivity.

[@Digitiser]

Good to see you here, Simon!

[@TertiaryScroat]

I cannot accept there are enough cats of the same species to form a viable gene pool to maintain the species. I know spor, scat and calling can bridge large distances to help but I doubt there are enough cats to form a viable population even if they could all breed together let alone a population of the same species.

[@Tsotha]

@@TertiaryScroat I remember Karl Shuker making a convincing case for a viable breeding population of at least one big cat species in his book "Mystery Cats of the World"

[@TertiaryScroat]

@Tsotha yeah?, what was his explanation for a population of such a size remaining hidden?, thanks for the reply by the way.

[@Tsotha]

@@TertiaryScroat Great Britain having a breeding population of lynxes until the 18th century

[@MarcNewitt]

Biffo's trip to Guyana 2007BB (Before Beanus)

[@JamieCurranthemagnificent-z7h]

He looks like Shain Ritchie!😂

[@felineexceptional]

This was fascinating. And Pauls experience is almost identical to mine and my husbands, in Derbyshire. On the A517, near Hulland Ward, there was a car in front of us that we were preparing to over take, suddenly the car in front slammed on and swerved right in to the oncoming lane, we also had to break, as the car in front moved away, we saw what they had swerved for, it wàs a medium sized Big Cat, Cougar like, but a bit smaller, sand coloured, rounded tail tipped, orange eyes, black mouth. I had my phone at my side, but we didn't even think to photograph it as we watched it saunter in to the undergrowth at the side of the road. It wasn't scrawny how Paul describes his encounter, this was hench. It looked us directly in the eye. It was not shy! It was just before the sun came down, weather and lighting conditions were perfect. As Jonathan pointed out, if we had a dash cam at the time, it would have definitely been caught. It's about 3 years ago and I still get shook when I drive that way. There are loads of farms and livestock in that area, so it would probably be worth asking the local landowners if they have experienced any sightings or stock being slaughtered in a strange manner.

[@Digitiser]

I'm sure a lot of people don't even bother mentioning it. Thank you for sharing!

[@andrewgladstone-heighton1532]

what an absolute delight this was

[@Digitiser]

Thanks, Andrew.

[@suededogs9670]

More please ! Absolutely loved that . Right up my street. Thank-you Paul & Sanja for bringing this to us ❤❤❤❤❤

[@Digitiser]

You're very welcome!

[@branchsnapper2228]

What a wonderful episode. I had no idea of your connection to Jon, Richard and CFZ.

[@Digitiser]

Indeed! We go back a long way.

[@Pencliff]

This is such a wonderful interview

[@Digitiser]

Thank you!

[@kyleshepherd8639]

Barshens brought me here, hello from Oregon! Absolutely fascinating talk! I had such a hard time hearing sometimes, but I know there's only so much you can do with the source material. Our local cryto is Sasquatch/bigfoot of course, but he takes more a form in commercialism than an actual crptozoological phenomenon let alone personal accounts of such creatures. Do I think there were such beings personally? Nah, but I'd bet there've been countless individuals of that rough shape out in the wilderness over the last few hundred years. Have I personally seen living things I can't account for now? Certainly. It's genuinely a deeply fascinating subject, to even a worldwide degree. And don't forget, we are still discovering new, living species to this day. Many happy returns to the channel -kyle

[@Digitiser]

Hello from London! Glad you found us.

[@SteveWonderspons]

Super interesting and fun video! Very cool to hear more of Jonathan. Very cool!

[@Digitiser]

Cheers, Steve.

[@TheVaultIsMine]

This is the REAL Mr. Biffo's Found Footage!

[@JamieCurranthemagnificent-z7h]

😂

[@Digitiser]

Hah. Yeah, I guess.

[@nielsvandalen32]

As a hopeful sceptic myself, this episode was fantastic. Love the passion on display.

[@Digitiser]

Thanks, Niels!

[@Mildfury]

Genuine lovely people, great interview.

[@Digitiser]

Thank you!

[@Paraplausable]

Just doing it for fun drives me mad trying to work out what ive actually seen / photographed . Leaves more questions than answers usually ! .

[@Digitiser]

I'm sure!

[@BrickingMyself9000]

Such a wonderful chat, thank you for sharing it, it's great to see Jonathan again

[@Digitiser]

He's a legend!

[@BrickingMyself9000]

@Digitiser You all are!

[@Digitiser]

@@BrickingMyself9000 D'awwwww!

[@JamieCurranthemagnificent-z7h]

I saw this guy on another channel recently, he's a very eccentric looking guy but seems very down to earth and really interesting!😁, thanks for another great interview guy's!🙂✌️

[@Digitiser]

He's the best! And you're welcome, Jamie.

[@colintook3357]

I would love for the Nick Redfern book 'Three Men Seeking Monsters' to be turned into a movie with Nick, Jonathan and Richard playing themselves of course. Great guy and wonderful chat.

[@Tsotha]

Redfern successfully sold the film rights but it's been stuck in development hell. At some point Jon Heder (as in Napoleon Dynamite) was supposed to play the author!

[@Digitiser]

I remember Jon and Richard telling me about all that!

[@Tsotha]

@@Digitiser I suspect Nick Redfern managed to sell the film rights by pitching it as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer as played by the cast of The Young Ones".

[@jonmahashintina]

Perhaps photographers might understand, you don't even need to be in shock necessarily. The moment is so fleeting, that even aiming the camera in time from grabbing it, is near impossible to accomplish. anyway, good to see Jonathon and Peanut (peenut?).

[@MichaelMulqueen-j6c]

This guy is just fking amazing lets just leave it at that

[@Digitiser]

Yes he is!

[@cobra_commander2255]

Biffo getting Guyanese ants in his pants 17 years ago explains so much about his current temperament!

[@Digitiser]

Well quite!

[@lisaodd3196]

These cats are often seen by farmers up here, I was told some have shot them as they pose a risk to livestock. There was (unfortunately) a deceased large black cat on the side of the road just outside Malton a few years ago, at some point it was moved. What a fascinating interview.

[@Digitiser]

Thanks, Lisa!

[@Ashley-jp4nn]

I love the cat 🐱

[@Digitiser]

Very cute!

[@adamdenby1282]

This was great Been fun to hear u 3 chat aging. And there allway sum one call Dave ha

[@maybemahgni6078]

What a lovely guy, perfect guest for Digi!

[@Digitiser]

He is!

[@mrpositronia]

Well that was a nice cosy chat. I can understand if the big cat looked scrawny, probably malnourished. But I've no idea what it could have been. Wild cat with long neck... Serval, I doubt it, they're only found in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the internet. All very curious.

[@Digitiser]

Our son's neighbour in Derby owns two servals!

[@mrpositronia]

@@Digitiser The internet needs to update its information, in that case! :^D

[@Digitiser]

@@mrpositronia We did a whole video on this last week!!!!!

[@mrpositronia]

@@Digitiser ooh! i look forward to seeing it then

[@Digitiser]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppusiKidnL2Iidksi=YoeRx8wZFRxbVKMO

[@ceebrupt]

Really fun and interesting interview, the gentle ribbing between you made it very lively!

[@Digitiser]

Thank you!

[@brandon2103]

Hi Biffo, I recently came across your video of Milton Keynes whilst digging into its origins etc and in the comments saw the mention of one Mr John O'looney. Do you think it would be possible to get this style video interview set up with Mr O'looney? The only interviews I can find relate to his work as a funeral director during the pandemic and not the conspiracies of MK itself, this would be a very interesting to see. Love the videos and the humour, looking forward to many more.

[@Digitiser]

We have heard of O'Looney. We should interview him for the name alone. Thanks, Brandon.

[@steammachine3061]

Just now learning you're personal friends with professor dumbledore

[@Tsotha]

I sometimes think Jonathan looks like a Renaissance era alchemist

[@Digitiser]

He's his own unique blend of eccentric.

[@Tsotha]

@@Digitiser I often describe Jonathan as Alan Moore if he became a cryptozoologist instead of a comic book author

[@sifumerrybongomoo]

This is Biffo's greatest character. Puts the Tony Harris makeup to shame. AI perhaps?

[@bryanbridgwood6923]

Possibly a slim badger, or an urban otter, we can't rule them out.

[@CaptainSteveVPT]

Oh wow... love crytids, like the idea that there could be dinosaurs 🦕 in the Amazon or jungles someplace undiscovered... covered a few sightings...

[@Digitiser]

Dinosaurs are my jam!

[@themnocrat]

Biffo, your big cat may have been a caracal.

[@Digitiser]

Yes - think that's about the closest to what I saw.

[@scottneil1187]

How dare you?!. Biffo is a fine specimen of a man!.

[@Digitiser]

!!

[@tokyogorman5255]

You know, this video never came into my feed. I stumbled across it 3 days after you uploaded it, despite being subbed to your channel for years. KZbin doing its normal nonsense 🙄

[@Digitiser]

Glad you found it eventually.

[@bryanbridgwood6923]

Bravo

[@Digitiser]

Thanks, Bryan.

[@TertiaryScroat]

I sincerely hope my cats have gone to the great catnip factory in the sky.

[@bryanbridgwood6923]

Im very confused, why was George Michael talking with Biffos voice?

[@Digitiser]

Yeah, yeah. Used to get that a lot.

[@Mentski]

Anarchists of the world... Do what ever you want! It's none of my business!

[@Digitiser]

Oh-hoh!

[@bathbadgerking]

Wonderful to zee

[@Digitiser]

Hah!

[@TertiaryScroat]

Have you asked him about his grandfathers magic display?

[@Digitiser]

????

[@TertiaryScroat]

@Digitiser if it is the same chap I once saw at a Fortean Times Unconvention he mentioned a story about his grandfather performing real magic in front of him. It is a gob smacking claim, you should ask him,.

[@Digitiser]

@@TertiaryScroat I did not know this story! I will ask him!