Bigfoot to Mothman: A Global Encyclopedia of Legendary Beasts and Monsters

This one-volume encyclopedia introduces readers to the world’s cryptids-those hidden or secret animals believed to exist at the margins of human society-including Bigfoot, Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Mothman.

Comprehensive in its scope, this book is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to know more about well-known creatures of myth and legend, such as the Chupacabra and the Jersey Devil, and discover lesser-known animals, such as the Bunyip of Australia and the Mamlambo of South Africa. Rather than purport to prove or deny the existence of these creatures, however, this volume classifies them within their respective cultural, historical, and social contexts, allowing readers to appreciate cryptids as cultural artifacts important to societies around the globe. Finally, this book goes beyond the study of the unknown to investigate who believes in cryptids, why they do, and why the study of cryptozoology is as much about understanding cryptids as it is about understanding ourselves.

Margo DeMello is Assistant Professor in the anthrozoology program at Carroll College, USA. She is the author of many books, including Bigfoot to Mothman: A Global Encyclopedia of Legendary Beasts and Monsters (2024), On the Job: An Encyclopedia of Unique Occupations around the World (2021), the second edition of Animals and Society: An Introduction to Human-Animal Studies (2021), Mourning Animals: Rituals and Practices Surrounding Animal Death (2016), and Inked: Tattoos and Body Art around the World (2014).