Haunted Realm Paranormal Investigators

Richard Freeman was born in Nuneateon, England, in 1970 he is a cryptozoologist, author, zoological journalist, and WebTV Presenter. He is also Zoological Director of the Centre For Fortean Zoology (CFZ), and co-edits both the journal, Animals & Men and several editions of the annual CFZ Yearbook. Richard Freeman has written, co-written, or edited a number of books, and has contributed widely to both Fortean and zoological magazines, as well as other newspapers and periodicals, including Fortean Times, Paranormal Magazine and Monster Hunter by Jonathan Downes (CFZ Press, Exeter, 2004).

He has also lectured across the UK at events such as the Fortean Times Unconvention, the Weird Weekend, Microcon and at museums such as the Natural History Museum and the Grant Museum of Natural History in London.

In 1995, Freeman began studying zoology at Leeds University. Whilst on holiday from the university, he learned of the CFZ and bought a copy of the Centre’s journal Animals & Men, which left him impressed enough to subscribe and begin contributing. He eventually became the CFZ's Yorkshire representative and, once the course had ended, moved to Devon to become a full-time member of the Centre. He is now the Zoological Director and co-editor of Animals & Men.

What exactly does the Centre for Fortean Zoology do?

The Centre for Fortean Zoology is the only scientific, full time organization in the world dedicated to investigating unknown animals.
We not only take expeditions all over the world hunting cryptids but we publish magazines and books on cryptozoology. We are the worlds only publishing house specializing in cryptozoology.

Can you remember your very first case you investigated?

The first case i investigated was the Beast of Selby in Yorkshire. It was an alien big cat i hunted back in 1995. I left scent trails and baited sand traps but all to no avail.

Who was the most influential to you when you were starting out?

Jon Pertwee, the third Dr Who. I grew up with him as the Doctor in the 1970s. The series tiggered my love of monsters!

You go on many cryptozoological expeditions, do you have a favourite one?

Mongolia was just so alien and weird. The Gobi has so many faces, we saw a frozen river in an ice gorge, sand that was so reflective it was like a mirror, sand that made roaring noises, cliffs that looked like petrified fire, lost temples in the desert, places that looked like Mars and mountains that looked like melted chocolate. We also got caught in a tornado and in sandstorms as well as seeng mirages!

Could cryptids such as Bigfoot or the Yeti or even the Loch Ness Monster exist in such a technological modern world?

Yes they could. There is a fallacy that all the world is well explored. Vast tracts of land in Africa, Asia, South America, and Australia are still unexplored. Even natives do not live in some of the more remote places. Even in the age of satalite imaging jungles still pull a vail over much of the world and of course we can’t see into the deep sea.

On several occasions i have been to places such as caves and remote jungle valleys and desert oasis were no white man and very few natives have ever trod.

Does the Mongolian Death Worm exist if so how could a worm survive in a desert?

We travelled for over 1000 miles through the Gobi and spoke to dozens of witnesses who all described the same animal. The deathworm is not a true worm (they could not survive in such an arid climate) but a reptile. It is possably an unknown sand boa or worm lizard. Worm lizards are a weird, burrowing group of reptiles that are related to snakes and lizards but are in a little group of their own.

How have your opinions on cryptozoology changed since your early years?

At first i wes very sceptical about bigfoot. Over the years the sheer volume of sightings plus the Pattison film have convinced me of its existence.

What are you working on at the moment you can tell our readers about?

I have just finnished writing a book on weird creatures from Japanese folklore. It's called The Great Yokai Encyclopedia and is due out latter this year from CFZ Press.

I'm currently looking for sponsership for a second expedition to Guyana in search of the Giant Anaconda and an undiscovered tribe of primative pigmies.