Jonathan David Whitcomb
Author of the cryptozoology book
Pterosaur sketches by Eskin Kuhn (eyewitness) of Ohio
Live Pterosaurs in America
Jonathan D. Whitcomb
Whitcomb in Papua New Guinea
Milt Marcy and Peter Beach in Washington state
The late Scott Norman
Near Gomlongon Village,
Umboi Island, PNG
The origin of this cryptozoology book
Active Involvement
“Writing a book about live pterosaurs in the United
States of America was not what I, Jonathan Whitcomb,
was thinking as I trudged up the jungle trail that lead
to Gomlongon Village, late in 2004. I was there to
videotape the ropen, a flying cryptid that some of the
eyewitnesses describe like a pterosaur.
“I had interviewed eyewitnesses of apparent nocturnal
pterosaurs before my expedition in Papua New Guinea;
but the 17 credible natives I interviewed in person, in
that little-explored country, convinced me even more:
Some pterosaurs still live in the southwest Pacific.
“I returned home to begin writing my first nonfiction
book: Searching for Ropens. During the twelve months
I spent writing the book, I also wrote many web pages.
The response was shocking: Many eyewitnesses sent me
emails, describing their encounters with similar flying
creatures in the United States of America. I then wrote
another nonfiction cryptozoology book, Live Pterosaurs
in America, using those eyewitness accounts and my
analysis of them.
“I am indebted to a number of cryptozoologists and
explorers who have done their own investigations and
gone on their own expeditions. These include Garth
Guessman, David Woetzel, James Blume, Jacob Kepas,
Peter Beach, Milt Marcy, Paul Nation, and Greg Hedger.
“I am also grateful for the research of Gerald McIsaac,
author of the nonfiction cryptozoology book Bird From
Hell, which involves reports from eyewitnesses of these
modern pterosaurs in British Columbia, Canada. Ropens
are not confined by political boundaries or even by the
oceans of our wonderful planet. They are uncommon
and mostly nocturnal, yet they have spread out into
many areas of the world.”
Third edition of the
nonfiction book
Live Pterosaurs in America, by Whitcomb
Following detailed advice from Mr. Paul
Nation (a cryptozoologist from Texas who
had explored Umboi Island, Papua New
Guinea), Whitcomb spent the first few
months of 2004 preparing to explore this
remote tropical island between Australia
and the Philippines.
Although he failed to see the nocturnal
flying creature himself, he interviewed
many natives who had seen the ropen.
In returning home in the United States,
Whitcomb stopped in Cairns, Australia
and sent a number of emails to Garth
Guessman and David Woetzel, who were
about to go on their own cryptozoological
expedition on Umboi Island.
Whitcomb Expedition
of 2004 on Umboi
copyright 2010, 2011, 2017 Jonathan David Whitcomb
About the Author
From 2003 through 2016, Mr. Whitcomb
wrote nine editions of four nonfiction
books, one scientific paper in a peer-
reviewed journal of science, and over a
thousand web pages and blog posts on
sighting reports of featherless flying
creatures described like pterosaurs.
A number of American cryptozoologists
have interviewed native eyewitnesses of
the ropen of Papua New Guinea, but as
a forensic videographer Whitcomb was
the first explorer with any professional
background in interviewing witnesses
(expedition on Umboi Island, Papua
New Guinea, Sep-Oct, 2004).
Sighting of an Apparent
Pteranodon in California
[in 2005], “I met Scott Norman. My associate,
Garth Guessman, introduced me to this crypto-
zoologist who had explored in central Africa,
searching for the Mokele-mbembe.
“Scott never saw the Mokele dinosaur in Africa,
but two years after I met him he became, I
believe, the first American cryptozoologist to
observe the clear form of a living pterosaur
while searching for one.” (from third edition
of Live Pterosaurs in America)
The head reminded him of that of a Pteranodon.
Cryptozoologist Scott T. Norman
Jonathan Whitcomb and Clifford
Paiva: two scientists investigate
the old photograph called “Ptp.”
(a.k.a. “Civil War pterodactyl”)
Ptp - the “Civil War Pteranodon photograph”
Paul Nation, of Texas, has gone on the most expeditions to
Papua New Guinea, in search of modern living pterosaurs
Sighting by Eskin Kuhn, 1971, in Cuba
Author of the cryptozoology book
Jonathan David Whitcomb
Jonathan D. Whitcomb
Whitcomb in Papua New Guinea
The late Scott Norman
Pterosaur sketches by Eskin Kuhn (eyewitness) of Ohio
Live Pterosaurs in America
Near Gomlongon Village,
Umboi Island, PNG
Active Involvement
The origin of this cryptozoology book
“Writing a book about live pterosaurs in the United
States of America was not what I, Jonathan Whitcomb,
was thinking as I trudged up the jungle trail that lead
to Gomlongon Village, late in 2004. I was there to
videotape the ropen, a flying cryptid that some of the
eyewitnesses describe like a pterosaur.
“I had interviewed eyewitnesses of apparent nocturnal
pterosaurs before my expedition in Papua New Guinea;
but the 17 credible natives I interviewed in person, in
that little-explored country, convinced me even more:
Some pterosaurs still live in the southwest Pacific.
“I returned home to begin writing my first nonfiction
book: Searching for Ropens. During the twelve months
I spent writing the book, I also wrote many web pages.
The response was shocking: Many eyewitnesses sent me
emails, describing their encounters with similar flying
creatures in the United States of America. I then wrote
another nonfiction cryptozoology book, Live Pterosaurs
in America, using those eyewitness accounts and my
analysis of them.
“I am indebted to a number of cryptozoologists and
explorers who have done their own investigations and
gone on their own expeditions. These include Garth
Guessman, David Woetzel, James Blume, Jacob Kepas,
Peter Beach, Milt Marcy, Paul Nation, and Greg Hedger.
“I am also grateful for the research of Gerald McIsaac,
author of the nonfiction cryptozoology book Bird From
Hell, which involves reports from eyewitnesses of these
modern pterosaurs in British Columbia, Canada. Ropens
are not confined by political boundaries or even by the
oceans of our wonderful planet. They are uncommon
and mostly nocturnal, yet they have spread out into
many areas of the world.”
Third edition of the
nonfiction book
Live Pterosaurs in America, by Whitcomb
Following detailed advice from Mr. Paul
Nation (a cryptozoologist from Texas who
had explored Umboi Island, Papua New
Guinea), Whitcomb spent the first few
months of 2004 preparing to explore this
remote tropical island between Australia
and the Philippines.
Although he failed to see the nocturnal
flying creature himself, he interviewed
many natives who had seen the ropen.
In returning home in the United States,
Whitcomb stopped in Cairns, Australia
and sent a number of emails to Garth
Guessman and David Woetzel, who were
about to go on their own cryptozoological
expedition on Umboi Island.
Whitcomb Expedition
of 2004 on Umboi
Sighting of an Apparent
Pteranodon in California
[in 2005], “I met Scott Norman. My
associate, Garth Guessman, introduced me
to this cryptozoologist who had explored in
central Africa, searching for the Mokele-
mbembe.
“Scott never saw the Mokele dinosaur in
Africa, but two years after I met him he
became, I believe, the first American
cryptozoologist to observe the clear form
of a living pterosaur while searching for
one.” (third edition of Live Pterosaurs
in America)
The head reminded him of a Pteranodon.
Cryptozoologist Scott T. Norman
Ptp - the “Civil War Pteranodon photograph”
Jonathan Whitcomb and Clifford
Paiva: two scientists investigate
the old photograph called “Ptp.”
(a.k.a. “Civil War pterodactyl”)
About the Author
From 2003 through 2016, Mr. Whitcomb
wrote nine editions of four nonfiction
books, one scientific paper in a peer-
reviewed journal of science, and over a
thousand web pages and blog posts on
sighting reports of featherless flying
creatures described like pterosaurs.
A number of American cryptozoologists
have interviewed native eyewitnesses of
the ropen of Papua New Guinea, but as
a forensic videographer Whitcomb was
the first explorer with any professional
background in interviewing witnesses
(expedition on Umboi Island, Papua
New Guinea, Sep-Oct, 2004).
Paul Nation, of Texas, has gone on the most
expeditions to Papua New Guinea, in search
of modern living pterosaurs
Sighting by Eskin Kuhn, 1971, in Cuba
copyright 2010, 2011, 2017 Jonathan David Whitcomb
Author of the
cryptozoology book
Jonathan David Whitcomb
Pterosaur sketches by Eskin Kuhn
Live Pterosaurs in America
Jonathan Whitcomb on Umboi
Island in Papua New Guinea
The late Scott Norman
Active Involvement
The origin of this cryptozoology book
“Writing a book about live pterosaurs in the United States of
America was not what I, Jonathan Whitcomb, was thinking as
I trudged up the jungle trail that lead to Gomlongon Village,
late in 2004. I was there to videotape the ropen, a flying cryptid
that some of the eyewitnesses describe like a pterosaur.
“I had interviewed eyewitnesses of apparent nocturnal pterosaurs
before my expedition in Papua New Guinea; but the 17 credible
natives I interviewed in person, in that little-explored country,
convinced me even more: Some pterosaurs still live in the south-
west Pacific.
“I returned home to begin writing my first nonfiction book:
Searching for Ropens. During the twelve months I spent writing
the book, I also wrote many web pages. The response was shock-
ing: Many eyewitnesses sent me emails, describing encounters
with similar flying creatures in the United States of America. I
then wrote another cryptozoology book, Live Pterosaurs in
America, using the eyewitness accounts and my analysis of them.
“I am indebted to a number of cryptozoologists and explorers
who have done their own investigations and gone on their own
expeditions. These include Garth Guessman, David Woetzel,
James Blume, Jacob Kepas, Peter Beach, Milt Marcy, Paul
Nation, and Greg Hedger.
“I am also grateful for the research of Gerald McIsaac, author of
the nonfiction cryptozoology book Bird From Hell, which involves
reports from eyewitnesses of these modern pterosaurs in British
Columbia, Canada. Ropens are not confined by political boun-
daries or even by the oceans of our wonderful planet. They are
uncommon and mostly nocturnal, yet they have spread out into
many areas of the world.” (words of Jonathan David Whitcomb)
Third edition of the
nonfiction book
Live Pterosaurs in America, by Whitcomb
Sighting of an Apparent
Pteranodon in California
[in 2005], “I met Scott Norman. My associate, Garth Guessman,
introduced me to this cryptozoologist who had explored in central
Africa, searching for the Mokele-mbembe.
“Scott never saw the Mokele dinosaur in Africa, but two years after
I met him he became, I believe, the first American cryptozoologist
to observe the clear form of a living pterosaur while searching for
one.” (third edition of Live Pterosaurs in America)
The head reminded him of that of a Pteranodon.
Following detailed advice from Mr. Paul Nation (a cryptozoologist
from Texas who had explored Umboi Island, Papua New Guinea),
Whitcomb spent the first few months of 2004 preparing to explore
this remote tropical island between Australia and the Philippines.
Although he failed to see the nocturnal flying creature himself, he
interviewed many natives who had seen the ropen.
In returning home in the United States, Whitcomb stopped in
Cairns, Australia and sent a number of emails to Garth Guessman
and David Woetzel, who were about to go on their own crypto-
zoological expedition on Umboi Island.
Whitcomb Expedition
of 2004 on Umboi
About the Author
From 2003 through 2016, Mr. Whitcomb wrote nine editions of
four nonfiction books, one scientific paper in a peer-reviewed
journal of science, and over a thousand web pages and blog posts
on sighting reports of featherless flying creatures described like
pterosaurs.
A number of American cryptozoologists have interviewed native
eyewitnesses of the ropen of Papua New Guinea, but as a forensic
videographer Whitcomb was the first explorer with any professional
background in interviewing witnesses (expedition on Umboi Island,
Papua New Guinea, September-October, 2004).
Ptp - the “Civil War Pteranodon photograph”
Jonathan Whitcomb and Clifford
Paiva: two scientists investigate
the old photograph called “Ptp.”
(a.k.a. “Civil War pterodactyl”)
Paul Nation, of Texas, has gone on the most
expeditions to Papua New Guinea, in search
of modern living pterosaurs
Sighting by Eskin Kuhn, 1971, in Cuba
copyright 2010, 2011, 2017 Jonathan David Whitcomb
