Where, How?

A general cryptozoology question. How would most cryptids we are studying today, have come about?
Mutation? Cross breeding? Or some strange survival?

[ATS Cryptozoology Research Group]

Any and all of the three.

Nessie, Champ, Ogopogo - these could very well be living fossils of some sort, much like the celocanth(sp?).

Cross breeding - well, we know that creatures of similar genetic structure can breed, like the Lion and Tiger cross, the Liger, and all canines can cross breed (there's a wolf-dog that lives up the road from me).

Mutation - that's how evolution functions. Certian mutations that make a member of a species more suited to it's enviroment, and therefore stronger than other members survives to pass on it's DNA to all subsiquent generations. Over time, these mutations may cause a new species to arise.

Using sasquatch as an example, you can deduce that A. A giant ape species, Gigantopithicus Blacki, survives extention. B. It crossbreeds with other simian species similar to it to create a new species, more suited to climate, food supply, etc. C. further mutations in subsiquent generations allow the new ape to become even more adapted to its enviroment, allowing it to survive to modern day.

That's what I think anyway.

Nice one Juan. Thats really interesting

I believe that many of these creatures are simply products of the most wonderful thing known as evolution. Many would rush to the extraterrestrial answer however I believe that is simply because they do not think that evolution is able to yield such stunning results. A few examples I believe to be the products of Earth's evolutionary track would be Big Foot, The Loch Ness Monster, The Dover Demon, and El Chupacabra. Obviously I have no proof of this however if you look at the behaviors of each they act very similar to existing species. Some I will admit have no evolutionary explanation, would be The Mothman, The Flatwoods Monster, and The Jersey Devil which would appear to be paranormal or extraterrestrial in nature. Then there are those that simply do not exist, many people who like the idea of them existing will do anything to attempt to make a case for then when the fact remains that they are simply a result of our collective imaginations. These would be Dragons, Vampires and Werewolves to name a few.

Though evolution is full of scientific holes, that would be a plausible explanation. Then there's interdemensional travel....