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I have received an apology from the website creator of the “International Society of Cryptozoology,” who has pulled everything down.

Rosalyn Walker writes me:

I would firstly like to thank you for bringing this situation to my attention. It was never my intention to cause harm to anyone and if I have I can only apologise.

The website and group I set up was for nothing more than to fullfil my interest in cryptozoology.

***

I have taken the website down and deleted the facebook page.

My intention was not to deceive. Nor was it to cause anyone any upset….It was nothing more than a self indulgent hobby. Something that I enjoy outside of my work….

I am not a malicious person. I am not some kind of fraudulent conman trying to take people’s hard earned cash. I make my living as a performer and nothing more.

I meant no harm.

Thank you again for highlighting a potential problem.

Kindest regards,
Rosalyn Walker

I accept Mr. Walker’s explanation that he did not realize that he had infringed on an organization that has copyrights, a continuing corporate structure due to some fiscal considerations detailed to me by Dr. Mackal, and more.

++++++++Earlier posting about this situation++++++++++++

Karl Shuker asks: “Is it true that the International Society of Cryptozoology (ISC) has relaunched? I’ve just discovered this site, which claims to be the new website of the lately-relaunched ISC.”

I replied: “Anyone can try to inappropriately take over a name, but from my info from Roy Mackal, there are many outstanding contracts and monies owed to various people by the original ISC. He tells me that no one has his (as VP) or the permission of those involved to employ the name or reconstitute the society.”

Besides, there are trademarks and copyrights to dwell with that this new Facebook-generated “society” has not dealt with, apparently.

So what’s going on here?

Wikipedia has this entry for the International Society of Cryptozoology (ISC):

The International Society of Cryptozoology (ISC) was founded in 1982 in Washington, D.C. to serve as a scholarly center for documenting and evaluating evidence of unverified animals; that is, animal species or forms which have been reported in some manner but which have not been scientifically proven to exist. The study of such animals is known as cryptozoology, and Cryptozoology was also the title of its journal. The President was Bernard Heuvelmans, and the Vice-President Roy Mackal.

The Secretary was J. Richard Greenwell (died 2005), of the University of Arizona. Loren Coleman, John Willison Green, and several other prominent cryptozoologists were either Life Members, Honorary Members, or Board Members.

The official emblem of the society was the Okapi, which was chosen because, although it was well known to the inhabitants of its region, it was unknown to the European scientific community until the English explorer Harry Johnston sent to London an Okapi skin which received international attention in 1901.

The journal Cryptozoology was published from 1982 to 1996.[6] The Society also published a newsletter ISC News.

The ISC ended its activities in 1998 due to financial problems, though a website continued until 2005.

According to the journal Cryptozoology, the ISC served “as a focal point for the investigation, analysis, publication, and discussion of all matters related to animals of unexpected form or size, or unexpected occurrence in time or space.”

Unfortunately, Wikipedia then continues on with the following information about the dubious “new” International Society of Cryptozoology:

With their website, Facebook group and the tagline ‘studying the impossible since 1982’ the International Society of Cryptozoology has resurfaced once again in 2011 with the single goal to reestablish itself within the Cryptozoological community.

Now based in London, England and sponsored by Roslyn Walker the new incarnation of the I.S.C. has kept many of the old values its predecessor set in place, including using the image of the Okapi for its logo. It is notable for the youth of many of the members [a total of seventy as of the beginning of November, 2011].

But this is a fake group, having as much to do with the 1982 ISC as the late Jon-Erik Beckjord’s “International Cryptozoological Society” did, or Joseph Levy’s fictional “Cryptozoological Society of London,” which he created for a terrible coffee table book on mostly non-cryptid creatures.

So, who is behind this alleged re-launch of the “new ISC.”

It is there, in print:

Our sponsors: Roslyn Walker is the world’s ORIGINAL gentleman escape artist and is now taking bookings for Christmas 2011.

Yes, they use the name and an okapi drawing.

But anyone can use an okapi and call themselves the ISC, but this ISC has nothing to do with the 1982 ISC.

+++++++++++++++++

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 at 3:44 pm and is filed under Cryptomundo Exclusive, Cryptotourism, CryptoZoo News, Cryptozoologists, Cryptozoology. You can follow responses via our RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.