Earlier this week we reported on possible Mothman/bat-like creature sighting in the University Park area of Chicago. Yesterday, photo evidence of a similar type creature was submitted to the MUFON database. Taken September 22, 2011 on the corner of 63rd St. and Pulaski Rd. by an individual using a HTC Sensation 4G to photograph the large indian statue that sits on the building at the northwest corner of the intersection (apparently, when viewed from this particular angle the statue’s left thumb sticks out giving the illusion that his “totem pole” is showing). At home, the photographer reviewed the images and noticed a black object in one of the photos just to the left of the indian (enhanced with 4x magnification to the left). Upon enlarging the image, he noticed that the object appeared to be some sort of large bat like creature.

Examining what appears to be the original image, there does not appear to be any obvious fakery/photoshopping (though I will be the first to admit that I am no expert in image forensics). This leads me to believe that the bat-like object was in fact present when the photo was taken. This leaves us to consider where the object was in relation to the camera. Was it closer than the cars in the foreground, making is relatively small, or was it beyond the indian statue (which would make it quite large)? Unfortunately, there is no good frame of reference for us to really judge size by. However, in the original image, the “creature” appears sharp and focused, as does the indian, satellite dish and street lamp. Most likely since the photo’s true subject (the indian) was so far away, the camera was set to infinite focus. This means that anything over a certain distance from the lens should appear, more or less, in focus. Since the object is more or less in focus, I am led to believe that it is in fact positioned at a equal or greater distance from the camera as the foreground cars and is quite large. The fact that the witness did not notice the creature at the time the photo was taken would seem to support this hypothesis.

Could then, if this photo is not a hoax, the creature in this photo be the the same one spotted by multiple witnesses eight days later in Miller Park? The two locations are only separated by approximately 7 miles and in the photo the creature seems to be flying away from the camera (assuming a bat-like anatomy), which was facing North Northeast, which happens to in the direction of the second sighting. If neither report is a hoax, then it seems it would be safe to assume that the creature in this photo is at least the same type of creature (if not the same one) that was later spotted in the University Park area. This only leaves one question, what exactly has taken to the skies above Chicago? Is the windy city the latest host of a Mothman or is the bat-like creature something else entirely?

Photo: 2nd Mothman / Bat-Like Object Witnessed Over Chicago

[UPDATED] It looks as if a Mothman may have paid a visit to the Windy City. According to witness reports a large bat-like creature with glowing red eyes was spotted in the University Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois on Friday, September 30th 2011. Witnesses spotted the creature, which they estimated to be 6 to 7 feet tall, perched on a basketball hoop in Miller Park. When it took off, the heard an audible “whoosh” as it beat its wings. Nearby two female witnesses were moved to hysterics when they spotted a pair of glowing red eyes peering in the window. Researchers have identified multiple witness and are currently investigating the incident.

If the creature that was spotted in Chicago was a Mothman, could there be a tragedy in the city’s future? If we are to believe the historic sightings of the Mothman, it very well may be. After the 1966 and 1967 sightings in Point Pleasant, West Virginia the Silver Bridge, which connected the town to Kanauga, Ohio over the Ohio river collapsed during rush hour killing 46. There are also reports of a Mothman type creature being spotted around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant shortly before the plants catastrophic failure in 1986. If the Mothman is indeed an omen of catastrophe, what does the future hold for Chicago?

UPDATE: I can’t believe that I failed to make the connection when I was writing the post, but Friday Oct 8th there was a major freight train derailment 100 miles outside of Chicago. The derailment set off a series of massive explosions that caused the evacuation of the 800 residents of the small town of Tiskilwa, Illinois. Amazingly, no one was hurt in the accident. Could the Mothman sighting be linked to this accident, or is something else in store for Chicago?

A possible Mothman sighting in Chicago, Illinois? [via @CoraxSays]

Is it possible that there is a conspiracy afoot that has moved to suppress the existence of Sasquatch in the United States? According to a series of tweets by Big Foot researcher William Jevning, that is exactly the case. Jevning relates an incident that he was involved with in 1994.

While scouting a favorite hunting spot the father of one of Jevning’s co-workers and his friend came across a series of what they believed to be Sasquatch tracks running down a little used access road in the Mt. Adams area of Washington state. On the way out of the area the two reported the prints to a forest service supervisor. The supervisor then headed out to the area with a camera to document the tracks. When they returned home, the two contacted Mr. Jevning and offered to take him out to the area. On the way in, they passed a forest service water tanker that was leaving the area. Upon arriving where the tracks had been, Jevning discovered that the water truck had been driven down the access road spraying water, destroying any evidence. Jevning attempted to follow-up with the forest service, but was told the supervisor the hunters encountered didn’t exist. According to him, the forest service personnel he spoke with responded in a less than honest tone.

But why would the forest service cover-up the existence of a big foot? According to Jevning, it all has to do with the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the logging industry. While researching his new book, “Notes From the Field: Tracking North America’s Sasquatch“, Jevning discovered that if the existence of a North American Hominid or Great Ape were proven, the entire logging industry in the area would be shut down while scientists conducted research on the new species and studied the impact that continued logging would have, costing the industry what would certainly amount to billions of dollars.

I have to say, I never thought to consider the effect that the “discovery” of Sasquatch would have on the logging industry. After seeing the lengths that other industries have gone to protect their bottom line, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least to learn that the logging industry was taking steps to prevent the formal identification of Sasquatch as a living species. While all we have right now is a single anecdote which hardly proves anything, I would love to see more research into this facet of the Big Foot story. (I will admit though that this has peaked my interest and I have a copy of Jevning’s book sitting in my cart at Amazon as we speak.)

[via "Recent Cryptid Odds and Ends" @ Phantoms & Monsters]