More ‘dino’ sightings in Papua New Guinea

Published: 23 August 2012 (GMT+10)

Following on from his 2008 article Theropod and sauropod dinosaurs sighted in PNG?, in January 2012 the author Brian Irwin along with Russell Cook (both Australians) travelled to West New Britain in Papua New Guinea to investigate further reports of animals presumed to be extinct. Here is an account of their conversations with eyewitnesses—local people who claimed to have recently seen dinosaur-like creatures.

Figure 1: The author, Brian Irwin (left), with Russell Cook (right) at Gasmata, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea, with locals Fabian Amon (second from left), and Matthew—local politician and interpreter (second from right). — **Figure 1**: The author, Brian Irwin (left), with Russell Cook (right) at Gasmata, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea, with locals Fabian Amon (second from left), and Matthew—local politician and interpreter (second from right).

Sauropod sightings in the south of West New Britain

1. Ambungi Island Sightings

The inhabitants of Ambungi Island¹ and the surrounding region have observed unusual animals that resemble sauropod dinosaurs since the mid-1990s. Ambungi Island is located about two kilometres south of the south coast of West New Britain, approximately midway between Kandrian and Gasmata. It is only since the 1920s that Ambungi Island has been populated.

Swimming with a sauropod?

A local man named Alphones Likky (interviewed on 15^th January 2012—see Figure 2) claimed to have seen a sauropod-like creature in 1995 while he was spearfishing on the reef on the south side (unpopulated) of Ambungi Island.

Figure 2: While diving on a reef on the south side of Ambungi Island in 1995, Alphones Likky (far left) was startled to see a large sauropod-like creature about five metres away. — **Figure 2**: While diving on a reef off Ambungi Island in 1995, Alphones Likky (far left) was startled to see a large sauropod-like creature about five metres away.

Alphones was facing south at the bottom of the reef stalking fish when, he says, he heard the sound of something crashing into the coral behind him. When Alphones turned around he was startled to see a large animal at close range, a distance of approximately five metres (c. 15 feet), fully submersed in the water. He says it moved slowly past from left to right and entered the left of two underwater caves located on the south side of Ambungi Island. (See Figure 3.)

Figure 3: An artist’s reconstruction of the animal seen entering an underwater cave on the south side of Ambungi Island. — **Figure 3**: An artist’s reconstruction of the animal seen entering an underwater cave on the south side of Ambungi Island.

Alphones described the animal as having a long neck and tail and four legs, with the hind legs being longer than the front legs and the feet resembling those of a duck. The length of the animal was estimated to be four metres from the front legs to the end of the tail, with a height of two to three metres. The animal’s skin was stated to be dark brown, the texture of the skin could not be determined. The head of the creature was described as being small and similar to a snake’s head; no teeth were observed and the eye was described as being similar to the eyes of other animals. Dermal frills were observed on the animal’s back and tail, but not on the neck. The creature’s movement was described as being slow, with the tail moving noticeably. The neck of the creature was horizontal for the duration of the sighting, which lasted about 10 seconds. Seeing the creature at such close range and being in the water with it, Alphones was terrified. Wanting to escape with his life from this ordeal, Alphones promptly surfaced to reach his canoe and left the area quickly. He certainly didn’t hang around in hope of getting a glimpse of the creature’s body above the water!

Figure 4—At the foot of the cliff on the south side of Ambungi Island near the two underwater caves referred to in the main text. Above: Russell Cook, donning the mask and snorkel, is preparing to take a quick look at the cave entrances, and the nearby coral. Below: As Mr Cook enters the water, part of the entrance to the left cave (the one the creature was seen entering) can be seen at right. (These two photos guided the artist’s illustration of the background landscape of Figure 3.) — **Figure 4**—At the foot of the cliff on the south side of Ambungi Island near the two underwater caves referred to in the main text. *Above*: Russell Cook, donning the mask and snorkel, is preparing to take a quick look at the cave entrances, and the nearby coral. *Below*: As Mr Cook enters the water, part of the entrance to the left cave (the one the creature was seen entering) can be seen at right. (These two photos guided the artist’s illustration of the background landscape of Figure 3.)

Figure 5: Alice Pasington (top left) tells of encountering a dinosaur in her garden. — **Figure 5**: Alice Pasington (top left) tells of encountering a dinosaur in her garden.

The two underwater caves on the south side of Ambungi Island are separated by a distance of approximately 20 metres. The left cave has a circular entrance and has a height of about 2.5 metres. The right cave has a triangular entrance and also has a height of about 2.5 metres and appears from the outside to be considerably larger than the left cave. Neither cave has been explored because of the unavailability of sophisticated diving and lighting equipment.

A dinosaur in the garden?

In 1999 the second good sighting of one of these creatures occurred, however on this occasion the animal was observed on the land.

Alice Pasington (interviewed on 14^th January 2012) was working alone in the garden on the south side of the island when she claims to have had an unusual encounter. From a distance of about 40 metres, Alice observed one of the creatures and estimated the total length to be about three metres. (See artist’s reconstruction in Figure 6.)

Figure 6: An artist’s reconstruction of the three-metre animal that Alice Pasington says she saw while working in the garden about 40 metres away. — **Figure 6**: An artist’s reconstruction of the three-metre animal that Alice Pasington says she saw while working in the garden about 40 metres away.

Figure 7: The actual plant with the rough-textured leaf that Alice Pasington saw the animal eating. — **Figure 7**: The actual plant with the rough-textured leaf that Alice Pasington saw the animal eating.

The colour of the animal’s skin was reddish-brown and white around the breast area. The texture of the skin appeared smooth and dermal frills were seen only on the tail. The animal moved slowly with its neck nearly vertical and Alice saw it feeding on a plant with a rough-textured leaf (see Figure 7).

Alice then observed the animal turn around and walk to a small cliff, where it dived into the sea. During this time, the creature was followed at a distance and did not seem aware of Alice’s presence. After the animal had left the garden, Alice observed the five-toed footprints in the ground and later showed these footprints to other residents of Ambungi Island. The animal may have entered the garden from the beach on the western side of the island during the night. From the above description, it is possible that it may have been a juvenile specimen of the same type of creature as the other sightings, based on its size, colour, footprint and smooth skin texture.

Sleeping on a rock

In 2007, Jasinta Pitim, another resident of Ambungi Island, observed the profile of a large animal sleeping on a rock on a reef on the south side of Ambungi Island. The animal was described as having a long neck that was curved back near its body, which was dark-brown, with skin described as being like a crocodile, and with dermal frills. Jasinta hurried home and told her husband Joe (interviewed on 14^th January 2012), who travelled to the location, where he saw it too. Once the animal heard the sound of people, it moved from the rock back into the sea. Back in 1997 Joe and Jasinta observed a similar animal while travelling from Ambungi Island to Malengo Island in a canoe. From a distance of approximately eight metres the head and neck of the creature were visible for a short period of time.

Similar animals have also been observed on islands close to Ambungi Island.

Figure 8: Joe and Jasinta Pitim observed a large aquatic animal sunning itself on a rock on a reef off Ambungi Island in 2007. They had seen the head and neck of a similar creature protruding above the sea while travelling by canoe ten years earlier. — **Figure 8**: Joe and Jasinta Pitim observed a large aquatic animal sunning itself on a rock on a reef off Ambungi Island in 2007. They had seen the head and neck of a similar creature protruding above the sea while travelling by canoe ten years earlier.

2. Gasmata sighting

A creature similar to the one(s) observed around Ambungi Island has also been seen once near Gasmata. One afternoon in August 2004, three adults—Fabian Amon (see Figure 1), Simon Patolkit² (Figure 9) and Margaret Patolkit—along with some children observed a sauropod-like creature on the south side of Dililo Island, an unpopulated island used mainly for farming by the local people from Gasmata.

Figure 9: The gentleman at the far left of this photo is Simon Patolkit, who along with his wife Margaret and others observed a huge creature in the sea off Gasmata. (See Figure 10.) — **Figure 9**: The gentleman at the far left of this photo is Simon Patolkit, who along with his wife Margaret and others observed a huge creature in the sea off Gasmata. (See Figure 10.)

Simon was interviewed on 13^th January 2012 at the location of the sighting and Fabian was interviewed on 18^th January 2012. Both of their accounts of the sighting were very similar.

Simon, Margaret and Fabian were diving for fish on the reef on the south side of Dililo Island when they heard an unusual sound in the water and noticed that the fish were scattering. They became somewhat frightened by this incident and left the water for the safety of the land. A short time later, while sitting on some rocks, they observed part of an unknown animal above the water about 40–50 metres away and travelling in an east-west direction parallel to the coast.

The creature had a large body and a neck estimated to be three metres long that was horizontal and close to the water. No tail or legs were visible and the total length of the visible portion of the animal was about eight metres. The head was like a crocodile or lizard and the eye was described as being ‘big’. The colour of the animal was uniform brown and the skin had a rough texture. The animal was described as having a ‘saw’ in the middle of its back, which consisted of 4 or 5 dermal frills. Observation time lasted about one minute during which time the creature moved slowly until it submersed itself fully in the water.

Figure 10: The creature observed at Gasmata Reef held its head and neck (about 3 metres long) just above the water and was described as having a ‘saw’ in the middle of its back. The visible part of the creature was estimated to be about 8 metres (26 feet) in length—but its total body length was likely considerably greater, given its tail was submerged and out of view. — **Figure 10**: An artist’s reconstruction of the creature observed at Gasmata Reef. It held its head and neck (about 3 metres long) just above the water and was described as having a ‘saw’ in the middle of its back. The visible part of the creature was estimated to be about 8 metres (26 feet) in length—but its total body length was likely considerably greater, given its tail was submerged and out of view.

3. Possible theropod sighting in the north of West New Britain

A small theropod-like creature that local people have dubbed ‘Doren’ has been repeatedly observed around Benaule Village³, which is located approximately 25 km east of Kimbe on the north coast of West New Britain. The creature has been seen quite frequently for many years, with a close encounter reported in November 2010.

Figure 11: Pastor Ken-John showing the height of the ‘Doren’ he saw while using the toilet. — **Figure 11**: Pastor Ken-John showing the height of the ‘Doren’ he saw while using the toilet.

Pastor Ken-John was sitting on an ‘outhouse’ toilet at the Tabernacle Of Worship church during the day when he observed the profile of the head and upper torso of the ‘Doren’ appear only one metre away, just outside. The head was described as being like that of an aircraft (presumably like the profile of the nose of a jet, such as a 747) and the colour was medium brown. The animal has also been seen on the seashore near the church grounds by local people, where it comes ashore during high tide and travels back to the sea during low tide.

Figure 12: Pastor Ken-John stands by the sea in the grounds of the Tabernacle of Worship church, showing where he says the ‘Doren’ comes ashore at high tide. With him are Ben (the landowner) and John. — **Figure 12**: Pastor Ken-John stands by the sea in the grounds of the Tabernacle of Worship church, showing where he says the ‘Doren’ comes ashore at high tide. With him are Ben (the landowner) and John.

A distinctive footprint of the ‘Doren’, which is described as being about 25cm long, is often seen in the sand by the sea. The left foot of the creature was drawn in the sand by a local person (see Figure 13). During the wet season, the ‘Doren’ travels inland along a creek to a mountain. The ‘Doren’ has been observed eating crabs and digging up vegetables from a garden near the church—apparently looking for worms and other invertebrates to eat, as it doesn’t normally eat the vegetables it unearths.

Figure 13: The footprint of the ‘Doren’—as drawn in the sand by Ben (Figure 12). — **Figure 13**: The footprint of the ‘Doren’—as drawn in the sand by Ben (Figure 12).

**Figure 14**: A scan of pages from the 2003 evolutionary dinosaur handbook by H. Richardson, *Dinosaurs and prehistoric life*, showing a scientific illustration of *Herrerasaurus* (on the right-hand page). Click for larger image.

When walking, the ‘Doren’ uses four legs. However, when running the creature is reported as using rear legs only and as being able to outrun a human. It seems from the descriptions that the ‘Doren’ might be best identified as a Herrerasaurus.⁴

Concluding remarks

Reports alone are ultimately not enough to conclusively establish the fact that some dinosaurs are still alive today. However, if these are eventually backed up by hard evidence, the finding of living dinosaurs should not be such a surprise to people, considering that some animals and plants that were believed to be extinct for millions of years have been discovered alive. These discoveries include the Coelacanth fish (discovered in 1938) and the Wollemi Pine tree (discovered in 1994). For Christians it should be less surprising still, as the authority of the Bible is a solid basis for believing that humans have lived at the same time as dinosaurs (whether or not some dinosaurs still survive); because Genesis teaches that the heavens, the earth, and everything in them was created in that six-day period about 6000 years ago. The remains of dinosaurs (some of which are still ‘soft and squishy’, with identifiable proteins) would be no older than the Genesis Flood, which occurred about 4,500 years ago.

Theropod and sauropod dinosaurs sighted in PNG?

References

The author acknowledges the help of Paul Pilpilis, one of the owners of Ambungi Island, who checked the accuracy of the text for the Ambungi Island sightings. Return to text.
With regards to the same witness (Simon Patolkit) cited here as in our earlier article, Simon is reporting the same dinosaur (a sauropod) on the reef at Gasmata for this article and the previous article in 2008. Fabian Amon witnessed the sighting of the sauropod at the same time as Simon Patolkit and we were able to interview Fabian (when Simon was not present) to ensure the information provided by Simon was accurate. Return to text.
The author acknowledges Tony Puana, a local politician in WNB, who provided the initial information about the theropod-like creature sighted at Benaule Village. Return to text.
From a scientific illustration in the book: Richardson, H., Dinosaurs and prehistoric life, Dorling Kindersley Ltd, London, UK, 2003. Return to text.

Helpful Resources

Readers’ comments

Jesse M.

US February 9th, 2013

From reading the negative comments on here, it is very clear that many people did not read this article with an open mind at all, but merely had a knee-jerk reaction against the possibility that dinosaurs have not completely died out. Unless you can refute the eyewitness accounts presented here, you have no right to accuse CMI of lying.

One of you said that the "Flying Spaghetti Monster" would be more believable. Care to explain, because I completely disagree with you.

Some of you on here merely screamed out things like "evolution is fact" and said that we don't have brains if we believe that dinosaurs were seen. To those people, how about you read the 8000+ articles on here and see what the Creation side has to say? If you did, you would see that we have HARD EVIDENCE that dinosaurs, if they did go extinct, could not have gone extinct a mere few thousand years ago since we found blood cells and un-fossilized soft tissue in dinosaur bones. You would also see that molecules-to-man evolution and billions of years are not science; they are just-so stories that were deduced from a materialistic, naturalistic, uniformitarian worldview in an attempt to explain the universe without God. They are the "creation myth" of the day.

Those of us who reject molecules-to-man evolution and billions of years DO have a brain. We reject those things not due to ignorance, but because of what we know about them.

Some of you accused us of wishful thinking or believing in fairy tales. I fail to see how dinosaurs and man living together is a "fairy tale" when we have overwhelming historical evidence that they did, such as the numerous cave drawing that pre-date the discovery of dinosaur fossils, as well as the mention in Job?

garth G.

US October 15th, 2012

Dear Brian and Russel,

Don't let all the negative statements discourage you. Your research is only preliminary. When it ultimately results in hard evidence, it will have several positive results.
1. It will be an affirmation for Bible Believers.
2. It will encourage people to question evolutionary assumptions.
3. As creationists you will be taking dinosaurs back for Christ, who made them.
4. It will expose evolutionists interpreted the fossil record wrongly to proclaim they became extinct.
5. It will help bring light to the verses that state ALL the animals got off the ark and dragons lived with man after the flood, including Behemoth with his tail the size of a cedar.

Both side will try to gain from the find. But remember evolutionists will be back pedaling to spin it their way, and creationists will have the stronger argument.
We have found hundreds of "living fossils" which should not be living if evolutionists were right. When there are no fossil representatives of a particular creature in the upper layers of the fossil record, evolutionists ASSUME that they became extinct. When one is found alive evolutionists shrug off such finds as anomalous. Well, I have a question then. How many "living fossils" are we going to have to find before people begin to question evolution? All of them? At least with a dinosaur evolutionists won't be able to sweep it under the rug. Calling it a "living fossil" and feeling OK about it, does not mean it is not damaging to evolution as a philosophy. Ask an evolutionist how he "knows" dinosaurs became extinct. The answer he will readily give you will have to be rescinded once a dinosaur is proven to exist.
Gentlemen, fabulous work and God bless you for your efforts.

Matt P.

US October 4th, 2012

I understand that you went to a village somewhere and ask for their fairy stories (no doubt that have others about spirits, pixies etc). I'm a great fan of stories, I loved the lord of the Rings, for example. But I don't think that I would cite them as evidence of orcs....

Jonathan W.

US September 15th, 2012

How fascinating these reports of living dinosaurs! If only expeditions would continue!

My specialty is the modern pterosaur. I explored part of Umboi Island, Papua New Guinea, in 2004, and interviewed many eyewitnesses. That was the main emphasis of my first nonfiction cryptozoology book "Searching for Ropens."

I have just finished my third book, in digital format: "Live Pterosaurs in Australia and in Papua New Guinea." There is no other reasonable explanation for the bulk of the eyewitness reports: Pterosaurs still live.

George M.

NZ September 13th, 2012

Interesting. I can only record the words of Jesus (Mat 12:39)
An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Bill B.

AU September 12th, 2012

I would get in there real quick at least have people there all the time with equipment so as to take photographic evidence before the likely hood the Scientist would try and get rid of any!(possibility) The unsaved can be wicked as we know!

Paul V.

CZ September 12th, 2012

I'm happy to be living in an 80% atheist country so I don't have to deal with dum-dums all day. Believe what you want to believe, just keep it to yourself and let me sin and let me have the right NOT to believe. You god bless me to til the cows come home, I'm sure i'm less of a sinner than most religious people. I don't kill, rape, steal, lie, etc just because I know its wrong, not because something i have never seen told some guy living 2000 years ago that its wrong. Sometimes you creationists need to look at your own people and see how much they sin

Peter R.

CA September 12th, 2012

Very cute. But of course, the article, like so many others like it, provides NO evidence whatsoever. Only anecdotes (not evidence) stories (not evidence) and outright lies (also not evidence.
So, it's very much like religion, but it's not Scientific in any way, shape or form.
The moment there is actual, physical, verifiable and most importantly, falsifiable evidence, we can talk. Until then those of us in the field will simply regard you people the way we always have; mild mannered kooks who would rather convince each other with lies, than actually learn the fundamentals of Science.

Kathleen N.

US September 12th, 2012

The theory of evolution is not science, as there is nothing that can refute it for it's believers. Science has to be able to be refutable.
It is interesting that evolutionists say that a living dinosaur doesn't disprove evolution, but for years they have mocked and mocked creationist who contend for the fact that there is proof that dinosaurs lived at the same time as humans. How come the idea that dinosaurs lived at the same time as humans was always so preposterous to them, but if it is shown that they may still live, they shrug?
It is the same thing with the finding of soft tissue with blood cells from dinosaurs being found, which in no way can be millions of years old, but suddenly it was possible for them to believe that soft tissue with blood cells could be millions of years old, somehow; even though any reasonable thinking person would know this to be impossible. Anything, absolutely anything goes with them, so their theory is not refutable, so therefore is not science, but rather unsubstantiated, stubbornly held religion.

J. D.

ID September 11th, 2012

Dinosaurs? Pshaw! If you get photographic evidence of this beast, or better yet an actual living creature, then all it proves to me is that those wise people who wrote of Dragons hundreds of years ago were right all along, and the ridiculous tales of them all being wiped out by knights are nothing more than fabrications, with no evidence to back them up, created by people desperate to deny the truth, as I have long argued. After all, there are plenty of historically dated stories, drawings, fossils and so on to show they once existed.

In that event I will live in fear of being burned and eaten by their awesome fire, and of course will hide all my jewels and shiny objects in accordance with the sage guidelines passed down through the generations. I will also lock up my daughter until she is safely married and no longer a virgin, and I advise you all to do the same.

Of course, if Dragons are real, as such an event would clearly prove, then magic and wizards, orcs and fairies, goblins and gremlins can surely not be far behind. So look out, people, lock up your virgins and hide the silver!

Aw, who am I kidding, you're never going to publish this anyway!

Val P.

AU September 11th, 2012

Why not? We saw a thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) supposedly extinct at Copeton Dam near Inverell in Feb 1994. By the time we went back for the camera it had disappeared. Nothing is impossible to our God. Luke 1:37

Victor B.

Seems to me that "Evolutionists" (as evidenced from some comments here), far from being scientific have already shown their unwillingness to have their faith shaken. Further the scientific implications of such discoveries - even if documented (as the "Coelacanth fish", "Woolemi Pine" and other discoveries that logically affirm biblical creation) that Darwin himself would see as undermining his theory will not willfully change their mind even if it is logical and scientific to do so. Hopefully this is not the case for those who are sincere in examining the evidence and follow where it leads.

John H.

Michael Q made a statement about science that needs correcting. He stated that, "The scientific method requires adjustments of theories and explanations to fit facts," Wrong! The Empirical & Scientific Method operates on "experimentation" and "observation" in the present, and has absolutely nothing to do with subjectively based "theories" or "explanations" as to what "supposedly" happened in the unobserved distant past. The Scientific method never conducts science by "explanations". Nor does the scientific method ever appeal to subjective "interpretations" and "inferences" regarding ancient historical events. This is precisely why the Nobel Committee does not regard evolutionary "historical theories" as being the real thing, or science of the prize winning kind.

Winston M.

NZ September 11th, 2012

Dear Markham, I have read all of the comments forwarded on this article, and note with interest your comments on your satisfaction of the stated situation of this past and present age, you have said "Science has established irrefutable evidence and unanimous agreement on facts about the world we live in and the world in the past". I have in my 72 yrs, been frustrated by observing the actual opposite,I have noted that mankind is always having to amend his findings in the light of newly formed opinions of others. Could I kindly share with you, that over those years I have had equal comments shared, and also personally read from God's Word, [Word's "recorded for Him" by up to 40 plus authors] and in hearing and reading for myself, have never been left with the same frustation of change. In fact the opposite has occured, it has never needed change over the whole period of it's writings [aprox 1400yrs], and has never needed altering since, in fact; the author's were so confident of its Truth, that in the last few words of His book [Revelation22]He had to state "if anyone made any alteration of it, then he personally would be removed from the Tree of Life". Does it concern you; that, the one we as people accept, for our instruction for life, has to be subject to CHANGE, yet we will stake our future on it, "on an ever changing word", But; the NEVER CHANGING Word of God we want to dismiss. I personaly am so rewarded by accepting A NEVER CHANGING WORD OF GOD. I do recommend it's reading.

Marjorie A.

It would be lovely to have some photos or videos of this creature with humans around, especially for the children who are so brain-washed by evolution that to tell them that man lived alongside of dinosaurs, seems like a fairy tale. There would need to be names and dates and places of course as they already see so many fairy-tale dinosaur movies!

ross N.

The food intake for any creature of the size postulated is going to require a minimum acreage of vegetation,fruits,meat and fresh water which seems to be absent -the footprint described and land walking seem likely to preclude a marine animal (but a sea lion out of place might account for some characteristics observed --'eye witness' testimony is notoriously unreliable especially with respect to details as many experiments and studies have shown .
Surely you would FIRST set up a fixed camera at the alleged lair of this creature with motion sensors and infra red cameras to get some indisputable evidence before going public ? (a scientific method ) It would not be too difficult to create a hoax using dinosaur replica animatronics (even borrowing one from the CMI museum perhaps) --even film is therefore not proof or data . Jurassic park scenarios are easy to report and 'lost world' plots prepare the public to believe with little reason - bring back some remains or excrement with DNA intact as the least 'data' - fossilized footprints of humans and dinosaurs together has been quietly dropped as 'proof' after investigation discreditted them and the lesson should be not to cry wolf again.

Geoff C. W.

If I counted correctly, there are four commentators here who have said that there is evidence that proves the evolution axiom. Although I've been interested in this evolution/creation debate for some time, I have yet to hear of a piece of evidence that supports evolution over creation. I think that all I have ever seen in support of evolution is statements about what could have happened. That of course is no more evidence than concluding that owning a box of matches proves that someone is an arsonist.
I am really interested to know - would someone who believes in evolution please post one comment about one thing that proves evolution over creation. This should not be a difficult request, since the evidence is 'overwhelming'. Thanks.

markham D.

I severe reservations over the sanity of you people, Sauropod dinosaurs in New Guinea? On the evidence of a few native people? Its rings suspiciously the same as other tales of Yetis, Lockness monsters, big-foot and alien abductions. Are dinosaurs alive today? Sure my cat killed one last week, go look in your backyard, it’s full of them, they’re called birds. I don’t understand the fundamentalist Christian obsession with dinosaurs? I suppose you guys finally came to the realisation that the evidence for dinosaurs existing was the elephant in the room, and there was no way to explain all those ancient, ancient huge fossil skeletons in museums all over the world, so you must do your best to inject their past existence into the belief system you choose, intact.
Science has established irrefutable evidence and unanimous agreement on facts about the world we live in and the world in the past. Generally fundamentalist Christians stick their heads in the sand , ignore the evidence, inconvenient facts are thrown away. Fundamentalist Christians say the science is wrong. Your proof?.................................................................................I’m waiting….Oh yes that’s right, the absurd and totally unsupported postulation that the bible is Absolute truth and written by god, anything that contradicts it is lies and untruth. The geological record is wrong, 150 years of evolutionary biology work is wrong, palaeontologists have it wrong, geologist have it wrong, physicists have it wrong. But Moses and all the other bronze age, desert wondering, uneducated barbarians who wrote the bible in between killing and enslaving the godless, is right. I do not understand willful ignorance.

Frank C.

US September 10th, 2012

This is evidence against evolution? This is a joke, right?

C. W.

NZ September 10th, 2012

I personally have no desire to see a live dinosaur. Frankly, they give me the creeps, but I have always thought it likely that one (or more) will turn up one day. Not that that will be proof of the accuracy of the Bible - just another piece of the puzzle which FITS.
Is it not encouraging that so many 'anti-creationists' are exposing themselves to the truths which CMI so steadfastly presents. One day their eyes (and hearts) may be opened.

Thomas G.

This entire story has no more validity then sightings of Bigfoot, The Jersey Devil and the Loch Ness Monster. Good luck in your research.

David J.

IT September 10th, 2012

He saw one dinosaur. Let's assume he really did see a descendant of an identifiable type of categorised dinosaurs.

What would the creatures expected lifespan be from birth, what would be the gestation period of a female, at waht age does female dino become fertile and for how long.

I am no scientist but I believe you can work out the required population to achieve stability. Having done that, calculate the calorie intake required and in this case it is likely to be enormous. And finally, if one or two come ashore as suggested on an island only 2000m long you would be tripping over sunbathing dinos everywhere!

AM I being a little cynical? Perhaps and nature does admittedly produce oddities such as the ceolacanth and we do know more about space than the depths of our oceans.

Daniel V.

US September 9th, 2012

If dinosaurs and modern mammals ever lived together, why is there not a single location in the world where the fossils of both have been found together in the same stata? In many Cenezoic (Age of Mammal) locations, fossils of certain types (e.g rodents, oreodonts, horses) can be extremely abundant, with fragmeets laying all about on the surface. And fossil dinosaur bones are not so hard to find in other places. If the two occur in the same place somewhere, why doesn't some young earth creationist group go out and find them? Good luck at that!

David Catchpoole

September 9th, 2012

We don't have to, as the evolutionists have already done it for us.
E.g. here's what Dr Donald Burge, curator of vertebrate paleontology, College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum, admitted in an interview with Dr Carl Werner, 13 February 2001 (Living Fossils p. 173):

“We find mammals in almost all of our [dinosaur dig] sites. These were not noticed years ago ... . We have about 20,000 pounds of bentonite clay that has mammal fossils that we are trying to give away to some researcher. It’s not that they are not important, it’s just that you only live once and I specialized in something other than mammals. I specialize in reptiles and dinosaurs.”

(See also Smith, C., The so-called 'age of dinosaurs', Creation 33(3):35-37, 2011.)

C. D.

Very interesting. Thanks for the article. Hope to hear more on it in the future.

E. A.

DE September 8th, 2012

The first step of any great discovery is observation, even if some of us arrogantly dismiss the observer. Looking forward to hearing how this story develops, hopefully further investigations will be forthcoming. I really enjoy your articles, thank you CMI!

Matthew S.

US September 8th, 2012

Luke 16:31

“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Bruce G.

There is much more than enough evidence to convince those who are willing to consider the evidences with an open mind, but there is not enough evidence to convince those who have decided in advance that these things can not be.

Donna W.

CA September 7th, 2012

It is amazing! "False theories, presented in many ways over generations, come to be believed as reality, and one who speaks truth is considered a raving lunatic!"---Author Unknown
Jesus is coming soon, and I am sure He will straighten it all out! If evolution is true, there should be millions of 'missing links'.

Don D.

As we can see from the comments of the unbelievers they will not be convinced, no matter what happens. People who will examine the evidence, on the other hand do have the opportunity to think through their pre-existing beliefs (i.e., evolution).
The Bible declares that "The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts." Revelation 9/20,21 and "The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,[a] fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible." Revelation 16/17 - 21.
Although the unbeliever (the one who refuses to believe, not the person who is just not yet convinced!) will see this as being terrible and coercive, the Bible was given to us to instruct us and to warn us of what will happen if we refuse to listen to God's Word. Sorry, but the Word of God declares this PROPHETICALLY, meaning, this will happen when God has so chosen. Hear, those of you who have ears to hear!

J. Dana C.

Though I don't think the existence of a real walking dino would influence most peoples thinking,I sure would stand inline for a long time to see one in the flesh! If one's goal is to get a good picture of one all you need is a few solar powered trailcams set up in the right locations and someone to check them. Once you have confirmation then send the experts, no point in wasting busy peoples time.

Andrew M.

ZA September 7th, 2012

While spoken testimony is tantalising evidence, it is not conclusive, as the article says. There is a lot of room for error between the culture of the witness and the reporter - e.g, if the witness has a culture of anticipating what the hearer wishes to hear. Beyond this there is straightforward fraud - Big Science has already established a market for fake fossils which poor people are willing to produce. It is not beyond belief that people asking questions about strange animals for a few years will produce testimony to match.

That said, should a large unknown beast be discovered, everyone will say that it survived for bzillions of years, under the fossil radar. You have to wonder why nobody will say that it evolved during those same bzillions of years ... perhaps they don't really believe in evolution?

Joanne B.

Deb C., United States, 27 August 2012
I am looking at an article “Dinosaurs take Wing” in an issue of the National Geographic, July 1998. Depicted on the cover and throughout the article are artists reconstructions of dino/birds and the detail is very extreme considering the fact that all the artists had to go on were fossils. Was not imagination used in this case as is every other depiction based on evolutionism? Scripture tells us that true faith comes from hearing the Word of God. True faith based on Scripture trumps science every time as Scripture is from the mind of God whereas science is from the minds of men, and very fallible minds at that. Belief in evolution requires faith in a past history based on evidence that has to be interpreted and that interpretation depends on the preconceived ideas of the interpreter. What has been described as proto-feathers on the dino/bird fossil is interpreted as collagen fibres by another. Science has done a great deal to explore and explain the world which God has created. However, when science delves into history, leaning away from what God has clearly told us He did, then there is no room for co-existence for that kind of science and faith based on the Word. Whether this is an Age of Enlightenment depends upon one’s perspective.

Gerry F.

Thank you CMI and other Creationist organizations that attempt to disseminate scientific truth as best they can. It was not intellect that caused me to believe. It was the gift of faith that changed me. I wrestled with evolutionary thinking and how I could reconcile it with my new found faith. The amount of information in the world is staggering and is growing (if possible) faster than exponentially. Even the brightest mind existing can only contain a thimble full and that thimble will contain both correct and incorrect bits of information. We therefore are forced to take the word of other thimbles-full, whom we respect, as truth. We will follow the herd to our destruction.

Marfela S.

ID September 7th, 2012

I think the basic foundation when we're discussing about creation and evolution is whether you believe in God or not. If you are atheist,so does your world-view. Your world-view will drive your thinking and action.
When scientist claim that Dinosaurs already extinct, were they observe the entire earth? We only know what lies in front of us in the present, while God knows everything, HE is the CREATOR of all things. So, there must be a possibility that Dinosaur is still exist in this earth. Can't wait to hear more evidences!!!

Wally P.

Great idea to explore, set up the folks there with cameras etc etc. However that takes CASH. and it seems to me that it may take a lot. Priorities come into play or pay:-)

Darren T.

MY September 7th, 2012

After reading some of the comment. I'll tell you this: Even God himself showed up in the sky and tell about the gospel. There will be people who thought that it was a hologram! If not for the holy spirit that is working in me, I wouldn't have care if eternal damnation awaits them or not...

Michael N.

IL September 7th, 2012

If atheists saw 100 living dinosaurs of different kinds they will still not believe. They'll just revise a little. If someone doesn't want to believe, he won't. Only God can open their eyes.

David B.

We can hope that this truly is a dinosaur discovery. We can have even greater hope that many people will change their minds and views about creation and evolution. Alas, we probably shouldn't depend on it.

My hunch is that even if God were to come in the flesh on earth and do miracles in their faces, they would still deny Him to His face. They might even kill Him by hanging Him on a tree or something.

Z K R.

CA September 6th, 2012

People actually believe this stuff. Humanity is doomed. I could go on, but...meh. Believe whatever crazy things you want, just keep it to yourself. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to commit approximately 253 "sins" all from the comfort of my home.

Prasan S.

AU September 5th, 2012

Ridiculous. Young earth creationists and religious people in general make me laugh. Dinosaurs?? Really? What next?

A. C.

CA September 5th, 2012

Interesting the similarities with the African Sauropod reports mainly from Bill Gibbons research. For example the snake-like head, dermal frills/spikes and the theory that they live in cave's with under water access only.

Trent L.

US September 5th, 2012

The secular media, of course, will have no problem explaining away these findings as being of no unusual consequence or even cause for surprise if they are indeed shown to be for real, just as has been the case for other living fossils. However, those who propose that dinosaurs and humans co-existed in the past are unmercifully rediculed by those who are either wise in their own eyes or even in the estimation of others. One cannot help but wonder if any apologies will be forthcoming?

Robert O.

Belief in evolution is a religion and not a science. This may be shown in 5 short sentences.

1. DNA contains vast amount of information.
2. There is no known naturalistic mechanism for the ORIGINATION of information.
3. The evolutionist must believe BY FAITH that such a mechanism exists or has existed in the past.
4. It is commonly accepted that believing something BY FAITH is a
religious idea.
5. Therefore, belief in evolution is a religion, not a science.

All evidence tending to support evolution is therefore irrelevant to the conclusion.

But we do know of one mechanism that does originate information. That is the mind of an intelligent being.

Martin S.

EC September 2nd, 2012

The ignorance of reality shown by the comments on this article are only topped by the wishful thinking of the Creationists. The idea that the universe is only 6000 years old has been repeatedly and thoroughly debunked by demonstrable, hard evidence. Get a brain, people!

Christian E.

US September 1st, 2012

Thank you for this article. I am neither excited nor dismayed by the sightings. What surprises me is the number of people who cry that science trumps faith and yet they forget that most scientific facts prior to the 20th century came from scientists who believed in the creation.
I am further surprised how many people are willing to make a decision for their faith and future based on so little evidence. There are many factors to consider concerning creation vs. evolution and the obvious issue is whether or not the account of Genesis is true and therefore is the Bible correct or flawed. It cannot be both ways.

Dennis H.

I was a public school teacher for many years. I noticed that whenever discussing dinosaurs the children would naturally become interested. I therefore carefully disagree with the writer [Harold B., USA, 29 August] who says that finding one would not really impact the evolution debate. Seeing is after all still believing. Once a live one is produced, the spin game begins on the evolution side of the argument. Can you imagine the bus loads of kids who would go to whatever zoo to see a live dinosaur? In their small minds they would never be able to separate the idea that man never walked with dinosaurs as theorized by evolution. After getting my degrees and post grad work in secular universities, I heard what they call 'proof' all too often. My problem is, who is this that lives within my heart? I can not deny him nor what he said in the Bible. The critical argument no longer lies in the field science, but in the debate over the accuracy of the scriptures. These poor people who gave this report only told us what they saw. For them, seeing is also believing.

Joe S.

US August 31st, 2012

I agree completely with Don E. If these sightings are thought to be legitimate, it should not take much incentive to get trained paleontologists with technical recording equipment on the island. To be sure, there is someone -- like the character John in Jurassic Park -- who would be willing to "spare no expense" considering the incredible possibilities surrounding a verified living dinosaur discovery.

Don E.

As a Christian believer in Biblical creation I've read about these reports of dinosaur-like creatures over the years. This is very fascinating and I believe the eye-witness accounts shouldn't be discounted. Also there have been animals (and plants) that were thought extinct or unknown that have been found in relatively recent times.

This was alluded to in a couple of the responses. In order to have creatures that have existed since the Flood there should be breeding populations which produce generations of these creatures over these thousands of years. This means there should be nests, eggs, young and juveniles as well as adults of these creatures. As far as we can determine sauropods were terrestrial creatures (which wouldn't limit them to not swimming or spending time in water as per these reports). However it seems as if their nesting habits were land-based (unlike say ichthyosaurs, mosasaurs or plesiosaurs).

Some of these reports should be followed up on.
Here are a few ideas. First would it be possible to give and train the people of these islands digital cameras so they could actually take photos or movies of these creatures. Second, perhaps setting up remote based electronic surveillance systems at places where sightings happened to capture any repeat events. Third, perhaps there needs to be a team of trained researchers who would actually stay on the islands in question for a length of time to thoroughly explore and observe the places of these sightings. If there are nesting sites and actual populations of these creatures a thorough exploration could very likely uncover their existence. I realize these suggestions would be expensive but unlike some of the other responders finding living dinosaurs would be an amazing scientific discovery more in line with Biblical chronology rather the deep time speculations of evolutionism.

Pat O.

CR August 29th, 2012

Why so much effort to find proof that the Earth is just 6,000 years old when all scientific evidence says otherwise? Why not focus on loving others as much as possible instead? Science doesn't negate the Creator, it helps us understand the universe He created so we can live in better harmony with it and take care of it.

August 30th, 2012

Pat, the evidence doesn't 'say' what you might currently think it does, as many of our articles on this website attest. See, e.g. Seeing the pattern.
And re the commandment to love others, see "You should be feeding the hungry".

Harold B.

US August 29th, 2012

Maybe I'm dim, but I can't understand why your group thinks that the possible existence of living dinosaurs has ANYTHING at all to do with being proof of the validity of the Bible. Maybe I missed the part of Scripture where dinosaurs were mentioned?

Since the original discovery of giant bones and other fossils leading to the skeletal reconstructions of dinasaurs, and the process of carbon dating has been used to determine an approximate age, (in millions of year periods), both atheist and Bible-believing scientists have been unable to date any of these creatures as having existed in the same time period as even the earliest humanoid pre-human creatures, ( there may have been some mammals around that time), and just because the Creationist Museum has dioramas of cavemen riding dinosaurs like Fred Flintstone doesn't mean it's real.

There have been so many strange and unexplainable events during my lifetime that finding a group of living dinosaurs wouldn't shock me all that much, but I doubt that they ever interacted with man other than to hunt each other. So, tell me: HOW exactly would the proof of their existence prove the validity of the Christian faith? Seems like quite a leap in credibility to me. So??

August 29th, 2012

Hi Harold, thanks for your comment. I suppose it's possible that there are people today who aren't familiar with the evolutionary paradigm, and who are equally unfamiliar with what the Bible says. So to help you, these opening two paragraphs from Chapter 19 of The Creation Answers Book, "What about dinosaurs?", really nail it:

We hear and see it everywhere. Via newspapers, radio broadcasts, television documentaries, museum displays, university courses, school textbooks and even in picture books for toddlers, the message is unrelenting: millions of years ago there was an ‘age of dinosaurs’, but they became extinct long before man appeared on this planet.
However, a straightforward reading of the Bible contradicts this utterly. Dinosaurs were created by God alongside man (Genesis 1:24–31) only around 6,000 years ago, and as there was no death before Adam sinned (Genesis 2:16–17; 3:6); humans and dinosaurs once lived together, in recent history.

To read on, click here.

Mrs. Eleanor C.

I hope that somehow a picture can be taken as is, without disturbing the creatures and give us a deeper understanding of God's creation for what it is. The natives of the Island know what they saw, but we need to understand what they saw with the description that they have given already. If God has indeed intended for these creatures to survive He allowed them to be in remote areas which are not heavily populated, and to think that if a 'massive' audience of noisy humans comes to disturb their peaceful living we may never get to be up close to them and lose even the descriptions given. If long range photos can be taken without disturbing their sensitive ears then maybe we can get a real look at them . But taking great care not to disturb them in their last remaining habitat so as to cause the native residents concern for their livelihood as well. I would be happy to see them real from a distance, yet close up with the camera not to disturb their surroundings.

Phlunge P.

US August 28th, 2012

If only technology was available somewhere that would allow a person to document one of these creatures. Something that could preserve an image on a medium using natural, or maybe enhanced lighting. Optimally, something that would be affordable to almost every person in the world, and something they could carry along with them in the event of wanting to document the unusual. I'm hoping one day, someone will invent this technology so that we can use it to unlock these mysteries.

August 28th, 2012

Indeed. The author has advised us that even this very remote area of West New Britain is now seeing takeup of technologies long familiar to residents of western countries. We're hoping that worldwide interest generated by this article will facilitate further investigation and better documentation.

As they used to say on the old current affairs television programs, "Watch this space ...".

T. S.

Pffffft. The National Enquirer has more realistic "news". You people really take the cake believing this clap trap!

Voig N.

While it's not completely out of the realm of possibility that some of the creatures we know as dinosaurs survive today, it is HIGHLY unlikely anything as large as some imagined here exist. The reptilians of the time were egg-layers, meaning multiple hatchlings, breeding grounds, and of course the need for both a male and female within reasonable proximity to one another in order to mate. That multi-ton, 20 foot long creatures could accomplish this outside the view of pervasive humanity is a ridiculous notion.

Of those that COULD survive, their survival would hardly indicate an invalidation of evolution. Mammals survived the mass extinctions to give rise to today's rodents and hominids, among others. It wouldn't even indicate a needed shift in the "time line," since all it would mean is that for whatever reason (geographic location? unique adaptation?) that species made it through the cataclysm.

Evolution is well-established and enjoys boatloads of evidential support. You are unlikely to disprove it, nor do you need to—it doesn't invalidate your faith one iota. If you believe, you can believe that somehow, evolution fits into your deity's plan of the Universe. Attempts to disprove evolution should come from a place of science, not a place of religion, just as science should not attempt to invalidate the concept of God.

Get it?

Dan W.

I used to live in Papua New Guinea (East Sepik Province). Anyone who thinks that they, as a westerner, knows more about the flora and fauna than the local people do is simply showing their massive arrogance. When I went into the jungle with the men of our village it was not them who was ignorant. My training as a linguist and Bible translator did not qualify me to get out of the jungle safely -- or identify anything that I saw. Any scientist worth his or her salt going to an area like in the article should pay attention to those who live there. They may not have the same names and classifications as we use (as outsiders) but they are far more aware of their environment than we might believe. The writer from Papua New Guinea pointed out that these people get their food, housing, etc. from the world they live in. As such they know that world very well. We have no right to say that they are poor and ignorant people because they are not as "schooled" as we are. Their schooling does not consist of books as much as of knowing the world around them. I would trust their accounts.

But I must also agree that even producing a live dinosaur and walking it down the street will not change the bulk of athiestic thinking. Paul said it well in Romans 1:18-23. What it can do is help us to help those who are willing to examine the actual evidence and see which worldview best explains the actual evidence.

Dan

Deb C.

US August 27th, 2012

David Catchpoole, in response to your response:

If those are artists' renderings based on the descriptions from eye-witness accounts, they are so very detailed that one can only believe the artist used their imagination to fill in details. I am sorry to see a regression in what we have known to have been the Age of Enlightenment. Faith should not replace science but should live along side it. Why can't there be room for both to co-exist? In order to have faith one should not require reinforcements from graphic depictions in articles or even the Bible. Either you believe or you don't.

I am a graphic artist working with digital media. I can tell you first hand that the pictures in this article depicting dinosaurs in present-day settings are not actual photos and if drawings are just that: drawings and fictitious. Now I'll bet you won't add my comment will you? It would blow your whole purpose in distorting fact.

August 27th, 2012

Dear Deb, we're happy to add your comment.

I'm not surprised that as you're a graphic artist yourself you were drawn to look at the pictures. But I do wholeheartedly advise that it's well worth reading the text as well, especially the captions to the three pictures depicting the dinosaurs. I.e. the captions that begin with the words: "An artist's reconstruction of ...". (Emphasis added.)

Those artistic reconstructions of the dinosaurs were based upon the descriptions given to Brian Irwin by those who claimed to have seen the creatures. We never claimed the dinosaurian depictions were actual photos.

US August 26th, 2012

Whether these reptilian creatures are genetically related to dinosaurs, like Monitor lizards and Komodo Dragons appear to be, has little or nothing to do with the Bible or any other religious book, (ESPECIALLY the New Testament!) but it does explain the millions of references to dragons and other mythical ceatures in literature of all types. One has to look at the different conclusions one would reach if they actually believed that man was placed, fully-developed and grown, in a garden of plenty just 6000 years ago, as opposed to all the scientific proof that the planet is over 4 billion years old and has had human-like creatures of one sort or the other only for a million or so years.
I've seen too much evidence of evolution to dismiss it, but it also does not mean the the Bible is less than legitimate, either. Probably, the 6000 year period refers to from Noah, or perhaps Abraham to the present, as the practice of farming and animal herding is what obsoleted the hunter-gatherer society in favor of villages, towns, and cities. We know beyond doubt that some Egyptian civilization existed well over 6000 years ago, so I take that number to be the life-span of civilization and with it, record keeping and a common set of laws and beliefs (called RELIGION) for each village/city/state/kingdom.

Fiona B.

HK August 26th, 2012

It wouldn't disprove evolution at all! It would simply mean revising some timelines! That, for your information, is what science is all about: revision as new evidence comes along. The fact, if it proves to be a fact, that there are some dinosaur-like creatures living today would not disprove the established fact that the vast majority of them died out millions of years ago. Nor does this 'evidence' prove how old these creatures are, anyway. Or what they have evolved from, or how. A lot of research needs to be done. And one other question: if humans have only been here 6500 years, how do you account for all the evidence of the development of society from cavemen/hunter-gatherers, to farming to cities (there is abundant evidence). Because your Bible says that it goes from Adam and Eve to farming in the next generation. Why do you ignore the overwhelming evidence of long periods of history? There were cities nearly 7000 years ago.

August 26th, 2012

Dear Fiona, finding an undisputed live dinosaur today would certainly revise timelines, just as finding a live coelacanth did, and fossil dung evidence that dinosaurs ate grass. The revision would be even bigger, in fact, as the amount of material already published saying that dinos became extinct millions of years before man appeared on this planet is far more voluminous than had been aired in the general public literature/media about the coelacanth and no-grass-until-after-dino-extinction.
You're wrong about the Bible saying that "it goes from Adam and Eve to farming in the next generation". Adam and Eve were horticulturists first, then agriculturists (i.e. having now to till the soil for field crops) post-Fall. The eyewitness accounts in the Bible do not speak of the long periods of history you claim from non-eyewitness accounts. And secular anthropologists, confronted with evidence that contradicts their evolutionary timeline, are now pulling back from their earlier claims that nomadic hunter-gatherers today are "descended unchanged from the Stone Age" (see The people that forgot time).

L. Z.

US August 25th, 2012

Should a dino paraded through the streets of NY make me believe in god, and evangelists to save my soul? Where the math in that? If a specie survived a cataclysm, good for them, no god involved: they made it through, end of story; yet still no evidence of that! How about saving our bodies from evangelists, there's an idea...

Max O.

AU August 25th, 2012

The Flying Spaghetti Monster is a lot more believable.

Lavinia O.

PG August 24th, 2012

Thanks Jesse M. @ Adam G - these people are NOT poor. They do not live in poverty....They have FREE ISSUE of vegetables from the garden, and fish from the sea. I'm sure where you come from, NOTHING IS FREE!!!!! Well, in my country, Papua New Guinea, we have the luxury of living the modern way in cities or the simple way back in our villages.. What more do you need if you've got food, water and love from family???? We don't need to be "rich" by your definition of the term, we are rich in our own way which the good Lord has blessed us with all the above mentioned luxuries of FREE ISSUE!!!!!

Michael Q.

US August 24th, 2012

There seem to be some misunderstandings, that as a scientist, perhaps I can help clarify.

First, science is always open to new discoveries and input. The scientific method requires adjustments of theories and explanations to fit facts, not the other way around. Keeping and open mind and discovering the truth is what it's all about.

Second, although scientific theories and evolution point to several catastrophic extinction events that occurred, the extinction events weren't utter and complete -- a lot of things survived, even though dinosaurs didn't. The presence of a living dinosaur would be an opportunity to learn more about these extinction events, and how the species that survived were able to adapt.

David C.

These locals have been seeing strange animals for years, and for someone who has never even been to their backyard to suggest that these people are actually seeing crocs or alligators is just plain ridiculous. Don't you think that these folks know what a croc or gator looks like? It should be obvious that they are seeing something that they're not used to seeing.

@Adam G.

//It is intellectually dishonest to think that some very vague eyewitness descriptions from poor people living on an impoverished island counts as evidence for the existence of dinosaurs//

CMI was NOT saying that these reported eyewitness sightings are evidence for living dinosaurs. Did you not see where they clearly said "reports alone are ultimately NOT ENOUGH TO CONCLUSIVELY ESTABLISH the fact that some dinosaurs are still alive today" in their concluding remarks? CMI is very academically honest, so much so that they actually have a section on this site called "Arguments we think creationists should NOT use" where they expose weak or doubtful arguments so that we do not give poor defenses of the Bible.

Plus, you are being very arrogant, condescending, and flat-out fallacious by invoking the people's socioeconomic status in your comment. Just because they are poor people in an impoverished area does NOT automatically rule them out as reliable eyewitnesses. Since when does someone have to be financially well-off in order to be a true witness? This is nothing but snobbery, plain and simple. If a homeless person witnesses a murder, is the judge going to throw out his testimony just because he is poor? Certainly not!

//The locals made some very vague descriptions of 3 meter long reptilian creatures that sound very much like crocodiles and alligators and you use that to come to the extreme conclusion of dinosaurs??//

The article said that it was creatures with a 3 foot long NECK AND HEAD alone was that length, which sounds pretty consistent with a dinosaur to me.

Adam, I challenge you to check out the over 8000 articles on this site with an open mind and an open heart. Many unbelievers have had their eyes opened up to the truth of Scripture through organisations like CMI, and I hope the same for you. God bless!

Martyn M.

AU August 24th, 2012

Hi Brian it looks like you were enjoying the adventure. A pity you didn’t have the scuba diving gear with lights etc to explore the caves. Next time. However I do tend to be sceptical about ever finding the creatures and tend to agree with B.M. of the United States.

I don’t think readers should jump on the bandwagon and think this will disprove evolution as Brian concludes “if these are eventually backed up by hard evidence, the finding of living dinosaurs should not be such a surprise to people, considering that some animals and plants that were believed to be extinct for millions of years have been discovered alive.” But like Brian also says the findings will fit much better with Biblical history than evolution. Here’s hoping you go back and find the creature.

Jeannie D.

It's highly unlikely that these people would not be able to tell the difference between alligators, crocodiles or other reptiles. They certainly saw something very large that was unfamiliar to them and these may or may not be dinosaurs-- so what! There's enough proof that dinosaurs were alive with humans.

Leon B.

Hating the truth does not change it. The truth, however, can change you.

Thanks to CMI for bringing a little more truth to the minds of those who continue to refuse our Messiah's sacrifice for them.

Philip N.

It would be so cool if one of these living dinos could be photographed or even caught and brought into capitivity...Would it cause the atheistic evolutionary community to question their belief system ? Probably not much.... They always come up with explanations for living fossils...like maybe aliens from other planets are bringing them here... Oh well praise be to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords !!! Creator of everything !!!

J. N.

US August 23rd, 2012

I as well agree that dinosaurs walk among us still. Just yesterday walking in the middle of Michigan Ave in Chicago Illinois I witnessed a giant T-rex. I was the only one who could see it apparently as everyone believed in evolution and thus could not see what I saw. I had to give a man a bible and then he too began to see the creature form before him!
Spread the word of Mohammed to all and they shall see the creatures of Allah before them!

Chuck J.

I praise God for His opening my eyes and bringing me to Himself without a dinosaur and since then openning my eyes to the overabundance of proofs in the world of Himself. With so much already pointing to Him, it seems to me that only His opening of the eyes as He sees fit will save the ones who refuse to believe already. But I still would love to see a "dinosaur".

M. M.

CA August 23rd, 2012

Yes... very, very interestng. So who is going to take the first picture/video? Evolution is being debunked by many fields of science. The evidence is clear but people choose not to believe. I'd like to see evolution debunked in this way too.

Adam G.

It is intellectually dishonest to think that some very vague eyewitness descriptions from poor people living on an impoverished island counts as evidence for the existence of dinosaurs. The locals made some very vague descriptions of 3 meter long reptilian creatures that sound very much like crocodiles and alligators and you use that to come to the extreme conclusion of dinosaurs?? Even if (and that is a very big if!) some dinosaurs were still alive today, it would be shocking but it would not discredit evolutionary theory, which actually predicts that certain animals can survive on remote islands where they are not influenced by mainland evolution. Endemism is common and evolution explains it very well. But living dinosaurs?? Creationists can only pray!

Jack C.

AU August 23rd, 2012

Perhaps even the Loch Ness Monster is real after all. Actually I wouldn't be surprised, although it doesn't really matter either way.

B. M.

By reading the story we're supposed to believe that the inhabitants started seeing this animal since the 1990's, yet the people have been living on it since the 1920's. And looking at the Ambungi Island in Google Maps we see an island barely 2,000 feet long. Not much room for something big to hide from the likes of man.

A carcass is what is needed to confirm this story beyond all doubt, but personally, I don't think anything will come out of the jungles of this corner of the world except a few people whose story is based on the worn-out cliche of "the big one that got away."

Ian H.

Very interesting, however a close examination of historical dinosaur art will convince all but the most ardent skeptic that artists from different cultures, geographical locations and time periods actually observed and rendered true representations of these creatures. From the Chateau de Blois Dragon Tapestry 1500AD, the Palau de La Generalitat leather altar cloth, Spain and the Chinese Dragon Jades etc.
Please buy 'Untold Secrets of Planet Earth: Dire Dragons' $39 from Creation Ministries and convince yourself. You will not be disappointed!

@Johann C, how much I wish that were true! Sadly, even if dinosaurs were to be found, I doubt that it would convince anyone truly committed to a millions-of-years belief. We already have overwhelming evidence that dinosaurs and man co-existed, as seen by the hundreds of dinosaur and man inscriptions/drawings around the world that predate the discovery of dinosaur fossils. We also found soft tissue in a dinosaur bone as well, proving that they cannot be millions of years old. Have these two evidences convinced committed evolutionists to question their paradigm? Not at all.

Errol B.

If a live dinosaur was found and paraded through the streets of New York, I’m guessing atheists would simply shrug their shoulders calmly and hypothesize that some dinosaurs obviously survived unchanged for over 65,000,000 years, much like the Lungfish, Coelacanth fish and all the rest of the growing list of living fossils, in spite of their sniggering ridicule at any suggestion of such a discovery.

Jason T.

GB August 23rd, 2012

re Johann C comments

If only that were the case, but if they were to find a T-Rex tomorrow I doubt it would change anything. It would be hailed by secular scientists as one of the greatest 'living fossils' ever found.
The spiritually blind will do anything to side step the possibility of a Creator, but as we know they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

Wildee R.

PH August 23rd, 2012

By this time the evolutionists should have a hard time ignoring that it is the animals that lay eggs that the Creator is using to put "runny eggs on their faces".

Johann C.

KH August 23rd, 2012

I hope dinosaurs still exist to debunk atheists and regain the lost souls.

Sam H.

AU August 22nd, 2012

Fascinating thank you.

More ‘dino’ sightings in Papua New Guinea

Published: 23 August 2012 (GMT+10)

Sauropod sightings in the south of West New Britain

1. Ambungi Island Sightings

Swimming with a sauropod?

A dinosaur in the garden?

Sleeping on a rock

2. Gasmata sighting

3. Possible theropod sighting in the north of West New Britain

Concluding remarks

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Readers’ comments

Comments are automatically closed 14 days after publication.

The Bible declares: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

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More ‘dino’ sightings in Papua New Guinea

Published: 23 August 2012 (GMT+10)

Sauropod sightings in the south of West New Britain

1. Ambungi Island Sightings

Swimming with a sauropod?

A dinosaur in the garden?

Sleeping on a rock

2. Gasmata sighting

3. Possible theropod sighting in the north of West New Britain

Concluding remarks

Related Articles

Further Reading

References

Helpful Resources

Readers’ comments

Comments are automatically closed 14 days after publication.

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The Bible declares: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1