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The Cryptozoologist -> Obituaries |
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Richard Fitter (1913-2005)
Cofounder of the LNI |
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Famed naturalist and cryptozoologist Richard Fitter (March 1, 1913 -
September 3, 2005 ) has died.
Fitter was one of the founders, in 1961, of "The Bureau for
Investigating the Loch Ness Phenomena Ltd," more informally known by
the media as the Loch Ness Phenomena Investigation Bureau (LNI).
Fitter's co-founders were British Parliament member Sir David James,
More Than A Legend author Constance Whyte, and naturalist Sir Peter
Scott (the founder of the World Wildlife Fund).
The LNI became the leading focal point of the cryptozoological
examinations at Loch Ness. Roy Mackal, after 1966, was LNI's
scientific advisor, and after 1967, Dick Raynor was a frequent
expedition member. The bureau privately funded in the early years,
manned by volunteers, stationed cameras at strategic locations
around the loch, served as a clearing-house for sightings, and
assisted groups and individuals studying Loch Ness. Mackal's
involved American scientific interests and got financial support of
the Adventurers' Club of Chicago, and Field Enterprises, publishers
of World Book Encyclopedia.
In July, 1987, a formal scientific symposium on The Loch Ness
Monster was hosted by the Society for the History of Natural History
and the International Society of Cryptozoology (ISC) and held at the
Royal Museum of Scotland. Richard Fitter contributed a paper, as did
Roy Mackal, Henry Bauer, Paul LeBlond, Adrian Shine, Robert Rines
and Tim Dinsdale.
In 1988, Fitter reviewed The Loch Ness Monster: The Evidence by
Steuart Campbell, in Volume 8 of the ISC's journal, Cryptozoology.
Richard Fitter may have not been in the media limelight as much as
other names more familiar, such as Sir David James and Sir Peter
Scott, but his contributions to the investigation of cryptids at
Loch Ness will never be forgotten.
The Times of London
obituary was published on September 11, 2005, and detailed
Fitter's well-established credentials as a mainstream naturalist.
Loren Coleman
Copyright 2005 |
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