Founded in January 1982 at a Smithsonian meeting, The International Society of Cryptozoology(ISC) was an international organization intended to formalize cryptozoology. Its stated goal was to promote "scientific inquiry, education, and communication among people interested in animals of unexpected form or size, or unexpected occurrence in time and space". The organizations president was Bernard Heuvelman, Roy P. Mackal was Vice-President, and J. Richard Greenwell was Secretary. The organization published a journal called Cryptozoology: Interdisciplinary Journal of the International Society of Cryptozoology which published original articles, research reports, field reports, book reviews, and comments and responses. The organization also published an ISC newsletter. These ceased publication in 1996 and 1998 respectively due to financial problems. The website shut down in 2005.Â
One of the members of the ISC founded the the International Cryptozoology Society in 2016 which would be the spiritual successor to the International Society of Cryptozoology. This organization was a joint effort between Loren Coleman, Jeff Meuse, and its "Honorary President" Paul LeBlond. Although not a legal successor of the ISC, the ICS has the same goal and attempts to foster a scientific approach to the search for unknown animals, based on evidence and modern science. This organization is closely associated with the International Cryptozoology Museum (ICM) in Portland, Maine, USA. The ICS publishes a journal and holds annual symposia.
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