Pterosaurs Still Living
Early Ropen Expeditions
Twentieth-century expeditions in Papua New Guinea by Carl Baugh, missionary Jim Blume, and  Paul Nation, including their interviews with native eyewitnesses on Umboi Island, regarding the ropen
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copyright 2005-2017 Jonathan Whitcomb
Earlier history of ropen expeditions Carl Baugh, of Texas, went to Papua New Guinea in 1994, after the missionary Jim Blume told him of accounts of pterosaur-like creatures there. He returned in 1996, again with Jim Blume. During those two expeditions, they interviewed about twelve natives, many of whom were eyewitnesses of flying creatures whose descriptions suggest large pterosaurs. Many natives on Umboi Island call it ropen. While these two investigators were near the shore of Manus Island (north of Umboi) Blume saw the form of a glowing creature, indistinct in details but about the shape and size of a large penguin. The two Americans were especially interested in this, for islanders told them that the ropen glows at night. Unfortunately, the explorers were un- able to get close enough to the object to see what it was, before it left or stopped glowing. One of the interviews was with a school teacher’s wife, who saw the ropen (also called “duwas”) when it seemed to attack a funeral pro- cession on the northern side of Umboi Island. The creature with a glowing tail came from the sea, flying towards them. The mourners yelled and banged bots, which seemed to make the ropen flew away. Another islander described how they had to protect grave yards from the scavenger ropen. Some cryptozoologists believe this large flying creature is similar to the kongamato of Africa (another pterodactyl?): Both are seen near water; both are said to be scavengers. Paul Nation accompanied Baugh in the 1994 expedition. He returned in 2002, with his son, Nathanael. They saw no ropens that year, but Paul Nation’s videos and interviews inspired other explorers who, following his advice, explored Umboi Island in 2004. Jonathan Whitcomb and his interpreter and body guard, Luke Paina, explored the island northwest of Gomlongon Village, and David Woetzel and Garth Guessman followed them a little later in 2004. Those two expeditions uncovered significant indirect evidence for the existence of the ropen as a real animal. It also gave American cryptozoologists eyewitness evidence supporting the concept that the ropen is a large Rhamphorhynchoid pterosaur. Jim Blume has been a major help in this research. He has been a missionary in Papua New Guinea for about thirty years, putting him in contact with many natives who know about these flying creatures. His language skills have benefited researchers who would otherwise have not been able to learn from the natives. Blume accompanied Baugh to northern PNG in 1996 and was inter- viewed by Garth Guessman late in 2004. He has spoken with about 70 islanders who have seen these flying creatures in various parts of PNG. Blume was also interviewed by Guessman by telephone (in about the year 2000). This missionary has contributed much to our knowledge of what natives believe and know about the ropen.
Young Gideon Koro, of Umboi Island, in about December of 1993 saw a frightening ropen (long-tailed living pterosaur) flying over Lake Pung; the featherless creature was huge.
Umboi Island, Papua New Guinea
Umboi Island part of the sketch drawn by the eyewitness: U.S. Marine Eskin Kuhn
Pterodactyls!? Are they still alive?
Central Papua New Guinea with the mainland on left and Umboi Island (Siassi) in the upper middle
Site map for the "Pterosaurs Still Living" Expeditions for live pterosaurs part of the sketch drawn by the eyewitness: U.S. Marine Eskin Kuhn
Pterosaur book for readers of all faiths (nonfiction cross genre)
part of the sketch drawn by the eyewitness: U.S. Marine Eskin Kuhn
Is the mid-20th-century “pterodactyl” of eastern Cuba related to the ropen of Papua New Guinea? Probably.
part of the sketch drawn by the eyewitness: U.S. Marine Eskin Kuhn
Pterosaurs Still Living
Early Ropen Expeditions
Twentieth-century expeditions in Papua New Guinea by Carl Baugh, missionary Jim Blume, and  Paul Nation, including their interviews with native eyewitnesses on Umboi Island, regarding the ropen
Young Gideon Koro, of Umboi Island, in about December of 1993 saw a frightening ropen (long-tailed living pterosaur) flying over Lake Pung; the featherless creature was huge.
Umboi Island, Papua New Guinea
Umboi Island part of the sketch drawn by the eyewitness: U.S. Marine Eskin Kuhn
Pterodactyls!? Are they still alive?
Earlier history of ropen expeditions Carl Baugh, of Texas, went to Papua New Guinea in 1994, after the missionary Jim Blume told him of accounts of pterosaur-like creatures there. He returned in 1996, again with Jim Blume. During those two expeditions, they interviewed about twelve natives, many of whom were eyewitnesses of flying creatures whose descriptions suggest large pterosaurs. Many natives on Umboi Island call it ropen. While these two investigators were near the shore of Manus Island (north of Umboi) Blume saw the form of a glowing creature, indistinct in details but about the shape and size of a large penguin. The two Americans were especially interested in this, for islanders told them that the ropen glows at night. Unfortunately, the explorers were un- able to get close enough to the object to see what it was, before it left or stopped glowing. One of the interviews was with a school teacher’s wife, who saw the ropen (also called “duwas”) when it seemed to attack a funeral pro- cession on the northern side of Umboi Island. The creature with a glowing tail came from the sea, flying towards them. The mourners yelled and banged bots, which seemed to make the ropen flew away. Another islander described how they had to protect grave yards from the scavenger ropen. Some cryptozoologists believe this large flying creature is similar to the kongamato of Africa (another pterodactyl?): Both are seen near water; both are said to be scavengers. Paul Nation accompanied Baugh in the 1994 expedition. He returned in 2002, with his son, Nathanael. They saw no ropens that year, but Paul Nation’s videos and interviews inspired other explorers who, following his advice, explored Umboi Island in 2004. Jonathan Whitcomb and his interpreter and body guard, Luke Paina, explored the island northwest of Gomlongon Village, and David Woetzel and Garth Guessman followed them a little later in 2004. Those two expeditions uncovered significant indirect evidence for the existence of the ropen as a real animal. It also gave American cryptozoologists eyewitness evidence supporting the concept that the ropen is a large Rhamphorhynchoid pterosaur. Jim Blume has been a major help in this research. He has been a missionary in Papua New Guinea for about thirty years, putting him in contact with many natives who know about these flying creatures. His language skills have benefited researchers who would otherwise have not been able to learn from the natives. Blume accompanied Baugh to northern PNG in 1996 and was inter- viewed by Garth Guessman late in 2004. He has spoken with about 70 islanders who have seen these flying creatures in various parts of PNG. Blume was also interviewed by Guessman by telephone (in about the year 2000). This missionary has contributed much to our knowledge of what natives believe and know about the ropen.
Pterosaur book for readers of all faiths (nonfiction cross genre)
Central Papua New Guinea with the mainland on left and Umboi Island (Siassi) in the upper middle
Site map for the "Pterosaurs Still Living" part of the sketch drawn by the eyewitness: U.S. Marine Eskin Kuhn
Is the mid-20th-century “pterodactyl” of eastern Cuba related to the ropen of Papua New Guinea? Probably.
Expeditions for live pterosaurs
copyright 2005-2017 Jonathan Whitcomb
Pterosaurs Still Living
Early Ropen Expeditions
Twentieth-century expeditions in Papua New Guinea by Carl Baugh, missionary Jim Blume, and Paul Nation, including their interviews with native eyewitnesses on Umboi Island, regarding the ropen
Young Gideon Koro, of Umboi Island, in about December of 1993 saw a frightening ropen (long-tailed living pterosaur) flying over Lake Pung; the featherless creature was huge.
Umboi Island, Papua New Guinea
Umboi Island part of the sketch drawn by the eyewitness: U.S. Marine Eskin Kuhn
Pterodactyls!? Are they still alive?
Earlier history of ropen expeditions  Carl Baugh, of Texas, went to Papua New Guinea in 1994, after the missionary Jim Blume told him of accounts of pterosaur-like creatures there. He returned in 1996, again with Blume. During those two expeditions, they interviewed about twelve natives, many of whom were eyewitnesses of flying creatures whose descriptions suggest large pterosaurs. Many natives on Umboi Island call it ropen. While these two investigators were near the shore of Manus Island (north of Umboi) Blume saw the form of a glowing creature, indistinct in details but about the shape and size of a large penguin. The Americans were especially interested in this, for islanders told them that the ropen glows at night. Unfortunately, the explorers were unable to get close enough to the object to see what it was, before it left or stopped glowing. One of the interviews was with a school teacher’s wife, who saw the ropen (also called “duwas”) when it seemed to attack a funeral procession on the northern side of Umboi Island. The creature with a glowing tail came from the sea, flying towards them. The mourners yelled and banged bots, which seemed to make the ropen flew away. Another islander described how they had to protect grave- yards from the scavenger ropen. Some cryptozoologists believe this large flying creature is similar to the kongamato of Africa (another pterodactyl?): Both are seen near water; both are said to be scavengers. Paul Nation accompanied Baugh in the 1994 expedition. He returned in 2002, with his son, Nathanael. They saw no ropens that year, but Paul Nation’s videos and interviews inspired other explorers who, following his advice, explored Umboi Island in 2004. Jonathan Whitcomb and his interpreter and body guard, Luke Paina, explored the island northwest of Gomlongon Village, and David Woetzel and Garth Guessman followed them a little later in 2004. Those two expeditions uncovered significant indirect evidence for the existence of the ropen as a real animal. It also gave American cryptozoologists eyewitness evidence supporting the concept that the ropen is a large Rhamphorhynchoid pterosaur. Jim Blume has been a major help in this research. He has been a missionary in Papua New Guinea for about thirty years, putting him in contact with many natives who know about these flying creatures. His language skills have benefited researchers who would otherwise have not been able to learn from the natives. Blume accompanied Baugh to northern PNG in 1996 and was interviewed by Garth Guessman late in 2004. He has spoken with about 70 islanders who have seen these flying creatures in various parts of PNG. Blume was also inter- viewed by Guessman by telephone (in about the year 2000). This missionary has contributed much to our knowledge of what natives believe and know about the ropen.
Pterosaur book for readers of all faiths (nonfiction cross genre)
Central Papua New Guinea with the mainland on left and Umboi Island (Siassi) in the upper middle
Site map for the "Pterosaurs Still Living" part of the sketch drawn by the eyewitness: U.S. Marine Eskin Kuhn
Is the mid-20th-century “pterodactyl” of eastern Cuba related to the ropen of Papua New Guinea? Probably.
Expeditions for live pterosaurs
copyright 2005-2017 Jonathan Whitcomb