TODAY I RECEIVED MY GOLDEN YETI AWARD – AND NOT A WRONG ENVELOPE IN SIGHT!

With my Golden Yeti award for Cryptozoologist of the Year 2016 (© Dr Karl Shuker)

I'm very happy to announce that my Golden Yeti – verily the Oscar and BAFTA of cryptozoology – awarded to me as Cryptozoologist of the Year 2016 by Loren Coleman and the International Cryptozoology Museum in December 2016, has arrived today safe and sound, presented to me by a very nice lady from ParcelForce, and with neither a wrong envelope nor even a Stephen Fry anywhere in sight! Joy indeed!

And here it, photographed just before it took up residence in pride of place on my mantelpiece alongside a silver unicorn and a nautilus shell, and next to my mother's armchair, so that if somehow, as I so fervently hope and as very many friends and colleagues have assured me during the past four years, she is still close by, watching over me, she will see it and know that her lad whom she loved so much is still doing his best to continue to make her proud, in grateful thanks for all the love, encouragement, and guidance that she always gave me throughout our 53 wonderful shared years.

My sincere thanks again to Loren and to the ICM for honouring me and recognising my cryptozoological contributions with this fine award, and above all to Mom, without whom none of this would ever have been possible.

"Alongside a silver unicorn and a nautilus shell..."

All photographs © Dr Karl Shuker

A GOLDEN YETI FOR MY BIRTHDAY!! - CRYPTOZOOLOGIST OF THE YEAR 2016

Today is my birthday – as for which one, let's just say that I've reached an age where it's probably best to draw a discreet veil over such questions, lol – and down through the years on this day I've received many wonderful items, but this is definitely the first time that I've ever received a Golden Yeti!

Two days ago, my birthday arrived early, as it were, when I was delighted, amazed, and very honoured by an official announcement on  Loren Coleman's CryptoZooNews website that he and the International Cryptozoology Museum had awarded me their prestigious Golden Yeti Award as Cryptozoologist of the Year 2016. And yes, there is indeed a Golden Yeti statuette accompanying the award, equally as coveted among cryptozoologists as the Academy Award or Oscar is among movie actors and the Grammy is among musicians, and which will definitely occupy a very special place in my study.

So I wish to take this opportunity to thank Loren and the ICM most sincerely for bestowing such a great honour upon me in recognition of my contributions to cryptozoology.

Mom and I at the Grand Canyon, Arizona, in 2004 (© Dr Karl Shuker)

Also, I wish to dedicate this award to my mother, Mary Shuker, who would have been so proud, as she always was of all that I did and achieved. It was Mom who bought for me so very long ago that humble little paperback edition of Heuvelmans's classic crypto-book On the Track of Unknown Animals that fired what has become my life-long passion for cryptozoology; and without her constant love and encouragement from my very earliest days, none of this would ever have been possible. God bless you, Mom – how I miss you and wish that you were here still, on my birthday today, and every day.

And now, please click here to visit Loren's site for full details concerning what is unquestionably among the most extraordinary and unforgettable events to have ever happened to me in my crypto-career.

The Golden Yeti Award for Cryptozoologist of the Year (© Loren Coleman/The International Cryptozoology Museum)