- BRISBANE, Australia (AFP)
- A mysterious bear-like creature sighted several times near a tiny Queensland
town could become a major tourist attraction akin to Scotland's Loch Ness
monster, local officials said Tuesday.
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- The metre-high (3.3 feet) creature with black hair covering
its body has been spotted near Gayndah in the state's southeast, adding
mystery to a legend that has its roots in Aboriginal folklore.
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- Aborigines in the area are convinced of the existence
of a Jongari, or hairman, said Gayndah Mayor Peter Huth.
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- A 10,000 dollar (6,500 US) reward for its capture has
been posted by Tim The Yowie Man (his real name) who runs the Australian
Centre for Mystery Investigations based in Canberra.
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- A local newspaper has put up 1,000 dollars for the first
photo.
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- The creature was spotted by Gayndah resident Shirley
Humphreys in January.
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- Although it looked like a man it had the shape of a bear
and ambled along, rather than walking or hopping, she said.
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- Humphreys saw the animal from about 70 metres (231 feet)
at dusk on a sandbank by a river before it vanished into trees.
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- Her brother Allan Bucholz also claims he saw the animal
fleetingly four or five weeks earlier and there have been other strange
happenings such as tools thrown around outside a shed.
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- "Half of the (Gayndah) councillors are non-believers
about the whole thing," Huth said.
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- "But I can honestly say I really do believe the
people who've reported the sightings. They're credible people and they're
very respected members of our community. They did see something. There's
no doubt."
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- He said there was a story going around that a bear escaped
from a nearby circus in 1959.
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- Cryptozoologist Steve Rushton said there had been sightings
of bears throughout the area over the years, adding that a book, "Diaries
of a Welsh Swagman" written in the late 1800s, contained tales about
wild bears throughout Australia,
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- Cryptozoology is the study of the possible existence
of scientifically undiscovered animals.
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- Whatever the truth, Huth sees it as a plus for the town
and hopes the mystery will attract tourists in the same way the Loch Ness
monster has to Scotland.
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- He has already been interviewed by the BBC.
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- "I can't understand why anyone would see it as a
negative," he said. "I think it's a very positive sort of story
without a doubt."
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