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Pterodactyl Kills Fisherman

near where Hodgkinson saw huge ropen

The ropen of Umboi Island, Papua New Guinea, has received more attention since the 2007 Destination Truth and 2009 MonsterQuest television broadcasts. But “kor” seems to mean “ropen,” around islands 200 miles north of Umboi. It, too, is a glowing nocturnal flying creature that likes sea food. Unfortunately for one native fisherman, in the 1960’s, one large kor failed to differentiate between fish and fisherman.

The man dived into the water after the creature attacked him, but the attack continued. After hours of fighting, the man was able to put his spear into the mouth of the kor, killing it. Local islanders found the man, badly hurt, but he died three days later. He had more than wounds, however: His body had burns.

In other areas of Papua New Guinea, large nocturnal flying creatures (reported to glow brightly) have a fearful reputation. It’s not just the reports of the largest ones carrying away a pig or even a human, on occasion; the danger is also in the creature’s secretion, for it can burn human skin. Some cryptozoologists believe that the secretion is related to the bioluminescence of the pterosaur-like creatures (called “pterodactyl” by many Americans).