Cryptozoology (from
Greek ,
kryptos, "hidden" +
zoology; literally, "study of hidden animals") is a
pseudoscience involving the search for
animals whose existence has not been proven due to lack of evidence. The animals cryptozoologists study are often referred to as
cryptids, a term coined by John Wall in 1983. This includes living examples of animals that are otherwise considered extinct, such as
non-avian dinosaurs; animals whose existence lacks physical evidence but which appear in
folklore, such as
Bigfoot and
Chupacabra; and wild animals dramatically outside their normal geographic ranges, such as
phantom cats (also known as Alien Big Cats).