Decapitated silver sea blob washes up in Aparri, Cagayan

Like the unholy offspring of a giant squid and a mollusk without its shell, a mysterious creature washed up the shore of a village in Aparri, Cagayan Thursday, prompting residents to seek help—and take pictures.

24 Oras showed pictures of the silver creature on the beach decomposing, fraying at the ends, and absolutely headless.

At five to six meters long, the creature was never weighed; it is now buried under the sand it was found in, after two days of residents enduring its rotten stench.

In a phone interview with GMA News Online, Leonarda Labugen of Region II's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said the creature had been stewing in the ocean for a week before washing up on Aparri's shores. Its prolonged decomposition, she said, made it necessary for the local government and BFAR to bury its corpse.

She said there was no time to take samples from the corpse, though a technical report is due to be issued within the week.


Cryptozoology: Fantastic beasts and where to find them

This is not the first time BFAR has encountered an unknown marine species. An infinitely more adorable enigmatic critter crawled up the shores of Iloilo in 2010 and was scooped up by residents who called for the bureau's help. What BFAR believes to be a new type of marine sea slug had leaf-like patterns on its shell, two small horns on its head, and white frills under its green body.

Critters like these—especially the Aparri silver jello—are only some of the fabled creatures that roam the world. And believe it or not, there are actually scientists (and "scientists") who are studying these fantastic beasts and where to find them.

Cryptozoology is the study of creatures that may or may not exist. Business Insider classifies it as a protoscience, or an empirical pursuit which hopes to catch a sarimanok but is perfectly willing to accept that the colorful bird in their neighbor's backyard may actually just be a genetically-diverse chicken.

Popular cryptids include the Yeti, an ape-like creature found on the snowy mountains of Nepal, and the Loch Ness Monster, a creature found in the Loch Ness of the Scottish Highlands, believed to be plesiosaurs.

Dedicated cryptozoologists interested in seriously pursuing their mythical creature of choice can join organizations such as the Center for Fortean Zoology (CFZ).

The center was founded in 1992 to promote research into cryptids and to maintain a library of materials for researchers, including a small collection of living and preserved specimens and a photo library of over 27,000 images.

More casual fans may saunter over to Portland, Maine, where The International Cryptozoology Museum hosts various gems like real Yeti hair samples and "Esau," a Sasquatch baby in doll form.

If the distance is too great, they can build their own museum at home, since the museum sells plushie versions of famous cryptids like the chupacabra and the mothman. — Rie Takumi/VC, GMA News