Paul Nation



As a living-pterosaur investigator, Paul Nation, of Granbury, Texas, conducted brief expeditions in Papua New Guinea in 1994 (with Carl Baugh), 2002, 2006, and early 2007 (Nation became involved in living-pterosaur expeditions because of his professional experience handling large ratites--flightless birds like ostriches--and their eggs). The earlier two expeditions were searching for the ropen of Umboi Island; the latter two, for the indava of the mainland interior. Investigators, also including Jonathan Whitcomb and Garth Guessman, believe that these two creatures are similar or related living pterosaurs, both with intrinsic bioluminescent capability. Nation also facilitated preparations for the two expeditions of 2004.

His expedition of late 2006, with Jacob Kepas, resulted in many nighttime sightings and he videotaped two indava lights on a ridge above one of his camps. This video footage was analyzed by a missile defense physicist in early 2007, verifying that the two light sources were not created by hoax, camera artifacts, meteors, airplanes, auto headlights, or lanterns.

Nation's March-2007 expedition resulted in a method for differentiating between distant automobile headlights and indava lights. The brilliant white light of a distant headlight seems to move slowing with an erratic heading (roads are not straight in the mountains). The indava light is often yellow, dimmer, and usually moves above the tree canopy and in a straight heading.

"Living fossil" investigations are a branch of cryptozoology usually related to creationism.

Publications

 * Searching for Ropen (video, produced by Whitcomb Video Productions, 2004)