Loren Coleman is also internationally recognized for his research and writings on popular culture, animal mysteries, folklore, and new species, known as the science of
cryptozoology. He appears frequently on
television and the
radio in interviews about
Bigfoot, Yeti, Skunk apes, Panthera atrox, Loch Ness Monster, Lake monsters, Mothman, Dover Demon, Orang Mawas, and other
cryptids. He has written numerous articles and books on cryptozoology and other
Fortean topics, of which the first was published in
1969.
Some of his frequent radio and TV appearances are on the "Documentary Channels", such as the
Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel (TLC),
Jeff Rense's radio show, The Paracast podcast, the
Coast To Coast AM radio show, the
History Channel, the
Sci-Fi Channel, the
Travel Channel, Japanese television, as well as the mainstream American broadcast channels. The subject matter presented when he is on these are most often about
Bigfoot, Nessie, Mothman, Dover Demon, and related
cryptids and
cryptozoology. He is often asked to speak on college campus, for example giving the keynote lecture on cryptozoology at the opening of the "Cryptozoology" exhibition at Bates College in 2005 and at the American Museum of Natural History in 2007, during their exhibition, "Mythic Beasts."
Coleman, due to his extensive research on the series of West Virginia sightings of
Mothman, was asked by
Sony/Screen Gems before the release of their
2002 movie
The Mothman Prophecies, to assist them with their reality-based publicity. He therefore was involved in press conferences, and over three hundred radio interviews discussing the factual background to the 1966-1967 events in
Point Pleasant, West Virginia that informed
Mark Pellington's contemporary motion picture. The studio also had Coleman and author
John Keel appear in their documentary,
Search for the Mothman (2002), directed by David Grabias. In conjunction with the movie and documentary, the studio encouraged Coleman to complete his book on Mothman before the release of their movie, and thus
Mothman and Other Curious Encounters (ISBN 1-931044-34-1) was published in 2002 by New York's Paraview Press. He continues this work through a study on his website of the so-called "Mothman Curse".
Despite Coleman's Mothman research, his long-term interests within the cryptid realm are
Yeti and
Sasquatch investigations. He has carried out extensive fieldwork throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, regarding sightings, trace evidence, and Native peoples' traditions of Sasquatch/Windigo/Bigfoot. Many of his recent books have dealt with Bigfoot, Yeti, Lake Monsters, and Sea Serpents. His writings are collections of raw data, theories, and his adventures traveling around North America. His investigations, through others' news reports, as well as his own articles and books frequently reflect words and phrases that have passed into routine use in cryptozoology. For example, he coined
Dover Demon, Phantom Panthers, as well as other cryptids' specific names.
Coleman is also a biographer and obituary writer, having written on Yeti and Bigfoot expedition sponsor
Tom Slick and appearing, for example, on NPR discussing the death of
Grover Krantz.
Coleman has won awards for this documentary and literary work.
In 2004 he was referenced as the comic book character "Coleman Wadsworth" chasing an Abominable Snowman and in turn being chased by the title creature in the
Swamp Thing comics (#7 and #8). Using Coleman as the model, he also inspired other recent comic book “cryptozoologist” characters, as well, by the artists Hunt Emerson, Charles Berlin, Peter Loh, Allan Gross and Jerry Carr.
Paraview Press introduced a new series of books, "Loren Coleman Presents," with Mark A. Hall's book,
Thunderbirds: America's Living Legends of Giant Birds (ISBN 1-931044-97-X) in 2004. In 2007, A. C. Oudemans’ "The Great Sea Serpent" and Philip Henry Gosse’s "The Natural History of Animals" appeared in this series, introduced by Coleman.
During 2005-2006, Coleman was the national spokesperson and judge for a “Creature Photo Contest,” being conducted by Wizards of the Coast’s role-playing Duel Masters™ cards division.
Coleman saw the appearance of several of his coauthored works in 2006, including new editions of
The Field Guide to Bigfoot and Other Mystery Primates and "The Unidentified and Creatures of the Outer Edge", plus a new book, "Weird Ohio".
During 2007, new books by Coleman published have been
Mysterious America from Simon and Schuster, and
Weird Virginia.
