Scientists attribute belief in cryptids partly to misinterpretation of folklore stories.
Notes on verification
Confirmed by Wikipedia's cryptid list article, which cites peer-reviewed/academic sources (Loxton & Prothero 2013, Church 2009, Roesch & Moore 2002). Independent skeptic and cryptozoology-history sources corroborate the general mechanism of folklore misinterpretation, though the exact phrasing traces to Wikipedia itself.
Sources
- List of cryptids (en.wikipedia.org)
- https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/science/cryptozoology (ebsco.com)
- https://sharonahill.com/cryptozoology-and-myth-part-1-the-illusion-of-facticity-in-unknown-animal-reports/ (sharonahill.com)
- https://siebel-db.siebelinstitute.com/project/hunting-monsters-cryptozoology-and-the-reality-be (siebel-db.siebelinstitute.com)
- https://k12.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/11206/ccres0000394.html?revision=1 (k12.libretexts.org)