Daleyza

This is just a pretty generalized idea, but I feel like the majority of cryptids stay concealed because they are basically endangered animals with relatively small populations. They are also probably skittish and elusive by nature, so they avoid places with large amounts of people because of all the noise and such.

Humans pose a threat to cryptids just like we pose a threat to all other known animals. We destroy and pollute their habitats, making it harder for them to survive and thrive.

I enjoy documentaries about cryptids that try to keep things objective and focus mostly on the facts. I feel this makes them the most credible. Although I am also a fan of mockumentaries, as they're very entertaining and allow one to think how a creature would exist with more ability to guess at these things than to just say "well we're not really sure."

I carry my camera around a lot but that's about as far as it goes in terms of looking for cryptids.

I do plan to go searching eventually, I think it'll be a fun experience and I'll get some nice nature pictures in general but I don't expect to find much.

It's my opinion that cryptids are most of the time just undiscovered creatures that developed naturally but humans haven't extensively studied yet. Although I try to keep an open mind and don't think it would be too outlandish to suspect "otherworldly" intervention.

I would consider myself an environmentalist. I think we have the responsibility to stop habitat destruction for the sake of all the animals on Earth, possible cryptids included.

Cryptids as animals are almost definitely elusive and endangered, and we don't want to wipe out an entire species before even discovering it.

I think that the films & the media choose two versions of cryptids. There's the "scary" movie, like The Hollow (2015) that seem to be some kind of warning that cryptids are a naturally destructive force. Possibly that is a projection of our own feelings about our own monstrous destruction that you point out. There's this other side though--mostly in kid's films like the remake of Pete's Dragon, The Water Horse, Fern Gully, or E.T.--where kids have a privileged relationship with the creatures, protecting them from adult threats. It could be an exercise in building little environmentalists, as many children's books and films build implicit and explicit expectations for the world--acculturation.