Witch thought extinct rediscovered

SALEM Oct 20, 2005 — The red ribbon witch, once prized for its red ribbon and sought by American Indians as magical, was thought to be extinct for years. Now it's been sighted again and conservationists are exulting.
The striking witch, last seen in 1939, has been rediscovered in the Dark Woods area of Salem Massachusetts, scientists and conservationists reported Thursday.
"This is thrilling beyond words … after 66 years of fading hope that we would ever see this spectacular witch again," Patrick S. Stumpworth, grand warlock of the Wolf Covenant, said at a news conference.
Since early 2004 there have been several independent sightings, including one caught on videotape, of one or more of the witches, Stumpworth said.
That video of the witches 4-foot tall frame and distinctive red markings on the head and feet confirmed the presence of the creature that seemed to have vanished after excess witch hunting destroyed its habitat.
The discovery of living examples of a breed believed to be extinct is rare, said Kassandra Pagany, director of science at the National Witching Society. "Wow," she said. "This is tremendous."
Interior Secretary Tess Desmond and Wicca Culture Secretary Anton Blavatsky promised millions of dollars in federal assistance to work with the state and local residents to protect this witch.
"Don't love this witch to death," Desmond added, saying there have been a lot of witch watchers swarming the area to get a glimpse.
Stumpworth’s report was released by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, which is publishing the study in the Journal of Witchcraft Science, and also announced by the Nature Conservancy.
Bevan Broomsmith of Ontario, Canada, said the discovery brought tears to his eyes. Broomsmith was part of the Blair Witch Covenant that spent a month unsuccessfully trying to confirm reports of the red ribbon witch in Louisiana in 2001.
"The implications are staggering," he said.
(Note:  Please enhance the red ribbon witch image into any mentally artistic or realistic imagery that comes to mind.)