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Further Investigations into the Biological and Cultural Affinities of the Ri is an article that first appeared in the International Society of Cryptozoology's interdisciplinary journal, Cryptozoology in the Winter 1983 issue.

It concerns fieldwork by the authors (Roy Wagner, J. Richard Greenwell, Gale J. Raymond and Kurt Von Nieda) in New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. The team was investigating reports of the Ri, described in the article as:

"...a marine mammal with a "fish-like" lower trunk, terminating in a pair of flukes, but with a "human-like" upper trunk and head."

The authors relate this description to the mermaid of Western European belief, although they say it would be "...unwise to give serious consideration to the possible existence of mermaids as portrayed in Western literature and mythology."

Following up on fieldwork done by Wagner in 1979-1980, it was believed that the reports might have at their root an unrecognized marine mammal species.

The expedition set out to: interview the Barok, the indigenous people of the area, for additional insight; to locate physical remains; to observe, photograph and possibly capture a specimen.

Consulting with experts prior to departure, it was deemed likely that, if the creatures existed, it was likely that they were mammals. Since the animals are described as aquatic, that would make it likely that they were either cetaceans (whales/dolphins), pinnipeds (seals/seal lions), or sirenians (manatees/dugongs). Dugongs and cetaceans are known in the area.

It was hoped to approach a Ri in a small boat for close-up documentation. No equipment was included to kill a specimen.

The team initially set up operations approximately 18 miles north of Namatanai. Interviews were conducted in the village of Korapun, and continued in other villages. Some villagers spoke English, but Wagner was able to translate the universally used New Guinea pidgin. Many reports were given, including one of six Ri in a row.

Based on these interviews, the team concluded that villagers in the North considered the Ri and the dugong the same animal, but villagers in the South considered them two different types of creature.

One report was of a Ri killed (and eaten) in the mid 1970s. Witnesses disagreed with each other of whether it was a Ri or dugong. One witness who supported the Ri identity was a Western trained medical orderly, and he was considered by a local to be a superior witness to te main witness advocating the dugong position. Social and political reasons were also given as to why a false identity of a dugong might be put forward.

The team heard of frequent sightings near the village of Nokon, on Elizabeth Bay. The villages there (the Susurunga) refer to an animal which could be the same as the Ri as the Ilkai. The description of the Ilkai given in the article is as follows:

"...having a human-like upper torso and head, with the eyes set to the front of the head. The mouth protrudes and is "peculiar". The arms are "fused" to the side of the body, and the pseudo-hands serve as flippers. The legs are fused, one across the other, terminating in flippers instead of feet, which provide aquatic propulsion."

On July 5, 1983, Raymond was able to observe a brown animal in the bay that swam rapidly and showed its back above the water. Wagner and Greenwell, from another vantage point, were also able to observe a brown, slender animal. The animal surfaced every ten minutes or so, and appeared to bend sharply.

The three team members tried to approach the animal in a small boat. The animal was now showing its tail above the water, appearing to possess "mammalian flukes". The tail would touch the surface and rise again. An out-of-focus photograph was obtained of this behaviour, and the animal was photographed in the midst of a roll from the shore (both photos are reproduced in the article). The difficult conditions for photography were noted in the article as well.

When the team approached within approximately 50 feet, the animal submerged and was not seen again by the team.

Greenwell attempted to test villagers willingness to misidentify animals as Ilkai by pointing at two "easily idenfitiable" dolphins and excitedly identifying them as Ilkai. The villagers "simply stated" that the animals were dolphins.

A trip was made to the village of Huris, where it was said that bones of a Ri/Illkai might be found, but none were identified among the pig bones from meals.

Attempts to observe the animals by snorkeling, and to capture oe by setting a net, were not effective.

An animal was observed by the team again on July 12, 1983, and appeared similar to the July 5th creature.

Evaluating the month-long expedition, the team writes that it accomplished some of its goals, by interviewing local people and seeing and photographing the Ri/Ilkai. Experts were not able to identify the photographs or the animal based on its descriptions.

The article makes a point of contrasting the team's observations with the expected behaviour and morphology of a dugong.

1. The animal appeared to be feeding on fish (the fish showed avoidance behaviour), and the dugong is herbivorous.
2. The animal appeared to move too rapidly to be a dugong.
3. The animal showed a "high-profile" roll, with the observed area being approximately four times as long as the height above water of the body. Dugongs are typically at a ten to one ratio.
4. The submergence time of a dugong runs one to two minutes. The animal observed stayed submerged for ten minutes at a time.

These factors, and comparisons of movies of dugongs, led the team to conclude that they had not observed a dugong. While additional research into the flexure and dive times of dugongs was ongoing, it was felt that the other factors were sufficient.

The article goes on to consider candidates if the dugong is in fact eliminated. There are no known pinnipeds in the area. Known finless cetaceans are ruled out on a variety of factors.

Before discussing future possibilities, the article states:

Having considered all possibilities, the authors have not been able to identify the Ri or Ilkai as members of the known inventory of zoology.