On the Trail of Bigfoot - The Legend Lives On

Topic Presenter: Steven Coy, PhD

Myth or reality?

Bigfoot Sasquatch weve all heard stories of the hairy man-like beast that roams in the forest and swamps at night. Thousands of people claim to have seen the hominoid, but the evidence of its existence is fuzzy. No bones have ever been found, yet the stories of Bigfoot go back for centuries.

Tales of mythical giant apes lurk in the oral traditions of most Native American tribes, as well as in Europe and Asia. The Himalayas region has its Abominable Snowman, or Yeti. In Australia, Bigfoot is known as the Yowie Man.

Counted among the top ten science stories of 2003 by National Geographic Magazine is the fact that many scientists are now convinced that the animal is real. Join us to explore the myths and facts surrounding this fascinating creature.

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Given the scientific evidence that I have examined, Im convinced theres a creature out there that is yet to be identified.

- Jeff Meldrum, Professor of Anthropology, Idaho State University

Bigfoot advocates hypothesize that the primate is the offspring of an ape from Asia that wandered to North America during the Ice Age. They believe there are at least 2,000 ape men walking upright in North Americas woods today. The adult male is said to be at least 8 feet tall, weigh 800 pounds, and have feet twice the size of a humans. The creatures are described as shy and nocturnal, and their diets consist mostly of berries and fruits.

It was 2 oclock in the morning and the moon was a quarter full. Suddenly, there he was, an eight-foot-tall creature, standing 15 feet away, growling at me.

- Matt Moneymaker, Attorney

Bigfoot advocates are increasingly turning to forensic evidence to prove the existence of the giant creature. Investigator Jimmy Chilcutt of the Conroe Police Department in Texas, specializes in finger- and footprints, and has analyzed more than 150 casts of Bigfoot prints. Chilcutt says one footprint found in 1987 in Walla Walla in Washington State convinced him that Bigfoot is real:

The ridge flow pattern and the texture was completely different from anything Ive ever seen. It certainly wasnt human, and of no known primate that Ive examined. The print ridges flowed lengthwise along the foot, unlike human prints, which flow across.

- Jimmy Chilcutt, Police Investigator

If youve ever wondered if Bigfoot exists, join us as we explore the creature in myth and legend. Sightings have been reported all across the United States, from Florida to the West Coast, in Texas, Oklahoma and the Midwest. Perhaps you will be the next one to come face to face with the Sasquatch!

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