What Is A Sasquatch?

Sasquatchers

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What is a Sasquatch

The question of “What is a Sasquatch?” is one that has been asked since the very first reported sightings. As far as we can tell from the evidence at hand is that the creature called Sasquatch or Bigfoot is an unclassified primate of the Great Ape family. Sasquatch is primarily a bipedal (walking up-right on two legs) animal unlike its other great ape counterparts which are quadrupeds (walking on all fours). While there is evidence to suggest that Sasquatch may spend as much moving on all fours as it does walking up-right.

Sasquatch are described as being between 5-10 feet tall covered with anywhere from black to tan colored hair. It is important to note that it is hair that they are covered with rather than fur. Many reports state that they have a small head with little to no neck, stocky shoulders, robust chest, and long strong arms and legs. Witnesses describe the facial features are that of a human with large dark eyes and a pronounced brow-ridge.

Above is frame from the Patterson/Gimlin film.

A recreation of Gigantopithecus Blacki.

They seem to be primarily nocturnal, with keen night vision, which is likely due to their large eyes and pupillary size. They move through almost complete darkness with ease, but that is not to say that they are strictly nocturnal. Sasquatch sightings happen during the day just as much as they do during night. Some night time reports state that when a flash light is shined on the animal its eyes reflect the light and shine with a red glow.

Like other members of the Great Ape family, the other senses of a Sasquatch are very acute. It seems that they are able to detect the slightest change in their environment, whether it is a man walking through the woods or a camera set up in hopes of snapping a shot of the animal. Their hearing and vocalization seems to be greater than that of humans, as they are able to communicate from vast distances from each other. Either by vocal calls or what is called wood knocking (knocking a fallen branch against a large tree). Their vocalizations have a wide array of sound such as: throat moans and whistles, grunts, hoots, howls, deep low-pitched growls, extremely loud roars, and bone chilling screams. Also it is reported that crying, laughing and giggling have been heard. Many reports state that the Sasquatch are capable of imitating other animals such as owls, cats, dogs, cows, and on rare occasions human speech. There have been reports where they have been said to call out a member of a camping party name in another campers voice. It also has been suggested that Sasquatch have their own “primitive” language.

There is a common misconception about the aggressiveness of Sasquatch. Many believe that they are an extremely aggressive animal, but in fact the evidence seems to point to the opposite. A Sasquatch will go out of its way to avoid humans, but they seems to be more fearful of man that women or children. There have been many reports of them watching and sometimes interacting with children. Evidence also suggests that they are intrigued with small animals such as puppies, kittens, and other baby animals. Even to the point where they keep them as pets. Like gorillas, Sasquatch have a very low tolerance for overly aggressive dogs. There have been reports where dogs have been severely hurt and sometimes killed seemingly by a Sasquatch.

There are many theories on the origins and identity of the Sasquatch. Some say that it is a relic population of a giant ape, Gigantopithecus Blacki that lived in Southeast Asia around 100,000 years ago. Fossil evidence suggests that as an adult Blacki stood around 10ft tall and weighed over 1200lbs. The verdict on the locomotion of Blacki is still out, but most believe that it was a quadruped. However, Grover Krantz believes that Blacki walked up-right in a bipedal fashion. This is due to the fossil evidence of the jawbone. Blacki’s jawbone was U-shaped and widen at the end, this allows for the windpipe to be with in the jaw and having the head set full up-right on the spine as it does in humans. This suggests that Gigantopithecus Blacki was a bipedal animal. However, it is very important to note that the only fossil remains found belonging to Blacki have been teeth and jaw bones, and with out any further evidence a final concussion can not be reach on which type of locomotion was used by Gigantopithecus Blacki.

Although Blacki fits most descriptions of Sasquatch, there has been no fossil evidence that Blacki ever lived on the North American continent. Because of this, skeptics of this theory say that Sasquatch can not be Gigantopithecus Blacki. Although it is possible that Blacki crossed the land bridge that connected Asia with North America at the time. If so, then the descendants of those adventurous few would over time adapt to their new environment. Living along side the Native Americans that inhabited the Northwest Pacific, which in turn would have gave rise to the Sasquatch tales of the Native Americans.