| Bigfoot | |
|---|---|
 Screenshot from the Patterson-Gimlin film. | |
| Cryptid Information | |
| AKA | Sasquatch |
| Year First Seen | Unknown |
| Biological Class | Mammal |
| Authenticity Status | Real |
| Location | North America |
Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is purportedly an ape-like creature that inhabits forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Bigfoot is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid.
Most scientists discount the existence of Bigfoot and consider it to be a combination of folklore, misidentification, and hoax, rather than a legitimate megafaunal animal, in part because of the improbably large numbers necessary to maintain a breeding population, and because climate and food supply issues would make such purported
Photo of a Bigfoot footprint.
creatures' survival in reported habitats unlikely. Nevertheless, Bigfoot is one of the more famous examples of a cryptid within cryptozoology and an enduring legend. A small minority of accredited scientists profess the view that evidence collected of alleged Bigfoot encounters warrants further evaluation and testing.
Bigfoot is described in reports as a large hairy ape-like creature, ranging between 6–10 feet (2–3 m) tall, weighing in excess of 500 pounds (230 kg), and covered in dark brown or dark reddish hair.
Alleged witnesses have described large eyes, a pronounced brow ridge, and a large, low-set forehead; the top of the head has been described as rounded and crested, similar to the sagittal crest of the male gorilla. Bigfoot is commonly reported to have a strong, unpleasant smell by those who claim to have encountered it.
The enormous footprints for which it is named have been as large as 24 inches (60 cm) long and 8 inches (20 cm) wide. While most casts have five toes—like all known apes—some casts of alleged bigfoot tracks have had numbers ranging from two to six. Some have also contained claw marks, making it likely that a portion came from known animals such as bears, which have five toes and claws.
Some proponents have also claimed that bigfoot is omnivorous and mainly nocturnal.
Other Sasquatch
Video
Bigfoot in the Patterson-Gimlin film with stabilization