Skunk ape
| Part of a series on the |
| Paranormal |
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A depiction of the Florida Skunk Ape based on a purported 2009 sighting, drawn by Matthew Ellis. (Public domain) | |
| Similar entities | |
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| Folklore | Cryptid |
| Country | |
| Region | Southeastern United States |
The Skunk ape, also known as the swamp ape[1] and Florida Bigfoot,[2] in American folklore, is an ape-like creature that is purported to inhabit the forests and swamps of some southeastern United States,[3] most notably in Florida.[4] Supposed evidence of the creature's existence is based on a number of anecdotal sightings as well as disputed photographs, audio and video recordings, and footprints, etc.[5] The majority of mainstream scientists have historically discounted the existence of the Skunk ape, considering it to be the result of a combination of folklore, misidentification, and hoax, rather than a living animal.[6]
Description
The Skunk ape is said to resemble Bigfoot of the Pacific Northwest, often reported as a bipedal ape-like creature, approximately 1.5–2.1 metres (5–7 ft) tall, and covered in mottled reddish-brown hair.[7] It is named for its foul odor, often described as being similar to a skunk.[8]
History
The Skunk ape has been a part of Florida, Georgia, and Alabama folklore since the European settler period.[9] Seminole myth speaks of a similar foul-smelling, physically powerful, and secretive creature called Esti Capcaki, a name which roughly translates as "cannibal giant".[10] One of the first reports of a large ape-like creature in Florida came from 1818, when a report from what is now Apalachicola, Florida, spoke of a man-sized monkey or ape raiding food stores and stalking fishermen.[11]
Reports of the skunk ape were particularly common in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1974, sightings of a large, foul-smelling, hairy, ape-like creature, which ran upright on two legs were reported in suburban neighborhoods of Dade County, Florida. In 1977, after a rash of sightings by dozens of eyewitnesses across several Florida counties, a failed-to-pass bill was proposed to the state legislature to make it illegal to "take, possess, harm or molest anthropoids or humanoid animals".[12] In the year 2000, the Sarasota Sheriff's Office received two anonymous photos depicting what appears to be a large, hairy ape-like creature near the Myakka River State Park. The scrutinized photos, dubbed the "Myakka Skunk ape", remain a polarizing topic.[13]
Skeptical investigator Joe Nickell has written that some of the reports may represent sightings of the black bear (Ursus americanus) and it is likely that other sightings are hoaxes or misidentification of wildlife.[14] The United States National Park Service considers the skunk ape to be a hoax.[15]
In folklore and popular culture
The skunk ape has been widely adopted across South and Central Florida as a mascot for the Florida wilderness and rural culture. The cryptid has appeared in numerous roadside businesses and attractions, television commercials, and signs.[16] During the COVID-19 pandemic, several Florida businesses have used the Skunk Ape's reported foul smell giving incentive to remain at a distance and evasive nature to promote social distancing.[17]
See also
References
- ^ Chapman, Dan (28 October 2020). "Not even Swamp Ape legend deters hunters from flocking to Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge". fws.gov. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ Holland, Kaylee (16 October 2019). "Does Florida's Bigfoot really exist?". laltoday.6amcity.com. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ Lennon, Vince (2003-10-22). "Is a Skunk Ape Loose in Campbell County?". WATE 6 News. WorldNow and WATE. Archived from the original on 2007-01-01. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- ^ Perry, Catie (27 January 2021). "Florida's Bigfoot? Residents share their sightings of 'massive' Skunk Ape". foxnews.com. Fox News. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ "'In The Everglades, Anything Is Possible': Legend Of Florida's Skunk Ape Lives On". miami.cbslocal.com. WFOR-TV. 17 June 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ Capozzi, Joe (27 June 2019). "South Florida's elusive Bigfoot: Does the Skunk Ape really exist?". palmbeachpost.com. The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ Carey, Nick (2 March 2007). "Skunk ape tracker seeks to protect the creature". reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ Montgomery, Madeline (8 January 2021). "The legend of skunk ape creeps up the East Coast". cbs12.com. WPEC. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ Stromberg, Joseph. "On the Trail of Florida's Bigfoot—the Skunk Ape". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ Childress, David (2018). Bigfoot nation : the history of sasquatch in North America. Adventures Unlimited Press. p. 208. ISBN 9781939149961.
- ^ Robinson, Robert (2016). Legend Tripping (1st ed.). Adventures Unlimited Press. ISBN 9781939149695.
- ^ Thursday, The Immokalee Bulletin is published every (1 November 2018). "Area was famous for close encounters with Cryptid 'Skunk Apes'". Immokalee Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2020-09-17.
- ^ Castello, David. "The Skunk Ape – Florida's Bigfoot". westpalmbeach.com. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ Nickell, Joe. "Tracking Florida's Skunk Ape". Archived from the original on 2014-07-25. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
- ^ "The abominable swampman". BBC News. 1998-03-06. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- ^ "Official Skunk Ape Headquarters". Everglades Adventure Tours. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ Winningham, Cathleigh (19 May 2020). "Skunk Ape: Here's how Gatorland will enforce social distancing". WKMG. Click Orlando.
Further reading
- Stromberg, Joseph (March 6, 2014). "On the Trail of Florida's Bigfoot—the Skunk Ape". Smithsonian. Retrieved 18 August 2016.