Sasquatch seems to mix the behavior of both humans and great apes. However, we can only rely on reports for that information. It seems in terms of physical appearance, this species has evolved similarly to our own species, which can be scientifically backed. ​

Illustration: @mohr.art
Nose
The Patterson Gimlin film has proven to be the most credible piece of photographic/videographic evidence to date. Luckily, throughout the years, this film has been stabilized, enhanced, and restored to an incredibly successful degree. When focusing in on the subject’s face, we notice a few things, including what looks to be an external nose. Humans are the only ape species (with the exception of the Proboscis monkey) to possess this type of nose. There are several scientific hypotheses that support this anatomical evolution in humans. Why are we the only ape species with an external nose? The answer once again lies in our shift in food sources. When humans started eating meat, evolutionary changes began. Not only did our social structure become more complex, but our anatomy too. Consuming meat was a taxing pursuit for humans; it meant that we had to chase prey as well as outcompete other carnivores. The endurance and organization it takes to hunt not only evolved our social complexity, but our spatial awareness. Olfactory Navigation is when smells are associated with locations and activities, which in turn helps a species navigate. Because our new diet and lifestyle demanded us to navigate, our noses had to evolve to do so. The second shift in our nasal anatomy occurred when we began cooking our meat. Because of the changes in our diet, our facial bone structure changed significantly, which may have evolved our noses further. How does this relate to Sasquatch? Good question. Although we can’t verify every eye-witness report, we must recognize consistencies in physicality reported. Witnesses tend to describe the Sasquatch nose as “Relatively flat, but not like an ape-more like a human.” If we look at the anatomy of the Sasquatch, we see that they have evolved much like humans. For example, footprints indicate the evolution of their bipedalism (walking upright.) We see a lack of a divergent toe, which is a very humanlike trait. According to witness encounters, Sasquatch has been seen actively hunting and killing deer and other animals alike. If they are in fact carnivorous, this would mean that they execute organized hunting like us humans. Remember, in our own species, we needed to develop spatial awareness for hunting, which began evolving our nose. However, the difference between humans and Sasquatch is that we cook our food. There has been no evidence to suggest that Sasquatch has mastered fire. This means that their nasal evolution would have ended with Olfactory Navigation, as they still consume raw meat, which requires muscles and other anatomical features we humans no longer need. This certainly explains why Bigfoot seems to have a nose that appears more humanlike, but not quite as evolved as ours. This scientific study validates the Bigfoot species’ course of evolution, which seems to be very similar to our own. 

Sagittal Crest
The sagittal crest is a prominent ridge of bone that projects upwards from the cranial vault along its midline. This anatomy is most commonly seen in male gorillas and orangutans. This anatomical feature is a direct result of chewing hard food sources like fibrous plants and raw meat. The subject in the PG film clearly possesses this anatomy, which tells us a bit about their diet! Humans lost our sagittal crest because we started cooking meat, which made it softer and easier to chew. 

Eyes
It’s hard to say whether Sasquatch’s eyes are more humanlike or apelike, as we can only go off reports. However, it is important to note that humans have a very unique optical feature that is unlike other apes: the whites of the eyes. Humans have a white sclera, which is not seen in other apes. Scientists believe this could be due to the social structure of great apes. In their culture, it is essential to hide the direction of gaze, as not to intimidate another individual or reveal a food source. Great apes are more competitive than humans, so lacking the whites in the eye makes it easier for them to hide their gaze. Humans communicate through eye contact, which is why our eyes evolved the way they did. Sasquatch reports are mixed when it comes to this feature. Some reports include whites of the eyes in the description whereas other witness describe “big black eyes with no whites.” This feature is not apparent in the PG film and so it must remain under speculation at this time.  

Many argue that Bigfoot cannot be part of the Homo genus due to a difference in lifestyle. For example, we haven’t found evidence of tool use, fire, domestication of livestock, or agriculture, all identifiers for our unique species. However, could it be possible that another intelligent group could survive as hunter-gatherers, living without the advancements that define Homo sapiens? The answer may surprise you. 
In Northern Tanzania, a group of modern hunter-gatherers live in a tribe of 1,300 individuals. The Hadza are one of the last groups of their kind in all of Africa, and their lifestyle is one that most of humanity has abandoned. The Hadza prove that the need for life’s luxuries do not determine a group’s success. They do not grow and store food, nor do they domesticate livestock. Instead, they hunt using handmade bows and arrows, and they forage for edible plants and honey. The Hadza do not make permanent shelters, but instead weave temporary structures out of dried grass and sticks. 

Homo sapiens have practiced a hunter-gatherer lifestyle dating back 2 million years. Prior to this way of life, our species relied on scavenging animal remains left behind by other predators. Based on eye-witness reports & footprint locations, it seems that Bigfoot exhibits a similar lifestyle that our own species once did. Hundreds of reports detail Bigfoots carrying livestock off farms, picking up roadkill or stealing fresh kills from hunters. This scavenging behavior is not as animalistic as one might think, as our own species survived this way for many years. Bigfoots have also been reported to gather berries and fruits, and they have been observed on multiple occasions demonstrating organized hunting of deer. Perhaps their species is so large and powerful, they do not have a use for weapons. If they have the mental complexity to organize distractions and physical strength to ambush their prey, their need for weapons may be redundant. A large rock or stick may do the trick just as well as a bow and arrow if you’re stealthy enough to sneak up on your prey. It is believed that an intelligent species must have shelter in order to survive. One of the most asked questions about Bigfoot is “Where do they live?” However, if Bigfoot is building temporary primitive structures like the Hadza, we may not find evidence of shelter so easily. The argument that evidence of a complex lifestyle does not exist may be explained by the possibility that Bigfoot leaves no trace. 

National Geographic Society. “Hadza.” National Geographic Society, 9 Sept. 2018, https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/hadza/.

Bigfoot’s origins have been widely debated for years. Did they descend from Gigantopithecus, are they closely related to gorillas, or do they sit next to humans on our family tree? Important to note, Sasquatch is a unique species with many admirable adaptations. We will never fully understand them until they are scientifically studied, however, I believe pinpointing their origins may be the key in discovering more evidence. If we can get an idea of what they are, we may be able to guess when & where they are. After studying multiple theories, I’ve come up with one of my own. Our fossil record consists of dozens of species of primates, including great apes & humans. However, our evolutionary tree expands far beyond the Homo lineage. Bigfoot is described to be very ape-like & very human-like. And what most people don’t know is that a group called Australopithecines share the same split in characteristics. This group of hominins lived between 4.2 & 2 million years ago. Could a species from this lineage still exist today? The answer may lie in Australopithecus sediba.

· Sediba existed 2 million years ago, alongside Homo erectus, the predecessor for modern humans.

· This species had long upper limbs & a developed bipedal locomotion. Their hips were wide like humans & their features were humanlike except for their feet which seem to mix ape & human characteristics, something that we also see in Sasquatch anatomy.

· This Australopithecine shares many characteristics with our own species, for example, the uneven shapes of the right and left side of the brain, as well as the structure of the brain.

· The placement of frontal lobes in the Homo sapien brain plays a big part in controlling decision-making, social behavior & creativity.

· In a study done by The European Synchrotron, the prefrontal cortex of A. sediba was analyzed against that of modern humans and apes. The study revealed advancements in the development of the prefrontal cortex that foreshadow the same proportional changes that evolved modern humans. Sediba’s orbitofrontal region expanded in ways that shaped its frontal lobes similarly to humans. In humans, the frontal lobes are associated with higher mental functions like multitasking, a capability that allows for long-term planning & innovation. In other words, Sediba shares the same anatomical characteristic that gave our own species the ability for complex thought. Scientists have also identified a feature on the brain that humans use to process language.

· Sediba had midfoot flexibility and would have produced a midtarsal break with each step. Sediba turned its foot inward with its weight focused on the outer edge of the foot. This anatomical feature seems to be evident in many Sasquatch prints, such as the Pacific Northwest Cast of 2004.

· While A. sediba’sankle was human-like in certain ways, it shares much of the same anatomy that is found in the inverted foot of a climbing ape. Sasquatch has been reported to climb trees on many occasions, which supports this theory further.

· Sediba’s distal femur possesses a human-like bicondylar angle, therefore positioning A. sediba’sknees directly over the feet during a bipedal step. A compliant gait is also observed in the PG film.

· One might make the argument that australopithecines used tools, a missing behavior in most Sasquatch reports. However, Sasquatch doesn’t need tool use to qualify as an Australopithecine. In fact, there is no evidence to suggest that Sediba used tools the same way we did. Scientists believe it is likely that they used sticks, animal bones and rocks to perform complex tasks, something that hasbeen observed in Bigfoot reports.

· Now that we’ve established the compelling similarities between these species, let’s take a look at where sediba’s fossils were recovered, so we can gain a rough understanding of this species’ environment, which may parallel that of Sasquatch. Malapa Africa is the fossil dig site of Australopithecus sediba, which just happens to be Africa’s most complete hominin skeleton. After millions of years of erosion, a cave has been exposed, allowing researchers to dig for hominin fossils. The question is, how did they get there? Dr Job Kibii, a researcher at the Institute for Human Evolution and director of excavations at the Malapa site, says that there is evidence to support that the sediba individuals & other animals found had fallen down vertical cave shafts. Fortunately for researchers, this means that their remains were not scavenged & remained intact for so many years.

· At the time of their existence, Malapa Africa would have been a very fertile & forested region, similar to the environment Bigfoot occupies today. Scientists were surprised at Sediba’s diet, which consisted of fruits, leaves, bark & various plants, suggesting their habitat was far different than the African savanna diet of other hominins of that time. The correlation between Sediba & Bigfoot’s physical characteristics, intelligence capabilities & habitat refreshing. It is exciting to think that a version of Sediba could exist in North America today. My hypothesis is forming, & in order to determine if Bigfoot is related to Sediba, I need to get out in the field & study this unrecognized species. By using information about Sediba, I may be able to track down Sasquatch.
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· Professor Lee Berger of the Institute for Human Evolution and the University of (Wits), School of Geosciences, found the Malapa site by zoning in on limestone-loving trees that grow at cave sites. This method may be crucial in locating Sasquatch remains. 

A recent groundbreaking discovery of a 90,000-year-old bone revealed shocking origins of the individual. The fossil was analyzed, yielding 50% Neanderthal and 50% Denisovan DNA. This find was a landmark discovery, in that this is the first hard evidence to prove that interbreeding took place among ancient human species. This exciting find is not only important to the scientific community, but to the Bigfoot community as well. This evidence suggests that other ancient species may have interbred as well, providing clues into Bigfoot’s origin. It is important to keep in mind, that the successful breeding took place between two different species of Homo. Although they were quite different, they both came from the same genus. Bigfoot is described as a large, bipedal, ape-like man. Its physicality shows incredible unification of both primitive human features and ape-like anatomy. If Bigfoot is a human/ape hybrid, it would have to descend from an ape species with an extremely specific genetic code; a species not yet discovered by our scientific community.

First, we must analyze known apes to identify the element that prevents us from crossbreeding. Humans and chimps share 99% of DNA coding sequences. However, humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, whereas apes have 24. This difference makes it impossible for our species to successfully mate. This is because humans come from the genus “Homo” and apes come from different genera. How could it be that apes were our predecessor, but have a different number of chromosomes? The answer lies in chromosome 2 in the human DNA chain, which appears to be 2 ape chromosomes stuck together. This fusion of 2 chromosomes was an evolutionary event that began our family tree. When the 2 chromosomes fused together, 24 became 23, and began a new genus.

​Bigfoot is perhaps the most widely debated mystery. Many experienced researchers and scientists believe this creature to be an undiscovered great ape. However, new theories rooting Bigfoot’s origin in humanity need to be researched. In order to determine if Bigfoot is closer to the Homo branch of the evolutionary tree, we must dive into what it means to be human. Nine species of Homo have been identified in our fossil record. This includes H. habilis, H. heidelbergensis, H. naledi, H. neanderthalensis, H. rudolfensis, H. erectus, and H. sapiens, which is what we call modern humans today. Alongside Homo on the tree, we have Australopithecus and Paranthropus, non-human species with morphology resembling both ape and human. All species on our evolutionary tree are defined as hominins, the group consisting of modern humans, extinct human species and all our immediate ancestors (including members of the genera Homo, Australopithecus, Paranthropus and Ardipithecus.) 

Pictured below: A.sediba skull layered over the Patterson Gimlin film creature

The origins of Sasquatch have been widely debated by researchers from across the globe. How do we find out what Sasquatch is when evidence is so scarce? The answer lies in known species. When analyzing the physical attributes of this creature, we conclude that its origin points to either man or ape. However, with either conclusion, a question still begs: How have they remained undetected for so long? The answer lies in the intelligence of this species. The reported behavior of Sasquatch has seemed to pull its origins closer to human than ape. Let’s take a ride through the world’s greatest jungles, to discover the correlation in lifestyle between indigenous people and the North American Sasquatch.
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If Sasquatch is an adapted indigenous people, how could they have remained hidden for so long? We must observe existing remote hunter-gatherers to analyze the skills and adaptations needed to survive in the wild. Steve Lancing is an anthropologist working in the islands of Indonesia since 1971. Indonesia consists of 17,000 islands and is known for having the greatest diversity of human genes and languages on the planet. In 2018, Lancing and a few colleagues were working on genetic studies, communicating with Indonesian scientists to uncover their unknown ancestors and produce medication for local diseases. Lancing was holding a medical clinic in a resettlement community in Borneo when the leader of a resettled Punan indigenous group approached him, advising him that a small group of Punan people were still living in remote caves as hunter-gatherers. (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE)

Bigfoot is characterized as a large, bipedal creature covered in hair with long arms, toned muscles, and an appearance representing a combination of man and ape. The question of how such a species could exist alongside ours without having been discovered by our scientific community is baffling to many; individuals tend to boast that if this creature ever did exist, it must be extinct by now, otherwise we would have discovered it. However, we are not lending this creature’s intelligence, and possible origins enough credit. Today we take a walk back through time; we will dissect the evolution of apes and man to discover clues about how a man-like species might survive as long as us, without directly competing and remaining elusive. How did it get here, and how intelligent could it be? We will piece together the characteristics of Ardipithecus, Paranthropus, and Australopithecus to determine which branch of bipedal man and ape-like creatures Bigfoot may have descended from. Ardipithecus was the very first ape species to walk bipedally. They are the closest link we have to primates. This species was rather small and primitive, so Bigfoot stemming off of this branch is unlikely.
The next two groups of evolved human-like species were Australopithecus and Paranthropus. These groups both walked upright but differed in some characteristics. For example, Paranthropus aethiopicus had large megadont teeth and a very strong jaw. Perhaps the most important feature to note on this species was a developed sagittal crest (slightly pointed head at the top of the skull) which allowed for huge chewing muscles. Since the muscles that connected toward the back of the crest were so strong, these creatures were able to chew very well with their front teeth. Unfortunately, very few remains of this species have been found. Just like other creatures from the Paranthropus genus, Paranthropus boisei had adaptations for strong chewing. A prominent sagittal crest on the midline of the top of the skull connected large chewing muscles from the top and side of the braincase to the lower jaw. This anatomy moved the species’ jaw up and down very mechanically. This creature had huge cheek teeth four-times the size of a modern human’s and the thickest dental enamel of any known early human. Because of their sagittal crest and larger cranial capacity, this species had a fast-growing brain. Remember, food equals intelligence in the equation of evolution.

The Australopithecine group was known for land and tree-dwelling, with adaptations for both walking and climbing. These creatures had traits of both humans and apes. For example, Australopithecus anamensis has a shin bone showing a human-like placement of the ankle joint, which points to frequent bipedalism. However, their long arms and strong wrist bones indicate their climbing abilities which likely lasted close to 1 million years. These multi-functional limbs supporting walking and climbing were also found in Australopithecus africanus, whose round cranium housed a large brain, and Australopithecus afarensis, whose children matured quickly after birth. Australopithecus afarensis is one of the longest-lived and best-known early human species, surviving for more than 900,000 years (four times as long as our own species has been around.) Perhaps their land and tree adaptations allowed them to excel and sustain as a species for so long. After Australopithecus and alongside the Paranthropus group came Homo. 
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Interview with Cliff Barackman:
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1.Bigfoot has been described as a bipedal ape-like man. Do you believe it could be a surviving hominid, or do you believe it to be an ancestor of Gigantopithecus?

Cliff: "Sasquatches are definitely a surviving hominid, but all apes and humans are hominids, which means they are in the family Hominidae.  The question would be if they are a surviving hominin, which is defined as being in the lineage or an offshoot of human beings.  Hominins include Australopithecus all the way up to present day Homo sapiens sapiens, and all the offshoots thereof.  This is most likely the case for sasquatches as well.  At the same time, it is entirely possible that Gigantopithecines were also an offshoot of the Hominin lines. So little is known about them (though much is speculated), that it is impossible to say at this point."
 
2.What are some common behaviors that you’ve seen/heard in a Bigfoot report?

Cliff: "Most of the time when a Bigfoot is encountered, besides the mere shock of the event, it is rather a dull affair.  The Sasquatch typically either walks/runs away, or it watches the observer and then walks away.  Some atypical reports would include intimidation displays, such as yelling, growling, throwing and breaking objects, stomping, or even bluff charges."
 
3.If Bigfoot is so large, how could it remain so elusive?

Cliff: "They are large, but not significantly larger than a brown/grizzly bear.  Many members of the species, if not most, are smaller, perhaps the size of a large black bear.  These animals also largely stay out of sight.  Sure, there are many reports of seeing bears, but there are probably at least 100 bears for every Bigfoot.  The numbers are in favor of Bigfoots being rarely seen.  When one adds to this that Sasquatches seem to be mostly nocturnal, very smart, hyper aware of their surroundings, and want nothing to do with us, it seems natural that they would rarely be seen."  
 
4.Could you give me your best description of a Bigfoot’s features?

Cliff: "In general, adult Sasquatches range from six to eight feet or so in height, and they probably weigh between 400 and 1,200 pounds.  They are generally human-like in shape, but covered, with hair (except on parts of the face, the palms, and bottom of the feet) with wider shoulders, longer arms, and a lower-placed head that often seems to rest on the shoulders (they do have a neck, of course, but their muscles can often obscure this).  The hair covering is dark, usually brown or black, with a reddish tinge when seen in the right lighting conditions.  They are often described as having an overhanging brow ridge, and a head that slopes away from the forehead in a conical shape.  Their noses are wide and broad, though not ape-like." 
 
5.How many do you think there are?

Cliff: "I guess that there are probably between 8,000 and 10,000 individuals in North America, give or take a few thousand.  This sounds like a lot, but would make them one of the rarest large animals."
 
6.Based on your research of footprints, how does Bigfoot’s anatomy differ from humans or apes?

Cliff: "The footprints indicate that the Sasquatch foot is proportionally wider than a human foot.  It also seems to be flexible in the mid section of the foot, just like the feet of other apes.  In other words, Bigfoots lack the rigid arch that the human foot has.  The ankle is shifted forward on the foot, which is a biomechanical redesign of the human foot in order to accommodate their larger mass."  
 
7.Have you come across many hair samples? What were the results of DNA testing?

Cliff: "I've seen a couple purported hair samples, but the ones I've been directly involved with have not produced testable DNA."
 
8.If one were to come across a Bigfoot, what would your advice be?

Cliff: "Savor the moment.  It might never happen again. Oh, and take a photo if possible."​

​In the Great Rift Valley of Ethepoia, about 300,000,000 years ago, an upright hominin lived. Her name? Lucy. She was determined to be the first Australopithecus africanus found in the region. By examining her knee bone structure and spine, scientists determined that Lucy walked primarily upright, however she did climb trees to seek shelter, which resulted in her death from falling. This species of hominin (an early human ancestor) measured about 3 feet tall and weighed 60 lbs. Their brain was the size of an orange and they began to evolve human-like features. Because of this discovery, scientists are able to further link ape and human, and determine how modern humans were the species to ultimately out-live other hominins….or so we think. Bigfoot is described as a bipedal ape-like creature, and whose description has a striking resemblance to a hominin. Could it be that a mystery species survived along modern humans, remaining undetected? What would it take to make it through millions of years? Lucy, and other hominins might reveal the answer.
 
Archeological research shows that Homo erectus, our early ancestor, actually constructed stone tools. Because of their ability to hunt, they were now consuming high-energy food: meat. This energy would be enough to power and grow the brain, increasing intelligence. This would eventually lead to an increase in population. Research suggests that the Bigfoot population remains in the thousands, which many assume will lead to extinction. However, the early Homo-Sapiens population was extremely small, and bones are rarely found. The early Homo-Sapien resembled something of a modern man from Africa, with a round braincase and a flat face. Similar to Homo erectus, Homo-Sapien used stone tools to gather high energy food. This could be how Bigfoots hunt their prey, and combined with their massive size and power, they could have easily competed with Homo-Sapien.
 
Because of their newly created stone tools, humans began to hunt. However, they would soon run into some major dilemmas while catching prey: becoming prey themselves. Humans had to be extremely organized while hunting in order to avoid large cats and other predators. This need for organization eventually evolved the intelligence of the Homo-Sapien brain.  This type of social culture would evolve us into what we are today. Similar organization has been reported in many eye witness accounts of Bigfoot. Many witnesses report seeing more than one creature in the same area, and some have even heard a sort of signal system using whistles and tree knocks back and forth in order to catch deer. This similarity to the style of ancient Homo-Sapien hunting is striking. ​Aside from eating, the human brain development took place when migration kicked in. When land became bone dry, humans were forced to regroup and migrate. Evidence discovered of a 100,000 year old artifact suggests that the Sans people stored water in empty Ostrich eggs while traveling, and during migration they hunted and cooked over fire. Experts believe Homo-Sapiens may have used similar methods. Their brains were growing and they were evolving. During this time, a form of verbal language was also present. Such language can be compared to Bigfoot’s language which is often described by eye witnesses as a gibberish grunting sound.
 
Although another species of hominin, Neanderthals, were skilled hunters with large builds, their intelligence wasn’t enough to compete with Homo-Sapiens. Homo-Sapiens had greater technological skills and the ability to relate objects with one another. While Neanderthals developed stone tools, humans developed more intricate hunting tools along with representations of them.  *CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE*