Down the Chupacabra Hole

In the world of cryptozoology, Bigfoot is one of the most well-recognized specimens. Countless TV shows, books, documentaries and Youtube accounts have been solely dedicated to the pursuit of this mysterious hominid. Yet the Pacific Northwest is not the only location where these supposed forest dwellers reside. On nearly every continent across the globe, countries share corresponding versions of the same entity. Eerily similar legends have been passed down for centuries and speak of an unknown species.

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Sasquatch

Inhabiting the vast wilderness of North America is a creature commonly referred to as Bigfoot. Native Americans spoke of such beings hundreds of years before the infamous Patterson Gimlin Film was released. Indigenous Salish people called him “Sasq’ets” which means “wild man” or “hairy man”. They believed Sasquatch was an interdimensional traveler who possessed the ability to move between spiritual and physical reams.

Based on video footage and observational reports, the cryptid is described as bipedal with an ape-like appearance. It has an incredibly muscular frame which ranges from six to ten feet tall. Dark fur covers most of the body and ranges in color from a reddish brown to dark black. Others who claim to have seen the beast say it possesses a pronounced brow bone and a tapered cone-shaped head. Those within close proximity often report a foul smelling odor comparable to garbage.

Mapinguari

Much of South America is filled with lush jungles, abundant food sources and a temperate climate. Many believe this terrain is an optimum environment to sustain a hominin population. Below the equator they are called Mapinguari, meaning “roaring animal” in Spanish. These hominals have brightly saturated fur and share a number of similarities with their American counterpart. Certain tribal narratives depict them as massive monkey-sloth hybrid. Ancient lore claims weapons are unable to penetrate its tough hide and even bullets cannot slay the elusive one. Biologists propose this creature may in fact be a giant ground sloth, a species thought to have gone extinct over ten thousand years ago.

Yowie

Roaming the immense Australian outback is an intriguing fellow by the name of Yowie. Fables recounted by Aboriginal elders chronicle a primitive type of anthropoid. Oral recollections date back thousands of years and match reported Homo sapien-primate depictions. Ancient cave paintings have been found which depict the so-called “bush monster”. In relation to their American cousins, Yowies are also fairly large and can reach a staggering height of twelve feet. Primordial facial features are present including a broad, flat nose.

Queensland, New South Wales and eastern Australia each have distinctive myths pertaining to the critter. Regional names include Quinkin, Jurrawarra, Puttikan,  and Gulaga. In 1876 an article was featured in the Australian Town and Country Journal which featured an “unearthly animal” called the Yahoo-Devil Devil. While some feel that Yowie is sentient, others argue that it’s a dangerous predator which should be avoided. Cryptozoologist are perplexed as to where this mammal originates from due to the territory’s isolated location.

Chimiset/ Nandi Bear

Lions, hippos, elephants, giraffes, gorillas and crocodiles are some of the wildlife that Africa is renown for. Lesser-known is Nandi Bear or Chimiset, which translated means “devil”. It is often depicted as a huge upright baboon with aggressive tendencies. Others say they more closely resemble hyenas with red hair and short tales. Various tales warn that numerous deaths of livestock and men can be attributed to the brute. Author Frank W. Lane wrote, “What the Abominable Snowman is to Asia, or the Great Sea Serpent is to the oceans, the Nandi Bear is to Africa. It is one of the most notorious of those legendary beasts which, so far, eluded capture and the collector’s rife.”

Yeti

Another infamous hominid is said to roam the picturesque snow-covered Himalayan Mountains. Yeti, or Meh Teh to locals, first entered Western society’s vocabulary during the nineteenth century. A United Kingdom representative named BH Hodson adamantly stated that his assistants were attacked by a monstrous beast in 1832. Fifty-seven years later, L.A. Waddell, a British army major, discovered massive footprints while trekking a high peak in Sikkin. Sherpas informed him that they belonged to a Yeti, a fearsome behemoth who often attacked humans and feasted on the ravaged corpses.

According to Nepalese citizens, this entity is called “rakshas” which translates to demon in English. Religious mountain dwellers worshipped Yeti as a God and were said to use its blood during sacred ceremonies. A Buddhist monastery in Pangboche was supposedly in possession of a Yeti hand. Tom Slick, an oil tycoon and explorer, planned an expedition to take photographs of the appendage. He stole a fragment from the specimen after monks denied his request for a sample. Tests performed on the smuggled bone showed that it was “near human” but not fully human.

Skunk Ape

Nearly 2,000 square miles of southern Florida is covered by a freshwater marsh known as the Everglades. Residents include endangered panthers, massive alligators, seventeen-foot pythons and apparently a hairy humanoid. As the name implies, this nomadic breed is known for producing a strong stench. Seminole tribespeople spoke of identical creatures in respected stories long before spring breakers and Disney enthusiasts migrated south. Skunk Ape, also called Swamp Ape or Swampsquatch, gained popularity amongst the masses after a series of sightings began to occur over sixty years ago. One of the most notable occurrences lead to the infamous Myakka Skunk Ape photographs which clearly capture an unknown species.

Almas

In addition to the infamous Death Worm, Mongolia is further known for a different type of cryptid. Observers affirm the upright-walking hominins more closely resemble people rather than apes. Some speculate that Almas are directly related to humans. Investigators propose that one of our distant ancestors may have survived extinction. If that is the case, it might be possible that a small population could survive in isolated areas. Illustrations of this unique biped can be found in a traditional Tibetan medicinal book. According to British anthropologist Myra Shackley, the encyclopedia “contains thousands of illustrations of various classes of animals (reptiles, mammals and amphibia), but not one single mythological animal such as are known from similar medieval European books. All the creatures are living and observable today.” Artists depicted Almas as a flesh-and-blood living organism.

Yeren

Rural Central China is home to its own type of Sasquatch. Yeren, or “wild-man,” resides in remote mountainous regions of western Hubei. The enigmatic primate closely resembles Bigfoot in both appearance and size. According to researchers, the unknown breed’s lineage can be traced back to Gigantopithecus Blacki. Hundreds of respectable individuals have declared they have seen a Yeren. In fact, Chinese government officials conducted an extensive search after copious amounts of sightings had occurred. Evidence gathered included footprints and hair samples which were sent in for analysis. However, just as the studies completed in the United States, results were inconclusive.

Orang Pendek

Hailing from Sumatra is a smaller hominoid that goes by the name Orang Pednek. A community of pygmy-like Bigfoot are said to reside deep within tropical foliage. According to eyewitnesses the coat displays a wide spectrum of color variations. Shades of gray, yellow, orange, brown and gold have been observed. Footprint castings reveal a divergent big toe akin to opposable thumbs. Debbie Martyr, a former newspaper editor, spent over fifteen years in Indonesia studying this secretive vertebrate. She allegedly experienced close encounters on several occasions. Multiple common Sasquatch traits have been noted including a crested head, long canine teeth and a prominent brow ridge.

Resident Indonesians revere this “short person” and leave various offerings in attempts to happily coexist. For locals, Orang Pednek is an integral part of daily living. Perhaps such testaments are not so far-fetched. In 2004 scientists unearthed the remains of an unknown type of human predecessor while exploring a cave in Flores. Publications quickly dubbed the skeleton “Hobbit” due a tiny adult stature of three-feet. Might it be plausible that a surviving community of Homo floresiensis is responsible for the Sumatran sightings?

For hundreds of years nations around the planet have experienced Bigfoot firsthand. Intriguingly, most of the aforementioned native groups had no way of communicating with one another. Throughout recent decades an increasing number of credible eyewitnesses have come forward. Ancient drawings, endemic folklore and direct encounters all reference an equivalent being. Perhaps society will one day uncover the truth about these reclusive creatures and learn precisely what our ascendents were expressing all along.

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These creatures are only a small selection of the dozens of examples that exist. Let me know if you would like to read about additional types of Sasquatch in the future!