Florida’s Bigfoot

The Skunk Ape is Florida’s legendary Bigfoot-type creature, reported primarily in and around the Everglades. Distinguished by its nauseating odor, the creature has been sighted for over 60 years and even photographed.

The Location

Florida habitat:

• Everglades primary
• Big Cypress Swamp
• Central Florida swamps
• Various counties
• Extensive range

Physical Description

Witnesses report:

• 6-7 feet tall
• Dark hair/fur
• Ape-like face
• Powerful build
• Orange-brown eyes

The Smell

Defining characteristic:

• Overwhelming odor
• Like rotten eggs
• Skunk comparison
• Methane-like
• Precedes sightings

Origin of Name

“Skunk Ape”:

• Combines features
• Ape appearance
• Skunk smell
• Local nickname
• 1960s origin

Notable Sightings

Key encounters:

• 1957 first reports
• 1970s wave
• 1990s activity
• 2000s photos
• Continuing reports

The Myakka Photos

Famous evidence:

• December 2000
• Anonymous letter
• Two photographs
• To Sarasota Sheriff
• Ape-like creature

The Letter

Anonymous sender:

• Elderly woman claimed
• Creature stealing apples
• Took photos
• Never identified
• Intriguing evidence

Photo Analysis

Examination showed:

• Not obviously faked
• Scale uncertain
• Could be genuine
• Or orangutan
• Debated endlessly

The Everglades

Perfect habitat:

• Vast wilderness
• Dense vegetation
• Abundant food
• Few humans
• Could hide population

Dave Shealy

Research leader:

• Owns research station
• Skunk Ape headquarters
• Multiple sightings claimed
• Promotes tourism
• Controversial figure

Official Searches

Investigations include:

• Trail cameras
• Expeditions
• FLIR searches
• No specimens
• Ongoing effort

Possible Explanations

Theories suggest:

• Unknown primate
• Escaped orangutans
• Black bears
• Hoaxes
• Misidentification

Orangutan Theory

Possible escapees:

• From attractions
• Private collections
• Could survive
• Explains some sightings
• Not all

Cultural Impact

In Florida:

• Tourist attraction
• Local legend
• Merchandise
• Annual expeditions
• Regional identity

Significance

60+ years of sightings with photographic evidence from America’s largest subtropical wilderness.

Legacy

The Skunk Ape represents the possibility of an unknown primate in Florida’s vast wetlands—a smelly cousin of Bigfoot that continues to leave witnesses gasping.