The Skunk Ape of Florida

The Skunk Ape is Florida’s version of Bigfoot, reported throughout the Everglades and other wild areas. Distinguished from its northern cousin by its terrible smell, the Skunk Ape has been sighted by hundreds of witnesses.

The Description

Witnesses describe a bipedal ape-like creature, six to seven feet tall, covered in dark hair. Its most notable feature is its smell: a powerful stench compared to rotting garbage, methane, or skunk spray.

The Sightings

Reports come from throughout Florida but concentrate in the Everglades region. Witnesses include motorists, hikers, and residents of rural areas. The creature is usually glimpsed briefly before disappearing into vegetation.

The Myakka Photos

In 2000, an anonymous woman sent photographs to the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office showing an ape-like creature outside her home. The images, known as the Myakka photos, remain among the best evidence for the Skunk Ape.

The Explanation

Skeptics suggest escaped primates from zoos or private collections. Escaped orangutans or other apes could survive in Florida’s climate. However, this doesn’t explain decades of consistent reports from before modern exotic pet ownership.

Assessment

The Skunk Ape benefits from Florida’s vast wild areas and subtropical climate. Whether an unknown primate, escaped animals, or something else, something hairy and smelly is seen regularly in the Florida swamps.