2. BASIC KNOWLEDGE
• Mysteries on cryptids have permeated popular culture with an impactful presence.
The beloved Bigfoot has been an obsession of Americans for decades. This cryptid
creature who seems to be a hybrid of a human and a large primate, has been spotted
in the Northwest region of America since the early 19th century (Ghose). Often he is
spotted in areas of forestation and thick foliage. While the creature can stand at 7-10
feet and seems vicious enough to survive, it in fact cannot sustain survival in
Northwestern forests. Bigfoot’s size, dietary needs, and ecological needs simply
render the creature to doom. In addition, the Northwestern region has been on verge
of climate change, habitat and forestation loss, and can not provide all the dietary
and living needs a Bigfoot would need. The mere survival of such a small population
of creatures is near impossible and fictitious.
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3. BIGFOOT IS BIG….WHO KNEW?
• Bigfoot has had a similar consensus of features
repetitively. It is claimed that Bigfoot is hairy not
furry, since fur requires an undercoat. The hair is
usually dark as well. A bigfoot is approximately
between 7 to 10 feet tall. It is also much larger in
proportions to a human being. The limbs, hands, feet,
and skull are possibly 3 times larger than an average
human being (Bfro). Keeping the height and size scale
in mind, research has proposed the being is at least
650 pounds if not more (Bfro). Bigfoot also has been
observed to have a pulled back receded looking
forehead along with a thick square like jaw. Bigfoot
bears a keen resemblance to large primates. The
closest animal to a bigfoot is the Gigantopithecus,
who is part of the large primate family along with the
Orangutan (Wayman).
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4. Gigantopithecus and Bigfoot…..Long Lost Bros
{Drawing the Connection}
• For the sake of comparison, these two animals
bear striking similarities. Hair, height, weight, jaw
shape, movement, and even the ecological needs are
similar (Wayman). The Gigantopithecus resided in
the forests of Southern China. This animal was
discovered through it’s tooth fossils. The teeth were
studied and it was concluded that the
Gigantopithecus was a herbivore (Wayman.) It was
also discovered that the “Gigantopithecus thrived in
the tropical forests of what is now southern China
for six to nine million years. But around 100,000
years ago, at the beginning of the last of the
Pleistocene ice ages, it went extinct—because in the
changed climate its size had become a fatal
handicap,”(National Geographic.) This animal is
obviously extinct now because of climate change
back then. Logically, on this implies that Bigfoot
cannot thrive today when climate change is so much
more impactful. Another factor that drives the two
closer is that aspects of Southern China forest are
much similar to NorthWestern forests.
5. Southern China vs North West America {Insufficient Habitats}
• The forestation in both regions
interestingly enough share similar
characteristics. Forests in Southern China are
characterized by thick foliage, lots of
vegetation, dense trees, along with a humid
and cold climate. The World WildLife
Organization also states that the “Climate is a
continental highland climate; mostly dry and
cold with frequent winds and little rainfall;
long winters; short, cool summers; drastic
temperature changes from day to night;
sandstorms from February to April. Average
temperatures are -18.2° C to -7° C in January,
5° C to 21° C in July (WWF).” Similarly enough
the Northwest has a wet and cool climate
with dense trees, lots of vegetation, mountain
ranges along with active volcanoes, and bitter
cold winters (Briney). Many climate maps also
indicate similarities for these two regions
despite them being across the world.
6. Southern China vs North West America {Insufficient Habitats}
• Now, the Gigantopithecus failed to survive in Asian
forests, which can lead to the safe conclusion that
Northwestern forests are incapable of housing
Bigfoot. It all boils down to the vegetation. Asian
forests did not have enough raw and edible
vegetation, such as fruits, berries, and nuts. The
forest supported trees and bamboo sources more.
Similarly, Northwestern forests do not have a lot
of fruits, berries, and nuts (Tenaqiya). Raw and
edible food produce like this were a huge part of
the Gigantopithecus’ diet, thus in comparison it
can be assumed that Bigfoot is a herbivore of that
kind. The Bigfoot species would suffer the same
food scarcity as its ancestors.
7. A NorthWestern Diet {Insufficient Food Source}
Edible Vegetation commonly found in Northwestern Forests from an
extensive PDF of forestation research done in the Northwest:
Pear, bamboo, hazelnut, chives, salmonberry, olives, mint, artichoke, figs,
guava, walnuts, heartnut, pecan, peas, citrus, currants, lemons, (Tenaqiya).
8. A NorthWestern Diet {Insufficient Food Source}
• This list is a fraction of the types of vegetation found
there. Observing this sampled list, it is apparent that
these foods would hinder the survival for Bigfoot. First
of all, these foods are miniscule in proportion to
average produce. This is also a wild source of food that
most likely has not been enhanced by Genetic
Modification to increase size or concentration like
human produces are. A Bigfoot can reach up to 10 feet
and can weigh over 600 pounds. For a creature that
large, it would need endless pounds of these fruits and
berries for just one day. Another reason why Bigfoot’s
diet is unsustainable attributes to the fact that all these
produces are wildly scattered all over the Northwest.
The animal would not be able to find a whole variety or
large concentration of foods in just one forest, for the
Northwest is a region comprising of multiple states
and endless miles of forestation (Tenaqiya.) These two
complications immediately show that a creature of that
nature would cease to exist in that region, just like the
Gigantopithecus ceased to exist in Southern Asia where
the situation was similar.
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9. Climate Change {Losing Habitats}
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To further the claim that a Bigfoot is not sustainable, climate change has had
a massive impact on the Northwest. As it was stated previously that the
Gigantopithecus was led to extinction because of climate change, the same
may apply for Bigfoot. The Climate Reality Project states that “ with the
climate changing and temperatures rising, the snow on those white-capped
mountains is melting quicker and sooner than ever before” (Ecowatch). There
has also been constant reports of increased wildfires in area, along with the “
Flooding and erosion from sea-level rise are likely to threaten marine life and
coastal ecosystems” (Ecowatch.) So, with the hazards of wildfires, flooding,
erosion which leads to depleted food sources, and water loss, it becomes a
clear indication that an unknown species like Bigfoot, which is so small in
population, will survive.
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10. Bigfoot Analysis {Conclusion}
• It is highly unlikely that Bigfoot would be able to exist in American forests.
Though many “researchers” devote their lives to capture this beast, there is no
permanent evidence to prove its existence. The ecosystem in which it was spotted
simply does not support a creature of that size. It’s fur does help in the cold climate,
but it’s abilities are obsolete beyond that. Just like it’s ancestor the Gigantopithecus
species, that resided in a similar climate and topography, Bigfoot is unsustainable.
If an actual and known species of the same proportion and nature failed to survive
decades ago, what guarantees that Bigfoot can live on to today? Climate change,
habitat destruction, and shortages of food make it unrealistic for Bigfoot to thrive.
This is the only logical answer. Species of many exotic animals are wiped out year
after year because of environmental change. This makes it fallacious to believe a
creature that has been spotted solo and in random patches of time would survive.
There isn’t even a guarantee whether there is a whole Bigfoot species or if it’s just
a solo creature wandering about. Either way, the creatures’ population and sightings
are too miniscule to even ponder that an extraneous animal of that sort can stay
hidden for decades and actually live for generations to come. Thus, Bigfoot will
most likely embody a fable and not a fact.
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