Skunk Ape

The Skunk Ape, Stink Ape, or Swamp Monkey is a cryptic hominid said to dwell in the Southeastern United States, from places such as Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Arkansas, although reports from the Florida Everglades are particularly frequent (Florida skunk ape). Skunk ape sightings, while rare, have been reported all through Florida for more than six decades but by no means have been verified scientifically. Local Native American groups, the Seminoles and the Miccosukee tribe, have known and told stories about the skunk ape for hundreds of years.

Skunk Ape is a possible hybrid of humans and animals today. The skunk ape inhabits forested areas, often in swampy places where the air is moist, the skunk ape was said to be about seven feet high, built like a gorilla, and mostly covered in brown hair. It has the face of a human with long gray hair on its arms and neck. There are reports that the skunk ape may occasionally howl at night. The skunk ape is said to make a sound like a child crying, but deeper.

The skunk ape has also been called a swamp ape, swamp devil, or ghost monkey. It is also reported that they can climb trees well. Most reports seem to come from southern states in America. The skunk ape was first reported in the 1920s in Tampa, Florida. The creature was said to be hairless, with red glowing eyes and the face of a gorilla.

The skunk ape was also seen in Ochopee, Florida, and Alapaha River State Park, Georgia. Some people say that there has been a lot of deaths reported as they are blamed for some of these deaths by crushing the victim's skull or breaking their necks. In 2012 two hunters claimed to see a skunk ape in North Carolina.

A popular TV show called Finding Bigfoot aired an episode about what people call the skunk ape it aired on November 11th, 2014 on Animal Planet. The skunk ape is said to run through swamps or woods at night seeking food. It is reported that when the skunk ape is on land it walks upright with long well-developed legs and short arms. It has been described as having a low vocal sound. Skunk apes have been reported in Florida in the 1950s, then in the 1960s and 1970s in North Carolina, North Carolina. They have also been seen (or heard) in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri.

Skunk ape stories of the 1960s have been re-told by several authors for decades and can be found on the internet today. They include a book published in 1978 called "The Skunk Ape" by Jack L. Bittner, which includes stories collected over many years from two Indian tribes. Two men survived an attack on their camp by a pack of skunk apes about 15 miles south of Miami around 1955 into 1956. A woman and her ten year old son were chased by a pack of skunk apes in 1963 in a wooded area near Tampa as they were going home after dark.

Florida skunk ape sightings have been verified by the local newspaper, The Hernando County Times in their March 29, 1977 edition. The report was filed by then Sheriff's Deputy Don E. Giles with the Sheriff's office describing an encounter he had while on patrol in Brooksville one night in 1976: "I turned my spotlight on this big ol' thing," Giles said. "The animal stood up and I could see its stomach was all wrinkled up like it was real upset." Giles said he left the vicinity after being followed for a short distance. He reported he had never seen anything like it before. Several sightings of a skunk ape-type creature were reported in the 1970s including an encounter in 1971 by a frightened couple traveling south on U.S. 41 near Trilby, Florida. The two told Hernando County deputies they were chased for over half an hour by "a gigantic, screaming monkey" which was covered with hair and stood upright as it ran along the road trying to get them to stop their car and get out. The creature ran ahead of and behind the car despite the fact that the driver attempted to pick up speed. The couple continued on their way and reported nothing further.