Creatures, Myths & Legends

New study finds link between Bigfoot sightings and bear populations

By T.K. Randall
January 22, 2024

Image: AI-generated (Bing AI / Dall-E 3) Does an unidentified species of intelligent, bipedal hominid roam the forests of North America ?

While the jury is certainly out on whether or not this elusive cryptozoological enigma actually exists, there are many thousands of people who believe that they have witnessed the creature first-hand.

But could these sightings be a case of mistaken identity ?

In a new study published in Journal of Zoology, researcher Floe Floxon of the Folk Zoology Society in Pittsburgh has highlighted a striking correlation between the number of Bigfoot sightings in a particular US state and its black bear population.For every 1,000 bears, he found, the number of Bigfoot sightings also increases by 4%.

It is certainly not unreasonable to imagine that a black bear could be mistaken for Bigfoot. Despite their name, these animals can have fur in a range of colors and their tendency to sometimes walk upright on two legs could make a bear appear like a bipedal ape-like creature at a distance.

That said, black bears alone cannot explain the Bigfoot phenomenon because, in some cases, US states with no black bear population at all can still see sizable numbers of Bigfoot sightings.

"As black bear populations increase, Sasquatch sightings are expected to increase," Floxon wrote.

"On average, across all states and provinces in 2006, after controlling for human population and forest area, there were approximately 5000 bears per Sasquatch sighting."

"Based on statistical considerations, it is likely that many supposed Sasquatch are really misidentified known forms. If Bigfoot is there, it could be a bear."

Source: Ars Technica

Tags: Bigfoot, Bear