Aquatic ape theory?

This episode of the never-ending U.S. series "MonsterQuest", titled "Mysterious Ape Island", does contain some pretty sensational information which I haven't encountered before. As usual, however, the show is so bloody boring that it almost puts you to sleep! If you manage to stay awake, you might actually learn a thing or two...

The mysterious island of the episode title is Vancouver Island off the west coast of Canada. Native tribes on the island believe that a monstrous creature shares the territory with them. White settlers call it Bigfoot or Sasquatch. The name "Sasquatch" is derived from the language of the Coast Salish, one of said Native peoples. The beast is usually seen near rivers or down at the coastline. Mainstream science refuses to believe that enormous apes or ape-men lurk in the woods of Vancouver Island, but eye witnesses keep seeing them. The MonsterQuest has interviewed some of the people who claim to have encountered a "squatch". Particularly interesting is an observation which spanned one hour, during which an entire ship crew saw a Bigfoot smashing and eating clams on the beach. It smelled, too, and seemed to have scared away all regular animals from the area. Another witness describes Bigfoot as more man-like than ape-like, "like a Neanderthal". I find this interesting, since Natives in these parts of North America often describe the creature in this manner (see J. Robert Alley's book "Raincoast Sasquatch").

But most sensational is the interview with a sceptical professor, Derek Ellis, who debunks the claim that primates other than humans can't swim! Apparently, orang-utans occasionally swim, and the same is true of some monkeys. Thus, a large ape *could* theoretically reach Vancouver Island from the mainland by simply swimming across the strait?! Bears do it all the time. Ellis even says that the purported Sasquatch behaviour of foraging for food near the coastline makes sense, biologically speaking. Yet, as a good scientist, he still awaits a body before he really starts to believe in the creature... I always assumed that reports of swimming, semi-aquatic Bigfoots were among the least believable. Seems I was wrong!

The other people featured on "Mysterious Ape Island" are true believers, including John Bindernagel, one of the few real scientists who take Bigfoot reports seriously. Bindernagel and his associates spend their time analyzing casts of footprints, call-blasting in the hope of luring Bigfoot closer, or collecting eye witness reports. (The most boring part of the program features endless rows of footprint casts. Gee, guys, show us something new.)

Since this episode of "MonsterQuest" did contain some interesting concessions from the sceptics, and interesting eye witness testimony, I will give it three stars, but frankly, where are Bobo and Cliff Barackman when you really need them? ;-)