Discover 5 of the top theories on what Bigfoot really is and decide for yourself which best explains the Sasquatch phenomenon.
Top 5 Bigfoot Theories: What Is Bigfoot Really? - Exemplore Skip to main contentNewsDreamsFortune Telling & DivinationTarotPalmistryNumerologyAstrologyAnimal GuidesWicca & WitchcraftThe ParanormalAngels & DemonsOut-of-Body ExperiencesESP & PsychicsGhosts & HauntingsUrban LegendsReincarnationAurasSuperstitions & LegendsNew Age & MetaphysicsFeng ShuiUFOS & AliensPaganismCryptidsBigfootMagicHealingAdvanced Ancient CivilizationsPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseAbout UsEditorial PolicyPrivacy SettingsPrivacy SettingsJanuary 3, 2023NewsDreamsAstrologyThe ParanormalUFOS & AliensFortune Telling & DivinationWicca & WitchcraftNewsletterNewsDreamsAstrologyThe ParanormalUFOS & AliensFortune Telling & DivinationWicca & WitchcraftNewsletterTop 5 Bigfoot Theories: What Is Bigfoot Really?Author:Eric DockettUpdated date:Aug 2, 2022What is the truth behind the Bigfoot legend?It seems a lot of people believe in Bigfoot, and many have their own theories on what he is and where he comes from. Hard-working Bigfoot research organizations are trekking through the woods of North America and the rest of the world as you read this, trying to get to the bottom of the mystery. As of yet the big guy hasn’t given up his secrets.Since no Bigfoot has been willing to come forward, and nobody has ever captured one, how do we really know anything at all about this monstrous man-ape? Sure there’s supposed evidence: blurry photographs and videos, plaster footprint casts, and a few hair samples, but nothing definitive. Most of our knowledge comes from first-hand reports.Allegedly, people see Bigfoot all over the world. Unfortunately, it seems that people without cameras, or those with cameras that can’t focus very well, are more likely to encounter the beast. From these accounts and legends, we’ve pieced together the picture of a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid we call Bigfoot.As for me, I'm not totally convinced. Shouldn’t an 8-foot monster supposedly lurking in every corner of the continent be easier to track down? Eventually, we have to ask ourselves if we’re missing something here. Could there be more to this mythical creature than we realize?This article examines several Bigfoot theories, and attempts to answer the question: What is Bigfoot?1. North American Ape HypothesisThe most prevalent theory is that Bigfoot is a highly-evolved great ape of some sort, a species some researchers have referred to theoretically as the North American Ape. This certainly fits with the description of Sasquatch through the years. But where would such an ape have come from?Bigfoot-Giganto Hypothesisis an interesting concept that says Bigfoot may trace his family tree back to a giant, 10-foot-tall ape species known as Gigantopithecus Blacki. This massive creature went extinct long ago, but some researchers speculate that Giganto may have evolved into what we call the Yeti in Asia.Yeti ancestors may have then followed ancient humans across the Bering Land Bridge to North America during the time of the last ice age. This accounts for two similar creatures—Sasquatch and the Yeti—existing so far apart. And, it gives us an explanation for Bigfoot.As nice and neat as this theory seems, there are many problems with it from a paleontology perspective. But even if Bigfoot didn’t evolve as a result of the Giganto connection, by most modern accounts he does seem to be some kind of ape.There’s no fossil record of apes in North America, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Fossils don’t preserve well in forests, and there are many scavengers to clean up any carcasses.However, it is hard to explain how such a large creature could leave so few clues that it even exists. In the end, this theory still presents us with a flesh-and-blood creature that biologists ought to be able to track down.2. Bigfoot Is a Human RelativeWhat if Bigfoot isn’t an ape at all? What if he’s more like us? Many Bigfoot witnesses say the creature is very human-like, and in some Native and even early European-American cultures Sasquatch is referred to as a man, not an animal. This does make some sense on a few different levels.Many people don’t realize that there have been several species of humans on this planet, not just Homo sapiens. Like any other animal, our family tree has twists and turns and dead ends. Some human species merged and evolved into what we are today, and some died off. Do any of them fit the description of Bigfoot? Well, sort of.Homo Heidelbergensis is an extinct human ancestor that lived half a million years ago. Some researchers originally speculated they were a very robust species, standing much taller than modern humans and with very heavy musculature.We now know that most of them weren’t much different in average height than modern humans, but some specific populations may indeed have been taller. What are the odds that a remote population of very large H. Heidelbergensis or another primitive human relative survived and migrated to North America?This would explain a few things, such as the extremely high level of intelligence Bigfoot is said to possess for one. It would also explain how Sasquatch could survive in harsh climates by hunting. If H. Heidelbergensis learned to fear H. Sapiens it would make sense that it would try to hide from us at all costs.But like a few of the most popular Bigfoot theories, this one still leaves us with problems. Even H. Heidelbergensis used stone tools, and a social human species living in groups would almost certainly leave other evidence behind.This early human was likely far more advanced than Bigfoot appears to be, and the chance that it would have culturally “forgotten” its ways is illogical and unlikely. In the end, if Bigfoot is a type of human, we should still find more evidence than we do.3. Sasquatch is an Ancient Earth SpiritLet's be sure to cover all the bases: What if this creature doesn’t exist in the natural world at all?Is it just luck and happenstance that the only people who ever see Bigfoot are totally unprepared to document the encounter? It’s an odd paradox that a creature so secretive that it has not even been properly documented by science seems to readily reveal itself to moving cars, hunters wearing orange camouflage, and teenagers wandering along dirt roads. Of course, even in this age where everyone is carrying a smartphone with a camera attached nobody who claims to spot Bigfoot ever snaps a picture.Sure they’re startled and shaken up by the encounter, but during tsunamis, earthquakes, street riots, and every other terrifying event people will record video and take pictures. However, some witnesses will claim to observe a Sasquatch for thirty seconds and it never occurs to them to take a photo. Why not?Is it possible that Bigfoot is a forest spirit, a supernatural guardian of the Earth and woodlands? Might this be why witnesses report being mesmerized by encounters, and might this be why so few have the wherewithal to go for their cell-phone camera?Indeed, in some parts of North America, Native Americans regard Bigfoot as a supernatural being, and often a messenger of the natural world. This is similar to the way the indigenous peoples of Nepal and Tibet view the Yeti: as a spiritual entity.Perhaps Europeans, and modern researchers, have missed the mark, so to speak, when it comes to understanding the true nature of Sasquatch. Maybe there is so little evidence because there is simply none to find.4. Bigfoot Has Alien OriginsI'll be honest: I'm willing to have a reasonable conversion about either Bigfoot or UFOs with almost anyone. However, when the two subjects cross, I'm out.Some people believe Bigfoot may be an alien species, dropped off here by visitors from another world for reasons known only to them. As odd as this sounds, there does seem to be a correlation between increases in Bigfoot sightings and increases in UFO activity. But what point could there be to this strange relationship between aliens and Bigfoot?Maybe these Sasquatch creatures are a type of experiment. Aliens would leave them on our planet for a while and then collect them again after a period of time. Since they are apparently so similar to us, the alien visitors may be able to see all kinds of results that exposure to our Earthly environment has had on them. Maybe this is a kinder, gentler way for aliens to get information about the human race, rather than all that inconvenient abducting and probing.Perhaps Bigfoot is a hybrid of some sort, a cross between humans and some kind of creature that exists on the alien homeworld. Or, maybe an alien race is somehow attempting to reverse engineer human DNA, and this Bigfoot creature is the closest thing they’ve come up with so far.The Bigfoot alien theory is certainly among the most bizarre of the Bigfoot theories. We could speculate forever, but I suppose alien involvement could explain why no specimen has ever been captured, why no carcasses have been found, and why Bigfoot seems to be here one instant and gone the next.5. Bigfoot Is a MythSo far each of these Bigfoot theories is more bizarre than the one that came before, but here’s one even the most devout skeptic can get their brain around. What if Bigfoot only exists in our minds, as a sort of ancestral memory passed down over thousands and thousands of years? Of course, this explains why nobody has found any evidence, but it does not account for why the legend is so ingrained in the cultures of North America, both ancient and present day.One way to explain this is by looking at ancient people’s way of remembering history through storytelling. Many Native American tribes and we presume the primitive tribes who crossed the Bering Strait, kept history based on oral tradition. They had no written language, only the stories passed on from generation to generation.If early human ancestors shared the forests of Asia with a creature such as the aforementioned Gigantopithecus, these stories and accounts may have survived to recent times, and passed on by the indigenous tribes of the Americas.These Native American Bigfoot legends would have been passed down to early European explorers, who no doubt were mystified by the prospect of such a fantastic creature living in the New World. Naturally, Europeans would have built upon the myth themselves and perpetuated it to the present day.This satisfies skeptics and explains why there is little physical evidence, but it does not account for all the reported sightings. If Bigfoot isn’t real, why are so many people spotting him?The Sasquatch Legend Lives OnWherever you stand with the Bigfoot mystery, you have to admit it’s an interesting puzzle. There must be something to the Sasquatch phenomenon, but getting all the pieces to fit together seems impossible at this time.Is Bigfoot some sort of undiscovered ape, possibly a relative of the Yeti descended from an ancient species called Gigantopithecus? It makes a lot of sense, even though there is no way to prove it in the fossil record, at least at this time.Could Sasquatch be a species of primitive human, perhaps a remnant population of Homo Heidelbergensis that migrated to North America during the last ice age? If not H. Heidelbergensis, then perhaps some other species of human, far more like us than we’d like to think.Might Bigfoot be an alien, or a spirit, or maybe just a figment of our collective imagination? As wild as these theories sound, they do account for the missing evidence and the elusive nature of the beast.Or, maybe Bigfoot doesn't exist at all.Nobody knows, but rest assured that tireless Bigfoot researchers are out there looking for the truth, and getting to the bottom of these Bigfoot theories.Your OpinionThis content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.CommentsDanny Bear on June 30, 2020:Bobcats, coyote, bear, mointain lion, wold, etcetc.. all live on the forests and wild places.They're also much more denser in numbers than a sasquatch would be.Do we find their bones? No we do not.Its extremely rare. Ive found deer bones, but nothing predatory.So to all you skeptics, expain that.dave schulz on January 15, 2020:Well the mystery goes on for you none believers. For one they are not a ape there goes that idea. They are a spirit being just like us humans' those that have a spirit. They could be an alien just like the humans that are also picked up by ufos.So to me they are a part breed of a human; but, a bit bigger just like some humans. They are educated differently then us; but, are more intelligent on the psychic level. Seen one and it looked like a huge human, it had hair every where just like us humans.daveBantha on August 14, 2019:I reckon they are just afraid of our lifestyle ,I mean I'm not American nor have I any scientific or Palynological understanding of this creature but from the light research I have done it seems as though they or it want to stay hidden in which case I don't blame it, Humans are tearing up this beautiful world and I should think they want no part of it besides their said to have lived for some time now, they must be doing something right.ElijahPOD on May 28, 2019:Being a believer, and one who knows I appreciate anyone that attempts to write about this subject in order to get a dialogue going.That said, the arrogance of us humans to not believe in this hominoid because we either A. Can't wrap our head around not being the most advanced, intelligent species on the planet. Or B. Think we have possibly traveled, researched, and been through all wooded areas on the planet is laughable at the least. But really that is just the start. Not to discount the previous comments, as some are partially based on some actual research that has been been done or is currently going on. I would however beg anybody that had any type of opinion on the matter to really do some deep research on the subject instead of hurling out random ideas on what bigfoot could be or where they could possibly be. Instead if you do go through countless reports from not just everyday people that see them in passing, but also the reports from our first responders, and those who protect and serve our country all across the world, who have seen these creatures or their variants, based on climate and location in other countries.Yes, you may find that those people do NOT want their names mentioned due to the nature of their work or security clearances they may hold. Or maybe being told that what they saw "never happened" by their superiors. Also if you are of the thinking our government as well as others across the world do not know, acknowledge, and yes keep quiet about the subject for a number of reasons, is as naive to think as skeptics thinking believers and those who know due to first hand interactions are also mistaken or naive. As for those that have skeptical reasons as to why we cannot find them at will? 1. No Body- bury their dead/if you look hard enough you will find reports of bodies being taken from scenes of wildfires or hunter casualties by government authorities as well as instances of our own special forces teams being dispatched to areas to get rid of problem sasquatch. Think about it, are Navy Seals ever really suppose to speak on ops they go on? 2. Not enough land and viable food sources to sustain such a species...Tony on May 25, 2019:Ultra terrestrials are beings from a parallel dimension to the Earth. it is attributed to the location that Djinn, Goblinoids (Tengu, Puckwudgies, trolls etc) and other things that go bump in the night. As Earth might have gateways into this dimension, it may also link to Hell as an association with the devil and Demons is quite common. It is also a possible realm of the False gods. It may or may not be linked to the same spirit realm of the Native Americans. Notably both Native Americans(people known for tall tales but never lie) and Arabs (the people that gave us math) believe in these realms. The theory that they are just weird energy that takes the form of the human subconscious is easy enough to debunk, otherwise every family would see giant Easter bunnies or Santa Claus running around in the woods. But, could Bigfoot walk the line? What if it is a creation half of this world and half of that one, created to protect the forest from mischievous spirits? Suppose Goblinoids all are intelligent mischievous animal spirits and a Squatch is a good Ape spirit cross bread with a human? There are a number of cryptids that might step in and out of the parallel realm. Science does not discredit this either, many scientist go here to explain that which they cannot as a fall back. As for UFO's there are so many reasons for glowing lights to occur and a number of these are associated with living, captured or dead spirits that the UFO sightings associated with cryptids is possibly related to the the cryptid phenomenon, but Many UFO sightings are a completely unique phenomenon. People in a panic don't take the time to notice if their orb light is a volleyball sized orb with a human figure in it, just a glowing ball or a spaceship. (many look at their photos after and are convince the reflections in their photo are spirits, the only ones I ever had on film I could see physically and they were all different things.Tegan on February 18, 2019:Has anyone heard of ultra terrestrials that live in the super spectrum. And he also theorized that there are certain paranormal hotspots or is he called them window areas where there’s a lot of sightings of a large variety of different types of paranormal phenomenon going on. Like Bigfoot for example, ghosts, different Cryptids, UFOs, balls of light/fireballs, shape shifters, Animals that are out of place in Earths timeline and geographically, portals, be able to see an event that happened in history for a moment, A long history of legends and stories about the area. I really like his theory because it explains why there’s not a lot of physical evidence it also describes why there’s a lot of UFO activity around Bigfoot and I don’t know it’s just a really interesting theory.wilde313 on September 04, 2018:1/2 and 1/2 , abomination made . 100% dependent on the people that created them "however" long ago . ONLY reason they STAY and GO to where people are , when a 5 year old child can walk into the woods and NEVER see another person again EVER . these things NEED people to survive , period .abomination has no place in the food chain . especially groups of 5-10 of these things in a single location . grocery store isnt enough for that many animals in single location to eat more than day or two .Dave Gibson from Florida on September 01, 2018:I lived with Sasquatch around my remote cabin in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York for three years. While I may certainly be wrong, I am convinced of several things.They are no more an ape than we are. Nor are they creatures or monsters. They are an ancient race of people.They have a language, both written and spoken. I was able to translate about half of their glyphs from a Chinese symbol table.For whatever reason, they are very elusive. I never saw one there. My wife saw her buddy for only a few fleeting seconds.They are protective. Our Sasquatch chased off all predators to protect us and our pets.They are pranksters. They would knock on our cabin's walls and windows at night to see what we would do.You can tramp through the woods forever and never find Bigfoot. They find you.And finally, mindspeak (mental telepathy) is a real thing.Dennis Garwitz Sr. on August 21, 2018:Bigfoot has been around a long time. I am 76 years old and I remember Bigfoot in the Big forest in East Texas and Arkansas well over forty years ago. No body was interested in it then and many people then thought it was a joke of some kind. This animal is from Another dimension. You cannot catch it and you cannot kill it… truncated (11,630 more characters in archive)