Bigfoot: Dangerous Predator or Endangered Prey?

 That Bigfoot sightings are widely reported seems only natural both to believers and skeptics, each suggesting that the story arises from a natural point of interest that is specifically of interest to humans.  It seems no surprise then that in addition to the stories reported of an easy going gentle giant there are stories of a dangerous carnivorous monster lurking in the woods always looking to drag away unsuspecting hikers.  But which account are we to believe, and is there a biological model that would support either theory.

The theories of what exactly a Bigfoot is abound from the fantastical extraterrestrial explanation to the simple one that they may merely share a common ancestor to humans.  There are even theories that Bigfoot may actually be a sort of “green man” or spiritual entity either created or naturally occurring in the wild to govern the interactions between humans and the world of nature.  And of course there is also the categorically skeptical notion that they may be nothing more than a product of overactive imaginations and isolation in the wilderness.  And with the mysterious creature turning up all over the United States along with counterparts elsewhere in the world from the “Fear Liath” of Scotland to the Yeti of the Ural mountains the perplexing mystery affords few answers to those seeking them.

But if the creature is so mysterious and evidence so elusive, one would certainly think the reckless creatures described by some witnesses would certainly leave behind some level of evidence.  A homeless couple reports the creature devours an entire deer carcass right in front of their terrified eyes and howls chillingly into the night, and yet manages to do so without leaving evidence behind aside from the witness testimony itself.  A man reports a golden haired Bigfoot howling and hurtling out from the wilderness onto his property only to escape once again into obscurity and once again only the frightened witness seems to bear evidence of its existence.

This is not to say evidence is not left behind, but in just the characteristic way of several paranormal incidents the only evidence left behind is ambiguous enough to raise questions and yet not confirm any answers.  Horses are found with their hair braided after mysterious hairy creatures are seen approaching them.  An entire mythos is created wherein witnesses confirm one another’s stories through anecdotal evidence that is largely impossible to access without serious digging by dedicated researchers like John Green.  But does this tell us if the mysterious creatures are dangerous?

There are two schools of thought on the subject.  If the creature is dangerous, it would naturally cause the disappearance of hikers in the wilderness with a level of ability that left no traces behind just as efficiently as it did in any of its other endeavors.  But just as the creature occasionally slips into the sight of a perceptive hiker, the creatures are clearly not perfect in their deception.  So if they truly do exist, then it would seem they largely are not a threat to those who travel the wilderness despite their image in the public eye as terrifying ferocious monsters.