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The skunk ape is a type of cryptid that is often considered a type of bigfoot, but may be a pongid, or great ape. They are often reported to be similar to an orangutan or a gorilla. They are also known as Napes. The term Skunk Ape refers to the unpleasant smell associated with the beasts. The skunk ape has been reported in different areas of the the American South, from Arkansas to Georgia, but most commonly in Florida. The earliest published report is from 1942 in Suwannee County, by a man who claimed the creature rode on his running board for half a mile. In 1957 two hunters claimed the beast invaded their camp in Big Cypress National Preserve. Between 1963 and 1979 there were multiple reports from Hernando County, Pasco County, and Ochopee. In 1997 foreign tourists on a bus sighted what was though to be the skunk ape outside Ochopee, and a naturalist in the Everglades spotted what he described as a seven foot primate. In February 2003 David Shealy claimed a skunk ape with a large erection invaded his campground and frightened tourists.• Some claim that the photo is fake, others that it is a man in a suit made of yak hair with a mask, and still others claim that it is an orangutan. Few people believe that it is a photo of a Skunk Ape. In 1998, Ochopee, Florida Fire Chief Vince Doerr photographed an alleged skunk ape. There is the unsettling possibility that there might actually be small populations of (or a few lone) wild orangutans in remote areas of Florida that are descended from orangutans who escaped from international airports or from captivity as exotic pets. Note that orangutans in captivity test higher on cognitive skills tests than all other hominids save humans; the high intelligence and natural intuitive powers of an orangutan would not preclude an ability to evade capture or detection in a remote or inaccessible region of swamp land. The term "skunk-ape" was coined by David Shealy who heads the Skunk-Ape Research Headquarters in Ochopee, Florida. It has also been reported that the "Skunk Ape" ranges in size and color. It can be anywhere from a midnight black to a pale white. The albino's usually have bald heads and very charismatic noses: usually slits the size of half dollars. Their claws are elongated and they tend to snort. Size ranges from a small dog to quite possibly the size of a vehicle. Reports have been stated that the "Skunk Ape" has been spotted along the East Coast around Milford, and Interstate 84. This viewing was by an Anonymous actor.
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