Could Sasquatch Be Related to Extinct Great Apes?

For centuries, people across North America have reported seeing a large, upright, hairy creature as they pass through deep forests and remote mountains. They call this animal by many names—Sasquatch, Bigfoot, skunk ape, Grassman, or wood ape to list only a few—and it’s usually described as tall, muscular, bipedal and illusive when observed. 

While mainstream science hasn’t confirmed the existence of the wood ape, a growing number of researchers and enthusiasts have begun comparing its reported features to those of extinct great apes and early human relatives. This article explores those comparisons using fossil evidence and modern eyewitness accounts.

What can Science Reveal about Sasquatch?

Instead of treating Sasquatch only as myth or folklore, this approach asks a simple question: Do any known extinct apes resemble the creature people describe today? 

To find out, we looked into existing research and reviewed published scientific papers on fossil apes and compared their anatomy and habits to thousands of Sasquatch reports gathered by groups like the North American Wood Ape Conservancy (NAWAC) and the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO).

The review focused on five main traits:

• Height and body size

• How they moved (bipedal or not)

• Skull and jaw features

• Diet and habitat 

• Reported behaviors

Meet the Extinct Apes Compared to Sasquatch

Most people who’ve read up on the subject are probably already familiar with some of the species listed below and still might be enlightened by others. Here’s a snapshot of the top candidates.

1. Gigantopithecus blacki

• When it lived: 2 million to 300,000 years ago

• Where: Southern China and Southeast Asia

• Size: About 10 feet tall, 1,000+ lbs

• Diet: Mostly plants, possibly fruit and roots

Gigantopithecus is the closest match in size to Sasquatch reports. Some reconstructions suggest it may have walked on two legs, though no leg or foot bones have ever been found. It likely lived in forested environments, locations similar to those where Sasquatch are observed today.

Similarity to Sasquatch: Height, weight, diet, and habitat match modern reports. Even if its walking style is as yet unknown, it’s a strong candidate.

2. Paranthropus boisei and robustus

• When: 2.3 to 1.2 million years ago (robustus as recent as 800,000 years ago)

• Where: Eastern and Southern Africa, respectively

• Size: 4–5 feet tall, stocky build

• Key features: Bipedal, with strong jaws, broad faces, and a sagittal crest (that ridge of bone on top of the head)

While much smaller than most Sasquatch sighting reports, Paranthropus species show skull features that match some descriptions, like heavy brows and cone-shaped heads. Their plant-heavy, opportunistic diet also mirrors accounts of Sasquatch foraging behavior.

Similarity to Sasquatch: Skull structure, chewing muscles, and foraging habits; just much smaller in size.

3. Dryopithecus

• When: 12 to 9 million years ago

• Where: Europe

• Size: Similar to a chimpanzee

• Key features: Tree-dwelling, flexible limbs, fruit-based diet

Dryopithecus is significant not because it looks like the creatures reported as Sasquatch, but because it's a common ancestor to both apes and early humans. Its ability to live in varied environments might reflect how a large primate could survive in remote regions today.

Similarity to Sasquatch: None directly, but it holds an important place in primate evolution, especially for those who believe the creature may be more human than not. This and its proposed adaptability make it worth noting.

4. Oreopithecus bambolii

• When: 7 to 9 million years ago

• Where: Ancient islands of Italy

• Key feature: May have walked upright

Oreopithecus is small and unusual, but it’s one of the few fossil apes with solid indications of upright walking. Scientists think it evolved this trait in an isolated, forested environment, similar to places where Sasquatch is often reported.

Similarity to Sasquatch: Shows how bipedalism can evolve in forest environments but again, too small to be a direct match.

What Do Sasquatch Witnesses Report?

Here’s a summary of common traits described in sightings:

Feature Typical Report

Height

7–10 feet tall

Movement

Walks upright with a gliding, powerful stride

Build

Broad shoulders, barrel chest, long arms

Habitat

Forests, swamps, mountains

Behavior

Shy, avoids people, active at night, throws rocks, knocks on trees

Diet

Omnivorous—roots, berries, nuts, fish, and meat

Face/Head

Conical head, prominent brow, flat nose

These reports closely align with a few extinct apes, especially Gigantopithecus (size) and Paranthropus (facial structure).

Key Takeaways from the Comparison

• Gigantopithecus blacki is the most size-compatible extinct ape, but we don’t know if it walked on two legs.

• Paranthropus species were bipedal and had powerful jaws and skull features that match some Sasquatch reports.

• Other apes like Dryopithecus and Oreopithecus show us how primates adapted to different environments and walking styles over time.

However: As of yet, no fossils of Gigantopithecus or any other non-human great ape have been discovered in North America. The various reasons for this require a whole different article.

So, Could Sasquatch Be a Relic Ape?

While it’s impossible to say at this point, many researchers note that these similarities give a scientific basis for why this species is worth researching, documenting, and protecting. Others argue that the consistent features described in sightings simply reflect a form of genetic memory of encounters with extinct species of  a “wild man" archetype, shared across cultures and time. Either way, comparing Sasquatch accounts with real extinct species helps frame the phenomenon within a scientific context, and that’s where we should start.

We may still be some way from scientifically recognizing the wood ape, but looking to the past might help us better understand both the biology and the behavior of North America’s most famous cryptid.