On the Track: Welcome to Sasquatch Tracks
The story of Sasquatch is a tale almost as fascinating as it is complicated.
For most people, the idea of Sasquatch–a hairy, bipedal apelike creature believed by some to exist in the Pacific Northwest–is purely mythical. It is nothing more than a North American variant of the “wild man” mythologies prevalent in cultures all throughout the world.
From this perspective, there would appear to be no more cause for questioning the “mythical” place Sasquatch occupies in our minds than that of fairies, goblins, or other characters from the folk tales of various cultures.
Of course, one need not believe in the existence of an unclassified large, hairy, bipedal primate in North America to see the intrigue this story offers. However, not everyone looks at creatures like Sasquatch as being purely mythical. Many have actually considered the existence of Sasquatch as a living, flesh-and-blood animal, even if majority opinion tends to favor doubts over whether such large creatures could exist in modern times, and yet somehow remain unconfirmed by science.
What if there were creatures more like humans than any other in the animal kingdom, which had somehow remained largely unnoticed while managing to thrive in remote parts of America?
That’s where we come into the picture: welcome to Sasquatch Tracks, where we focus on the question of whether large, undiscovered species might indeed still exist in our world.
As I summarize at our About Page, “In many ways, Sasquatch has become a sort of ‘mascot’ for those who pursue mysteries; the creature has become emblematic of the human search for answers about nature, and more fundamentally, what it really means to be human. One need not believe in the existence of such creatures to see the important lessons they can teach us about human beliefs and world cultural traditions.”
Cryptozoology, the study of as-yet-undiscovered animal species, is often placed in the category of “pseudoscience” on account of the sensational claims associated with it. This problem is made even more complicated by those who have perpetrated cryptozoological hoaxes over the years for amusement, or even for personal gain. In light of this, it is easy to understand why the subject is so often–though at times unfairly–deemed unworthy of scientific attention.
Fortunately, cryptozoology and its proponents aren’t always found in such dubious territory. There are many potential benefits to the study of cryptozoology and the search for new species, especially when done by those with a critical mind. Cryptozoology also offers many opportunities for science education through “citizen science” efforts, which promote science literacy, and also may aid in the collection of useful scientific information in areas where funding is often very limited.
However, the study of data that includes eyewitness reports and occasional physical traces said to have been left by such creatures may one day lead to breakthrough discoveries in the world of zoology. Some may surprise us, and a few might even reshape some of our current ideas within scientific fields that include biology, primatology, evolution, and other areas.
These are among the topics and ideas we hope to address with Sasquatch Tracks, along with indulging in our enjoyment of science, folklore, culture, books, and cinema that feature topics like Sasquatch and cryptozoology.
Ultimately, we want to ask questions about the natural world, and with any luck, we may be able to contribute meaningful dialogue in the furtherance of understanding some of the remaining mysteries about our world. We invite you to share your thoughts and ideas with us too, either in the comments section below or over on our Contact Page.
Life is an adventure, and we’re excited to be on this quest together in pursuit of where Sasquatch Tracks may take us.
