Buzz
Bears often get blamed for things that aren’t their fault. They’ve been mistakenly linked to the Himalayan Yeti, and zoo visitors in China even accused a sun bear of being a person in disguise. Grizzly bears face public scrutiny over their seasonal weight fluctuations. Now, a recent study in the *Journal of Zoology* indicates that people might be confusing American black bears (*Ursus americanus*) with Bigfoot.
The study’s author, data scientist Floe Foxon, known for his catchy titles on cryptozoology studies (such as 'The Loch Ness Monster: If It’s Real, Could It Be an Eel?' and 'If Not a Fake, What’s in the Lake?'), theorizes that more black bears in an area leads to a higher likelihood of Bigfoot sightings. In other words, if people are seeing Bigfoot, it could be a bear.
Previous research has shown a connection between reported Bigfoot sightings and black bear populations in the Pacific Northwest, long considered a hotbed for sasquatch activity. Foxon expanded on this by comparing bear population data from 37 U.S. states and seven Canadian provinces with the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization’s dataset of alleged sightings. He adjusted for human populations and natural areas to better understand the correlation across the U.S. and Canada.
The study revealed a significant statistical link between sasquatch reports and black bear populations. For every 1,000 bears in an area, Foxon observed a 4% rise in Bigfoot sightings. Across North America, each sasquatch report seemed to correspond to around 5,000 black bears.
Foxon concluded, "Based on statistical analysis, it is likely that many supposed sasquatch sightings are actually just misidentified known animals."
It’s easy to see why people confuse the native bear with the mythical sasquatch. Both are believed to stand roughly 6 feet tall (if the bear is upright), covered in dark fur or hair, and dwell in temperate forests. They're not the only animals often mistaken for each other—similar mix-ups occur with wallabies and kangaroos, leopards and jaguars, rats and mice, and more.
