Nov 1, 2009 9:47 am US/Pacific
A Florida Search For The Elusive Skunk Ape
EVERGLADES. Fla. (CBS) ―
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Legend says the Skunk Ape lives in the heart of the Florida Everglades. (File)
CBS
The sticky, thick brush is home to some frightening creatures: snakes, alligators, and possibly another, scarier one.
"It's half man and half animal," said Dave Shealy, who has spent most of his life searching for the creature known as the Skunk Ape – a large, hairy, foul-smelling, ape-like creature.
Legend says the creature lives here in the heart of the Florida Everglades, reports CBS station WFOR-TV.
"I saw a Skunk Ape. It was approx 6 and a half feet tall maybe 350 pounds," Shealy said. "It walked upright, like a man, but kinda hunched over."
Shealy isn't the only one who claims to have seen it. Ochopee Fire Chief Vince Doerr saw it years ago while driving early in the morning. Suddenly, a massive fur-covered creature crossed the road ahead of him. He grabbed his camera from his car and quickly got out.
"I yelled at it, and I just went "Hey!" It kinda turned toward me, and looked, it was about 500 feet from me," Doerr said.
He snapped a single photograph.
"And I stood there, 'cause I was more puzzled than anything, I thought if it ain't a bear," Doerr said.
Not everyone believes the Skunk Ape is really out there.
"It would have to be the most intelligent living thing on earth to have avoided being detected for so long," said Ron Magill of Miami MetroZoo.
He argues that every creature leaves a trail.
"You're talking about an animal that is bigger than me, and I'm 6'6" and stinks to high heaven that's got huge fur, walking through the everglades and doesn't leave a track, doesn't leave a fecal sample, doesn't leave anything," Magill said.
So, WFOR's Erika von Tiehl and her crew headed into the Everglades in search of proof armed only with a flashlight and camera.
After hours of looking, no signs, or smells of the creature, but he may still be out there.
"There's always a slim chance, I'm a firm believer in that you never say never," Magill said.
"So, we've looked from the sky, we've looked from the road and now we're in the thick of it still looking for the skunk ape and still no sign of him, making you wonder -- is he real? Or really a hoax? But isn't it fun to believe?" von Tiehl said.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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