The mystery of the sasquatch fascinates me- I even wrote this touching paean to them. But I'm not one to get too excited about the latest "Caught on Film! " exclusive scoop of fuzzy, out-of-focus blobs that are probably either a bear or a guy out walking his dog. The latest example has been getting some coverage in the media, though I don't know why- it isn't that impressive (and I am being generous). But at least it has gotten me thinking about the subject again. Obviously a large primate prowling undiscovered in our backyards is an intriguing concept. But it's always something that's larger than life, you know? Aliens, Loch Ness monsters, angels, . . . maybe some or all of these things are real, and that'd be great if they were. I'd love it if someone proved there were real sasquatches. But since you can't prove that something doesn't exist, there will always be rumours, even if there is no such thing. Why aren't there ever rumours and fuzzy videos of a new species of rodent- maybe a polar porcupine, say, or a brown skunk or something? These things just aren't enough to incite the public imagination I guess.
In the meantime, though, there are all sorts of astonishing things happening out there- just last week they found an ivory-billed woodpecker after they were thought to be extinct for the last 40 years or so. Pretty cool. Or a new species of dinosaur that seems to show an evolutionary transition from carnivore to herbivore. Not to mention that whole Homo florensis discovery in Indonesia.
The other week at work I saw a grizzly, probably the closest I have ever been to one (aside from looking in the mirror I guess ;), and that was pretty damn cool. My point? If there are sasquatches out there, fantastic. But the world has more than enough wonder in it even without them.
(art by gloriouskyle, used with permission)