Sorry Dr. Ketchum: DNA Won't Do It, We Need A Body

Editor’s Note: Jonathan Poulsen is a cryptozoologist with a mere four years experience. But what he lacks in time he has made up for in progress.

I don't intend to come off as bitter, but here are a few of my thoughts: After several years, the publication of the long awaited Ketchum DNA study is said to be right around the corner. Some enthusiasts are acting as if the paper will be the final word on the subject, and are cooking up an excessive amount of crow for the cynical naysayers that have made it their duty to denounce and discredit purported sasquatch evidence and the investigators themselves, even if it means they have to fabricate and concoct bogus stories to assist them in the debunking process.

Unfortunately, the bigfoot community still has a good wait ahead of them before this mystery (which has been described as the single greatest scientific discovery of all time) is unraveled, simply because DNA, though tangible, isn't quite enough to identify and confirm this species. Numerous instances of hair samples being recovered in the field and brought back for analysis have occurred.

On October 12th, 1992, self proclaimed bigfoot hunters Daryl Owen and Scott Herriott managed to capture what could be the first blobsquatch ever recorded. Following their alleged confrontation in the northern California wilds, they gathered and collected strands of hair and sent them off to Dr. Sterling Brunell who concluded it was from the human/gorilla/chimpanzee group, yet had distinguishable qualities from each of these.

If DNA is able to prove the existence of the sasquatch, shouldn't that have sealed the deal 20 years ago? Year after year hair and occasional fecal samples found all over North America are analyzed and determined to be "unknown primate", and all science (and the general public for that matter) has done is shove it under the rug along with other forms of evidence, such as footprint casts. Sightings and films have failed to make any significant impact in terms of discovery, now it seems like the same applies to DNA.

The final remaining option is a type specimen, and in order to obtain a type specimen, one must be either killed or captured alive, and although hundreds of these accounts exist, the bodies have suspiciously never been recovered. This won't come cheap, in order to locate and recover a sasquatch a full-fledged expedition involving elaborate plans and sophisticated technology would have to take place, costing millions of dollars. Usually in these types of situations, government agencies fund the research.

Since both the U.S. and Canada's government view the sasquatch as a mythical fairy tale that no one takes seriously, the discovery of this species will in all probability not see the light of day.