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From west to east in the four-state region, annual rainfall totals increase greatly. Alleged wood ape encounters
seem to mostly correspond with higher annual rainfall totals. GIS rainfall/sightings map by Ed Harrison.
While portions of far western Texas and Oklahoma are certainly semi-arid, the eastern sections of both
states receive abundant annual rainfall. These areas are heavily forested and feature an abundance of
waterways and lakes; they are very much ecological clones of the two neighboring eastern states of the
region, Arkansas and Louisiana.
The combined total amount of forestland in the four-state region equates to roughly 65,000,000 acres, or
100,000 square miles (the size of the state of Oregon). According to The Online Handbook of Texas, there
are roughly 22,000,000 acres of forest in Texas alone; per the Arkansas Forestry Association, there are
roughly 19,000,000 acres of forest in Arkansas; the Louisiana Forestry Association reports that there are
14,000,000 acres of forest in Louisiana; Oklahoma has approximately 10,000,000 acres of forest as
indicated by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
There are 65 million acres of forestland in the four-state region, which is about 100,000 square miles, or the
size of the state of Oregon.
While the forestlands of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma may be somewhat more fragmented
than northwestern forests, it is obvious that they are enormous in scope and depth, contrary to the
misperceptions of some. Wildlife biologist Dr. John Bindernagel, who visited the region in 2001 and 2002,
was struck by the richness and scope of the region’s forests, which are predominantly mixed deciduous, as
opposed to the largely coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest. Dr. Bindernagel recognized the value
and productivity of deciduous forests in terms of wildlife habitat and he pointed out that large species of
mammals living in the southern forests would almost certainly require smaller home ranges than in
northern coniferous forests.
Almost without exception, reported wood ape sightings occur near water. This is even true with the
relatively few reports originating in the drier regions of Texas and Oklahoma, where wood apes are
reportedly seen generally on or near waterways or lakes in thick brush or dense riparian vegetation. Most
wildlife researchers and hunters would quickly reinforce the observation that many mammalian species
often use rivers and creeks as travel routes. Since water is essential for the cycle of life, animals regularly
congregate near or at least dwell primarily in areas featuring bodies of fresh water. Both Texas and
Oklahoma have an abundance of rivers, creeks, swamps, reservoirs and lakes, particularly in their eastern
regions. It is also reasonable for a large number of reported sightings to occur in or around swamps, river
bottoms or bayous, since a reclusive, shy animal would find seclusion and sanctuary in such areas.
When a river basins map is viewed with an overlay of reported encounters and an annual rainfall overlay, it
becomes evident that most alleged sightings have occurred along waterways and lakes and in areas with
thirty-five inches or more of annual rainfall. Many reported sightings in Northeast Texas have occurred in
the Red River Basin along the Sulphur River or Red River and/or their adjoining reservoirs or creeks.
Many reported encounters have also occurred in the Red/Sulphur River watershed in southeastern
Oklahoma, southwestern Arkansas and Northeast Texas. Similarly, the Sabine River Basin, extending from
Southeast Texas into Northeast Texas has also generated quite a few reports. In Oklahoma, the Canadian
River Basin is not without its share of reported encounters. In Southeast Texas, in what is called the
Primitive Big Thicket (encompassing the Sam Houston National Forest and the Big Thicket National
Preserve area), the Neches River Basin, Trinity River Basin and San Jacinto River Basin have had many
reports through the years as well as in recent times. In fact, Southeast Texas is the most prolific area in
Texas for reports of bigfoot sightings. Likewise in Oklahoma, the most prolific area for reported encounters
is also in its southeastern region. It should come as no surprise that the southeastern regions in both Texas
and Oklahoma also receive the highest amount of rainfall for both states, with totals as high as sixty inches
per year in spots.
Although the East Texas river basins have generated far more reports, the Brazos, Colorado and Guadalupe
basins have also had occasional reported sightings. These three basins average less than thirty-five inches
of rainfall per year, but they typically have dense vegetation and trees in the riparian margins. Given that
the vast majority of Texas and Oklahoma reports follows rainfall patterns and occurs along waterways, the
notion that these reports are simply the result of the misidentification of known animals, wishful thinking,
and/or deliberate fabrications seems flawed.
There is yet another interesting correlation with the distribution of these sighting reports. For the most
part it appears that most reported sightings in the four-state region occur in counties with lower human
population densities. There are a few exceptions. However, 100% of the sightings reported from counties
with higher populations still occurred in areas that were along the peripheries of or outside of the realm of
human development (such as in Montgomery County, Texas, in the Sam Houston National Forest, an area
of consistent reports). Actually, suitable wildlife habitat often exists close to urban and suburban areas.
That being said, reported sightings that have occurred on the edge of small towns and larger cities are by
far the exceptions.
In fact, it seems that where human populations increase, reported wood ape sightings decrease. Where
human populations decrease, reported ape sightings may increase. The reputed shyness of the wood ape is
only further girded by this human population correlation. This observation is further enhanced by the
inference from reports that wood apes are nocturnal, or at the very least, crepuscular. Not only do the
reported sightings seem to suggest that wood apes live in areas of low human population densities, along
waterways, and in areas of high annual rainfall, but they may be most active when humans are not, which
is at night. The notion of fabrications and mistakes is unrealistic in light of these correlations.
While Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana have resident populations of black bears (Ursus americanus),
there remains the question of whether or not the 12,000,000 acres of dense forest in East Texas can
support even a small population of large omnivores such as the wood ape. After all, black bears no longer
roam the Piney Woods of East Texas. But did black bears disappear from East Texas because of a shortage
of suitable habitat? No, or so says the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Biologists conducted a black
bear habitat suitability study in four areas of East Texas: the Sulphur River Bottom (51,000 acres), the Big
Thicket National Preserve (97,000 acres), the Middle Neches River Corridor (247,000 acres), and the
Lower Neches River Corridor (312,000 acres). The purpose of the study was to determine the suitability of
habitat in East Texas for the black bear, a large omnivorous mammal. The study is relevant because there
may be a correlation between purported wood ape and suitable black bear habitat. If an area is suitable for
a large omnivore such as the black bear, it seems reasonable to posit that it is just as likely to be suitable for
a small population of omnivorous wood apes.
One part of the study dealt with food availability in summer and winter; all four areas scored very high.
Biologists calculated a strong favorable rating for the availability of protection and concealment cover in all
four areas. In the category of human/bear conflict zones, a less than favorable rating for the Big Thicket
National Preserve was determined, but a moderately to strongly favorable rating was found for the other
three areas.
Overall, the study indicated that the most suitable region for bears among the four study areas was the
Middle Neches River Corridor, followed in order by the Lower Neches River Corridor, the Sulphur River
Bottom, and the Big Thicket National Preserve. All four areas have had an abundance of bigfoot sighting
reports.
Environmental suitability issues were also addressed by another group of scientists. While the curators of
Chimp Haven in Northwest Louisiana probably do not spend too much time contemplating black bear
habitat factors, they do devote much of their time discussing and evaluating primate habitat. According to
their web site, Chimp Haven provides a permanent home for chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) retired from
biomedical research, the entertainment industry, and those no longer wanted as pets. Their new sanctuary,
presently under construction, is planned to accommodate 300 chimpanzees, animals which may be the
closest relatives of wood apes. Due to its ecology and climate, Chimp Haven curators believe that
Northwest Louisiana is ideal primate habitat. Western Louisiana and East Texas are virtually ecological
clones. It should come as no surprise that Northwest Louisiana was selected as the new site of Chimp
Haven’s operations, given what we believe about wood ape habitat.
In conclusion, several observations serve to dispel the notion that bigfoot sighting reports in Texas and
Oklahoma are not the result of actual encounters. The reports, based on recent as well as older credible
encounters, continue to accumulate and show no signs of abating. If one chooses to take the reports
seriously and the apparent associated ecological patterns, as has been done in this paper, debates
regarding the existence of this species are replaced by new issues such as those pertaining to ecology,
distribution, behavior, and population densities.
References
Alley, J. Robert (2003). Raincoast Sasquatch. 351 pp. Hancock House, Blaine, Washington.
Bindernagel, J.A. (1998). North America's Great Ape: The Sasquatch. 270 pp. Beachcomber Books.
Courtenay, B.C., Canada.
Chimp Haven.
Distribution of Precipitation in Oklahoma map. Provided by the online Web Atlas of Oklahoma.
Fahrenbach, W.H. (1997-1998). Sasquatch: Size, Scaling, and Statistics. Cryptozoology Vol. 13: 47-75.
Garner, Nathan P. and Sean Willis. (1997). Black Bear Habitat Suitability in East Texas, featured
in Wildlife Research Highlights, pages 18-19 (.pdf). Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Austin, Texas.
Gould Ecoregions of Texas map (.pdf). Provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department GIS Lab.
Green, J. (1978). Sasquatch: The Apes Among Us. 492 pp. Hancock House Publishers Ltd., Saanichton,
B.C., Canada.
Natural Regions of Texas map (.pdf). Provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department GIS Lab.
Natural Subregions of Texas map (.pdf). Provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department GIS Lab.
Precipitation in Texas map (.pdf). Provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department GIS Lab.
Surface Hydrography of Oklahoma map. Provided by the online Web Atlas of Oklahoma.
Texas River Basins, Major Bays and Streams map (.pdf). Provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department GIS Lab.
Texas Sightings Database. TBRC Report Explorer. Texas Bigfoot Research Conservancy.
The Vegetation Types of Texas map (.pdf). Provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department GIS Lab.
Watersheds Across Oklahoma map. Provided by the online Web Atlas of Oklahoma.