Gigantopithecus: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:15, 13 August 2025

Revision as of 00:00, 14 August 2025

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==Cryptozoology==

''Gigantopithecus'' has been used in [[cryptozoology]] circles as the identity of the Tibetan [[yeti]] or American [[bigfoot]], apelike monsters in local folklore. This began in 1960 with zoologist Wladimir Tschernezky, briefly describing in the journal ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'' a 1951 photograph of alleged yeti tracks taken by Himalayan mountaineers [[Michael Ward (mountaineer)|Michael Ward]] and [[Eric Shipton]]. Tschernezky concluded that the yeti walked like a human and was similar to ''Gigantopithecus''. Subsequently, the yeti attracted short-lived scientific attention, with several more authors publishing in ''Nature'' and ''[[Science (journal)|Science]]'', but this also incited a popular monster hunting following for both the yeti and the similar American bigfoot which has persisted into the present day. The only scientist who continued trying to prove such monsters exist was anthropologist [[Grover Krantz]], who continued pushing for a connection between ''Gigantopithecus'' and bigfoot from 1970 to his death in 2002. Among the [[binomial name]]s he came up with for bigfoot included "Gigantopithecus canadensis". Scientists and amateur monster hunters both dismissed Krantz's arguments, saying he readily accepted clearly false evidence.<ref>{{cite journal|first=B.|last=Regal|author-link=Brian Regal|year=2008|title=Amateur versus professional: the search for Bigfoot|journal=Endeavour|volume=32|issue=2|pages=53–57|doi=10.1016/j.endeavour.2008.04.005|pmid=18514914}}</ref>

In the February 19, 2025 PBS ''Nature'' program "Museum Alive with David Attenborough" (Season 43, Episode 9), he also makes reference to Shipton and the Yeti myth. Attenborough speculates about the appearance of ''Gigantopithecus'', including a detailed computer animation showing a giant primate walking inside London's Natural History Museum. According to the episode’s transcript, ''Gigantopithecus'' was likely three meters tall and weighed close to 1,500 pounds (eight times Attenborough’s weight). He concludes that unlike modern gorillas, it was bipedal and walked upright. Based on the shape of the jaw, Attenborough also suspects that ''Gigantopithecus'' looked “rather unnervingly familiar.”<ref>{{cite episode |title=Museum Alive with David Attenborough |series=Nature |network=PBS |airdate=February 19, 2025 |season=43 |number=9}}</ref>

==See also==