1 00:00:00,667 --> 00:00:02,133 [droning] 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:09,300 Look. What is that? 3 00:00:10,166 --> 00:00:12,867 [Phil] Is that another hot spot right there? 4 00:00:12,867 --> 00:00:15,133 -It's moving. It's moving. -[Heather gasps] Oh, my God. 5 00:00:16,467 --> 00:00:20,166 [Josh] On this episode of Expedition X... 6 00:00:20,166 --> 00:00:22,767 There's no doubt in my mind it was a wild animal. 7 00:00:22,767 --> 00:00:24,600 Some type of primate creature. 8 00:00:25,500 --> 00:00:28,000 [Josh] My team tracks a terrifying beast, 9 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,900 said to stalk Florida's Everglades. 10 00:00:30,900 --> 00:00:32,066 [Phil] Do you guys mind going in there with us 11 00:00:32,066 --> 00:00:34,200 and showing us what direction it went? 12 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:35,500 I'd rather not. 13 00:00:37,667 --> 00:00:38,734 They're crazy. 14 00:00:38,734 --> 00:00:41,867 [Josh] They'll battle the extreme wilderness... 15 00:00:41,867 --> 00:00:43,867 There's a honeybee hive right here. 16 00:00:43,867 --> 00:00:44,867 Let's get out of here. 17 00:00:44,867 --> 00:00:45,834 Go, go, go! 18 00:00:46,100 --> 00:00:47,567 [groans] 19 00:00:47,567 --> 00:00:50,433 [Josh] ...chasing a horrifying monster in size... 20 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:53,000 [Heather] I think I've got a nest. 21 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:54,100 [Josh] ...and in stench. 22 00:00:54,100 --> 00:00:54,967 Ugh. 23 00:00:54,967 --> 00:00:55,900 Hoo. 24 00:00:56,300 --> 00:00:58,266 [Josh] The dreaded Skunk Ape. 25 00:00:58,266 --> 00:00:59,500 [Heather] I found something. 26 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:01,900 -[water splashing] -[screaming] 27 00:01:02,066 --> 00:01:03,233 Oh, [bleep]. 28 00:01:11,867 --> 00:01:14,500 Over a decade ago, I investigated reports 29 00:01:14,500 --> 00:01:17,100 of a monster in the swamps of Florida, 30 00:01:17,100 --> 00:01:20,000 and the... the sights and the sounds and the smells 31 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,166 of that expedition have stayed with me ever since. 32 00:01:22,166 --> 00:01:23,100 Wait a second. "Smells"? 33 00:01:23,100 --> 00:01:25,367 -Yes. -You forgot your deodorant again. 34 00:01:25,367 --> 00:01:26,667 Nope. It wasn't my smell. 35 00:01:26,667 --> 00:01:28,867 It was the smell of the creature I was looking for, 36 00:01:28,867 --> 00:01:30,400 known as the Skunk Ape. 37 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:31,467 And for good reason. 38 00:01:31,467 --> 00:01:32,800 I've heard of this. 39 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,066 Kind of like, a hairy, smelly, Bigfoot-like beast 40 00:01:36,066 --> 00:01:37,767 that lives in the swamps of Florida. 41 00:01:37,767 --> 00:01:39,300 Like, a stinky swamp thing. 42 00:01:39,300 --> 00:01:43,000 That's exactly right. And we found really compelling evidence that something 43 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:44,400 was living out in those swamps. 44 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:46,166 But it was ultimately inconclusive, 45 00:01:46,166 --> 00:01:48,767 but I've kept tabs on the case in the years since. 46 00:01:48,767 --> 00:01:50,867 And now, things are heating up. 47 00:01:50,867 --> 00:01:54,166 There has been a huge uptick in sightings of the Skunk Ape, 48 00:01:54,166 --> 00:01:57,066 and in fact, there have been hundreds of sightings of this creature 49 00:01:57,066 --> 00:01:59,200 that date back hundreds of years. 50 00:02:03,300 --> 00:02:06,300 Stories of the Skunk Ape, or Esti Capcaki, 51 00:02:06,300 --> 00:02:08,200 go back centuries, 52 00:02:09,567 --> 00:02:13,100 with the Seminole Tribe telling of a foul-smelling giant 53 00:02:13,100 --> 00:02:16,500 stalking the murky wetlands of modern day Florida. 54 00:02:17,700 --> 00:02:21,000 The first documented sighting comes in 1818, 55 00:02:21,667 --> 00:02:23,567 when a man-sized monkey 56 00:02:23,567 --> 00:02:25,367 reportedly pursues fishermen 57 00:02:25,367 --> 00:02:27,000 along the edge of the Everglades. 58 00:02:28,867 --> 00:02:32,100 The 20th century brings more disturbing incidents. 59 00:02:33,667 --> 00:02:35,867 Reports of slaughtered livestock, 60 00:02:35,867 --> 00:02:37,500 monstrous howls. 61 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,800 Even two police officers in 1974 62 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,767 confirming they sighted a seven-foot monster 63 00:02:44,767 --> 00:02:46,233 and opened fire. 64 00:02:48,500 --> 00:02:51,000 In the years since, hundreds of harrowing reports 65 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,300 have been corroborated by photos and videos. 66 00:02:55,500 --> 00:02:58,867 Two things are common throughout all these reports. 67 00:02:58,867 --> 00:03:01,467 The size, usually seven feet tall, 68 00:03:01,467 --> 00:03:04,800 with an estimated weight of more than 400 pounds, 69 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:06,200 and the smell, 70 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:09,000 described as a revolting blend of skunk, 71 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,634 wet dog and rotten eggs. 72 00:03:12,567 --> 00:03:15,567 This year has seen a record number of encounters. 73 00:03:15,567 --> 00:03:18,200 Now, a construction worker has reached out to me, 74 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:22,600 reporting his own terrifying face-to-beast encounter. 75 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:27,433 Is the Florida Skunk Ape truly stinking up the Everglades? 76 00:03:30,867 --> 00:03:34,000 So what do you think? Does the Skunk Ape pass the sniff test? 77 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:34,867 Well, listen. 78 00:03:34,867 --> 00:03:36,166 Florida swamps and wetlands, 79 00:03:36,166 --> 00:03:38,166 including Everglades National Park, 80 00:03:38,166 --> 00:03:42,767 make up millions of acres of dangerous, difficult-to-explore terrain. 81 00:03:42,767 --> 00:03:44,900 But a seven-foot tall primate? 82 00:03:44,900 --> 00:03:47,000 I mean, sure, they could be seeing something real, 83 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:48,467 but it's... it's more likely a... 84 00:03:48,467 --> 00:03:50,300 An escaped exotic pet, 85 00:03:50,300 --> 00:03:51,867 a... a circus bear. 86 00:03:51,867 --> 00:03:54,967 -Go on. -This is the usual Phil Torres poo-poo platter 87 00:03:54,967 --> 00:03:56,266 of crypted counter arguments. 88 00:03:56,266 --> 00:03:58,066 [Phil] You're finally learning my ways, Josh. 89 00:03:58,066 --> 00:03:59,500 But here's the deal. 90 00:03:59,500 --> 00:04:03,000 Scientists are still actually making some pretty remarkable discoveries 91 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:04,100 in the swamps of Florida, 92 00:04:04,100 --> 00:04:05,667 including, just a few years ago, 93 00:04:05,667 --> 00:04:08,066 -the Siren reticulata. -The what now? 94 00:04:08,066 --> 00:04:09,200 You guys didn't hear about this? 95 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,000 It's a giant two-foot salamander 96 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:12,567 with these teeny tiny front legs. 97 00:04:12,567 --> 00:04:14,834 It was once considered a myth. 98 00:04:15,166 --> 00:04:16,266 But it's real. 99 00:04:16,266 --> 00:04:18,667 So, maybe the Skunk Ape is real, too. 100 00:04:18,667 --> 00:04:20,066 But, I doubt it. 101 00:04:20,066 --> 00:04:22,300 Well, whether or not you're right, Torres, 102 00:04:22,300 --> 00:04:24,567 it sure feels like there could be something out there. 103 00:04:24,567 --> 00:04:26,266 And, Southern girl that I am, 104 00:04:26,266 --> 00:04:28,767 I know the swamp has a ton of wildlife. 105 00:04:28,767 --> 00:04:31,600 Snakes, panthers, gators. 106 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:33,667 -This could be fun. -Why not a Skunk Ape, too? 107 00:04:33,667 --> 00:04:35,266 All right. The hunt is on. 108 00:04:35,266 --> 00:04:38,000 Your mission is to get down to the swamps of Florida and investigate. 109 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,000 I want you to talk to this construction worker 110 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,567 who claims to have had a run-in with the Skunk Ape. 111 00:04:42,567 --> 00:04:45,800 And I am arranging for a very special tracker to join you. 112 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:47,000 His name is Whiskey. 113 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:48,066 That is not a nickname. 114 00:04:48,066 --> 00:04:50,000 His actual name is Whiskey. 115 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:53,500 -Ooh, whiskey is exactly what this adventure needs. -Cheers to that. 116 00:04:53,500 --> 00:04:57,166 And while you're gone, I'm gonna go through our old Skunk Ape case files 117 00:04:57,166 --> 00:04:59,000 and see if there's anything there that can help. 118 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:00,300 -Perfect. -Sounds good. 119 00:05:00,300 --> 00:05:01,767 All right. Well, smell you later. 120 00:05:01,767 --> 00:05:03,000 -Oh. -Oh, man. 121 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:03,767 [Josh] Couldn't help. 122 00:05:03,767 --> 00:05:05,400 -Oh. -Terrible. 123 00:05:06,100 --> 00:05:09,400 [Josh] The flight from New York to Orlando is about three hours. 124 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,567 Phil and Heather then drive 45 minutes east 125 00:05:12,567 --> 00:05:16,266 to the edge of the Canaveral Marshes Conservation Area. 126 00:05:16,266 --> 00:05:20,100 Here. I've arranged for them to meet their new investigation partner. 127 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,133 -[Heather] You are off the grid out here. -[Phil] Yeah. 128 00:05:25,266 --> 00:05:26,700 [Heather] Is this a good time to mention 129 00:05:26,700 --> 00:05:29,467 that I'm absolutely terrified of gators? 130 00:05:29,467 --> 00:05:31,400 -What? Like... -Yes, I am. 131 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,367 Like, what kind of terrified are we talking about? 132 00:05:33,367 --> 00:05:35,300 -On a scale of, like, one to ten? -Yeah. 133 00:05:35,300 --> 00:05:37,500 [Heather] One hundred. They're living dinosaurs. 134 00:05:37,500 --> 00:05:39,800 I mean, technically, birds are living dinosaurs, 135 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:41,500 so, like, you should be afraid of a pigeon. 136 00:05:41,500 --> 00:05:43,667 -Ha! -Alligators, other whole thing. 137 00:05:43,667 --> 00:05:45,567 [Heather] Alligators have a lot more teeth. 138 00:05:45,567 --> 00:05:46,634 [Phil] I'll give you that. 139 00:05:48,467 --> 00:05:50,000 [Heather] Okay. 140 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:51,700 This is where Josh dropped the pin. 141 00:05:53,667 --> 00:05:55,600 [Phil] Didn't Josh say we were meeting with Whiskey? 142 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:56,700 [Heather] We are. 143 00:06:02,266 --> 00:06:03,367 -[woman] Hi. -Hi. 144 00:06:03,367 --> 00:06:05,300 I'm Tiffany. This is Whiskey. 145 00:06:05,500 --> 00:06:06,600 [Phil] Whiskey. 146 00:06:06,867 --> 00:06:08,133 You're a dog. 147 00:06:09,500 --> 00:06:12,400 Whiskey. That is so sweet. 148 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:13,767 -Look at you. -[Heather] That is... 149 00:06:13,767 --> 00:06:15,800 [Tiffany] He is a bloodhound search and rescue dog. 150 00:06:16,300 --> 00:06:17,700 We're part of a volunteer team. 151 00:06:17,700 --> 00:06:20,200 So if somebody comes up missing, we get called out 152 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:22,300 and find that person that's missing, so... 153 00:06:22,300 --> 00:06:23,333 [Heather] Can you tell me a little bit about 154 00:06:23,333 --> 00:06:24,967 what his search and rescue technique looks like? 155 00:06:24,967 --> 00:06:26,166 Um, it's off his scent. 156 00:06:26,166 --> 00:06:28,600 So we get the scent article from the person that's missing 157 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,400 and then he will find the trail that we're tracking 158 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:33,400 and takes off after it. 159 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:37,066 So, hypothetically, if we found a unique scent in the forest 160 00:06:37,066 --> 00:06:38,700 that we wanted to track either where it came from 161 00:06:38,700 --> 00:06:41,367 or where it went afterwards, could Whiskey help us? 162 00:06:41,367 --> 00:06:42,800 [Tiffany] As long as you've got the scent article, 163 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:44,400 he... he will be able to help you. 164 00:06:45,300 --> 00:06:47,500 Bloodhounds are bred for tracking, 165 00:06:47,500 --> 00:06:49,467 and that's actually how they got their names. 166 00:06:49,467 --> 00:06:51,567 They would hunt the blood scent of the game. 167 00:06:51,567 --> 00:06:52,867 Wow. 168 00:06:54,166 --> 00:06:55,767 [Phil] While most humans have around five million 169 00:06:55,767 --> 00:06:57,800 scent receptors in their noses, 170 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,166 bloodhounds have 300 million. 171 00:07:00,166 --> 00:07:02,600 More than any other breed of dog. 172 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:06,000 This allows them to track smells over 100 miles. 173 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:09,467 Even if that scent is over 10 days old. 174 00:07:09,467 --> 00:07:11,400 What's the longest he's tracked? 175 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:13,100 [Tiffany] Miles and miles. 176 00:07:13,100 --> 00:07:14,867 I would probably run out before he would. 177 00:07:14,867 --> 00:07:17,567 As they get older, the better they get. 178 00:07:17,567 --> 00:07:20,667 If we were to put Whiskey into action... 179 00:07:20,667 --> 00:07:22,600 -Yes? -...what does that look like? 180 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:23,867 It's a lot of fun, 181 00:07:23,867 --> 00:07:26,100 and you better be ready to run. [laughs] 182 00:07:26,100 --> 00:07:27,600 You're heading with them, bud. 183 00:07:28,767 --> 00:07:29,900 [Phil] Come on. 184 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:32,533 [grunts] 185 00:07:33,367 --> 00:07:34,367 [Heather] Good boy. 186 00:07:34,367 --> 00:07:37,500 [Phil] You ready, bud? Let's go. 187 00:07:37,500 --> 00:07:39,867 [Phil] With our ace tracker Whiskey along for the ride, 188 00:07:39,867 --> 00:07:41,667 we set out to meet two witnesses 189 00:07:41,667 --> 00:07:46,900 who believe they've had a recent encounter with the Skunk Ape. 190 00:07:46,900 --> 00:07:49,500 [Phil] Hey, Whiskey, what's the smelliest thing you've ever smelled? 191 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:51,233 You. 192 00:07:52,100 --> 00:07:53,367 -Ha. -[Heather laughing] 193 00:07:53,367 --> 00:07:54,367 So funny. 194 00:07:54,367 --> 00:07:55,667 [Heather laughing] 195 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:00,600 [Heather] We're meeting with Frank Constantino 196 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:02,767 and his son-in-law, Chris Smith. 197 00:08:02,767 --> 00:08:04,367 [Frank] Hi. Good to meet y'all. 198 00:08:04,367 --> 00:08:07,100 [Heather] These two construction workers claim to have had a recent run-in 199 00:08:07,100 --> 00:08:10,300 with a Skunk Ape-like creature while out fishing. 200 00:08:10,300 --> 00:08:12,567 I heard you had an encounter somewhere around here? 201 00:08:12,567 --> 00:08:15,767 Yeah, it's actually not too far away from here. 202 00:08:15,767 --> 00:08:18,400 I could take you to the exact spot. 203 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:19,934 Are you going to take us on that? 204 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:21,800 Absolutely. 205 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:23,967 I hope you brought your mud boots with you. 206 00:08:23,967 --> 00:08:26,400 -[Phil] We'll grab and meet you on the boat? -[Frank] Awesome. 207 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,867 [Heather] Frank takes us on his airboat up the St. John's River, 208 00:08:31,867 --> 00:08:35,300 into the gator-infested waters of the Canaveral Marshes. 209 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,700 Our airboat begins to slow as we head deeper into the swamp. 210 00:08:57,867 --> 00:09:00,233 Far from any signs of civilization. 211 00:09:07,300 --> 00:09:10,667 [Frank] Okay, guys. This is the spot right here where we've seen it. 212 00:09:10,667 --> 00:09:11,400 [Phil] Where? 213 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:12,634 [Frank] See right back in there 214 00:09:12,634 --> 00:09:14,700 -where that mound is in the bushes? -[Phil] Mm-hmm. 215 00:09:14,700 --> 00:09:16,700 He was right on top of that mound. 216 00:09:19,767 --> 00:09:20,900 We were fishing, 217 00:09:22,467 --> 00:09:24,266 and I shined up in there, 218 00:09:24,266 --> 00:09:26,300 and I could see a set of red eyes. 219 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:33,467 I thought it was an alligator. 220 00:09:33,467 --> 00:09:36,900 The next thing you know, these red eyes just stood up. 221 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:40,133 Six feet tall. 222 00:09:41,100 --> 00:09:42,367 -Six feet tall? -[Frank] Yeah. 223 00:09:42,367 --> 00:09:44,500 -[Phil] That thing is... -Was big. 224 00:09:45,500 --> 00:09:47,900 I did not want to get off the boat. 225 00:09:47,900 --> 00:09:49,100 [Heather] And then what happened? 226 00:09:49,100 --> 00:09:50,700 [Frank] It took off immediately. 227 00:09:50,700 --> 00:09:52,400 It was like we spooked it. 228 00:09:56,667 --> 00:09:57,400 [Heather] It was fast? 229 00:09:57,400 --> 00:09:59,600 -Oh, yeah. -Oh, yes. Real fast. 230 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:05,066 And when it took off, did it go down on all fours when it ran away? 231 00:10:05,066 --> 00:10:06,867 No, it more, like, leaped like this. 232 00:10:06,867 --> 00:10:08,667 And then, after that, you couldn't see it no more. 233 00:10:08,667 --> 00:10:11,000 It was like, gone off in the bushes. 234 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,900 [Frank] It was scary. I mean, it was almost demonic scary. 235 00:10:14,900 --> 00:10:17,967 -This is just a mind-blower. -[Phil] Hmm. 236 00:10:17,967 --> 00:10:21,066 You see it down low and you think alligator. 237 00:10:21,066 --> 00:10:22,133 You see it stand up, 238 00:10:22,133 --> 00:10:24,967 and the first thing you must think is, what? Bear? 239 00:10:24,967 --> 00:10:26,800 It wasn't like a bear's build. 240 00:10:27,100 --> 00:10:28,500 It was skinnier. 241 00:10:28,500 --> 00:10:30,900 And there's no animals that illuminate red eyes, 242 00:10:30,900 --> 00:10:32,767 other than an alligator. 243 00:10:32,767 --> 00:10:34,600 And bears do not light up red. 244 00:10:35,166 --> 00:10:36,166 Then what do you think it was? 245 00:10:37,467 --> 00:10:39,967 The only thing I can think of is a Skunk Ape. 246 00:10:39,967 --> 00:10:43,166 Is that something you thought could actually be out here? 247 00:10:43,166 --> 00:10:45,467 I'm that guy that teases people when they tell me 248 00:10:45,467 --> 00:10:47,166 -they see stuff like this. -[Chris] Yes. 249 00:10:47,166 --> 00:10:50,000 I mean, I've been an avid woodsman since birth. 250 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:51,900 I've stepped on alligators. 251 00:10:51,900 --> 00:10:53,700 And this freaked me out. 252 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:55,967 [Phil] Do you guys mind going in there with us 253 00:10:55,967 --> 00:10:58,000 and showing us what direction it went? 254 00:10:58,300 --> 00:10:59,700 I'd rather not. 255 00:10:59,700 --> 00:11:01,400 I'll pick you up in the morning. 256 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:02,700 -[Chris] Good luck. -Okay. 257 00:11:03,367 --> 00:11:04,533 Let's go, Whiskey. 258 00:11:09,467 --> 00:11:11,000 They're crazy. 259 00:11:16,667 --> 00:11:19,500 [Phil] With Frank and Chris's warning fresh in our minds, 260 00:11:19,500 --> 00:11:22,600 we head into the thick brush of the remote island, 261 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:25,900 leaving behind our only ride out of here till morning. 262 00:11:26,900 --> 00:11:28,567 We are in it now. 263 00:11:28,567 --> 00:11:31,467 So we've gotta look out for everything from rattlesnakes to bears 264 00:11:31,467 --> 00:11:33,767 to alligators. 265 00:11:33,767 --> 00:11:36,600 Let's think about it. If this is a primate that we're going for, 266 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,100 let's look for recent trails, 267 00:11:39,100 --> 00:11:41,500 look for recent branch breaks. 268 00:11:41,500 --> 00:11:43,266 Some of the bigger apes, like orangutans, 269 00:11:43,266 --> 00:11:46,300 are known to make nests that are made of branches and leaves. 270 00:11:46,300 --> 00:11:48,567 They can be on the ground. They can be up in the trees. 271 00:11:48,567 --> 00:11:50,467 And let's use our ears. 272 00:11:50,467 --> 00:11:53,166 Let's listen for things moving next to us. 273 00:11:53,166 --> 00:11:55,767 [Heather] And don't forget, they say it stinks like a skunk. 274 00:11:55,767 --> 00:11:57,600 Let's see if we can find some scent article 275 00:11:57,600 --> 00:11:58,934 we can get Whiskey on. 276 00:12:00,266 --> 00:12:01,667 Um, it's off his scent. 277 00:12:01,667 --> 00:12:03,266 don't get eaten by a gator. 278 00:12:08,567 --> 00:12:11,367 Phil will take Whiskey to search the perimeter of the island, 279 00:12:11,367 --> 00:12:14,900 while I head to the exact spot where Frank had his sighting. 280 00:12:14,900 --> 00:12:17,100 [Phil] Let's use that nose. See what we can find. 281 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:28,700 [Heather] What? 282 00:12:29,867 --> 00:12:31,300 I found something. 283 00:12:31,900 --> 00:12:33,233 I'm over by the shore. 284 00:12:36,900 --> 00:12:37,934 Look at this. 285 00:12:38,667 --> 00:12:39,800 [Phil] Look at that. 286 00:12:40,667 --> 00:12:41,433 I mean, look at the size of this. 287 00:12:41,433 --> 00:12:43,667 So it's about five feet across, 288 00:12:43,667 --> 00:12:47,367 I would say. So, sizeable something lying down here. 289 00:12:47,367 --> 00:12:49,300 And, Phil, smell this. 290 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:52,000 -Ripe? -That's ripe! 291 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:53,400 I mean, it's... it's... 292 00:12:53,967 --> 00:12:55,367 Skunk-ish? 293 00:12:55,367 --> 00:12:57,300 -A little more musky? -Yeah. 294 00:12:57,300 --> 00:12:59,900 -Not... Not enjoyable. -[Heather] No. 295 00:12:59,900 --> 00:13:01,100 [Phil] And that was just where? 296 00:13:01,100 --> 00:13:03,300 It was just sitting right there. 297 00:13:03,300 --> 00:13:06,266 It almost looks like something hunkered down there for the night. 298 00:13:06,266 --> 00:13:09,500 So I guess the question is, where did this thing go? 299 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:11,400 That's why we got Whiskey. 300 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:14,767 Whiskey's handler instructed us that if we found a scent article, 301 00:13:14,767 --> 00:13:16,700 we should have Whiskey sniff it, 302 00:13:16,700 --> 00:13:18,133 and then give the command... 303 00:13:18,266 --> 00:13:19,367 Find! 304 00:13:19,367 --> 00:13:21,000 If a matching scent is nearby, 305 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,333 Whiskey will jump into action and lead us to the source. 306 00:13:24,900 --> 00:13:26,000 All right. We're moving. 307 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:27,133 [Whiskey barking] 308 00:13:27,133 --> 00:13:29,100 [Heather] He is walking with purpose. He's sniffing. 309 00:13:29,100 --> 00:13:30,367 [Phil] Oh, yeah. 310 00:13:31,166 --> 00:13:33,233 -[Whiskey barking] -I think he's got something. 311 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:35,266 [Heather] Oh, my God. 312 00:13:35,266 --> 00:13:37,900 -[Whiskey barking] -[Phil] Right here. 313 00:13:39,767 --> 00:13:40,867 Heather... 314 00:13:40,867 --> 00:13:42,600 What did we just find? 315 00:13:43,500 --> 00:13:44,934 [Whiskey whining] 316 00:13:50,066 --> 00:13:52,166 [Phil] That looks like a nest. 317 00:13:52,166 --> 00:13:53,400 Good job, Whiskey. 318 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:55,400 -Good boy. -[Heather] Good boy. 319 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:56,634 Talking about nests. 320 00:13:57,166 --> 00:13:58,767 Bald eagles. 321 00:13:58,767 --> 00:14:01,900 Actually, Florida has one of the largest concentrations of nesting bald eagles. 322 00:14:01,900 --> 00:14:04,867 Bald eagles make the biggest bird nest in the entire world. 323 00:14:04,867 --> 00:14:06,166 Could be up to 10 feet. 324 00:14:06,166 --> 00:14:08,500 Although they're usually way up higher in a tree. 325 00:14:09,166 --> 00:14:10,200 Don't forget. 326 00:14:10,967 --> 00:14:12,266 -The smell. -Yeah. 327 00:14:12,266 --> 00:14:14,100 This does not smell like an eagle nest. 328 00:14:14,100 --> 00:14:15,900 I think we gotta get up into that tree 329 00:14:15,900 --> 00:14:18,634 and figure out who lives in this nest. 330 00:14:19,166 --> 00:14:20,233 -Let's do it. -[Phil] Okay. 331 00:14:21,467 --> 00:14:22,967 If Whiskey's right, 332 00:14:22,967 --> 00:14:26,266 this nest matches the scent that Heather found. 333 00:14:26,266 --> 00:14:29,367 I'll be looking for any traces of food, hairs, or scat 334 00:14:29,367 --> 00:14:32,500 that could determine what creature we're looking at. 335 00:14:32,500 --> 00:14:33,800 Show us your skills, Heather. 336 00:14:35,100 --> 00:14:37,133 [both exclaiming] 337 00:14:38,166 --> 00:14:39,400 This thing's rolling? 338 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:40,667 Yep. We're rolling. 339 00:14:40,667 --> 00:14:42,133 [Phil] Okay. 340 00:14:43,300 --> 00:14:46,166 I've never climbed in snake boots before. There's a first. 341 00:14:46,166 --> 00:14:47,900 [Heather] Better snake boots than snake bite. 342 00:14:47,900 --> 00:14:49,000 [Phil] True. 343 00:14:49,767 --> 00:14:51,667 As the sun gets lower in the sky, 344 00:14:51,667 --> 00:14:52,667 Heather will spot for me 345 00:14:52,667 --> 00:14:56,066 as I climb to the nest and take a look around. 346 00:14:56,066 --> 00:14:58,100 -[Phil exhaling] -[Heather] What are you seeing? 347 00:14:58,100 --> 00:14:59,200 [Phil] Oh, my God. 348 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:01,700 -[Heather] What is it? -[Phil laughs] 349 00:15:01,700 --> 00:15:04,000 [Phil] There's a bunch of fronds laid flat, 350 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:05,300 and right in the middle... 351 00:15:06,100 --> 00:15:09,734 we got fish scales, some bones, some wings. 352 00:15:12,667 --> 00:15:16,600 All these fronds laid perfectly sideways here. 353 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:18,300 [Heather] So, laid with design. 354 00:15:18,300 --> 00:15:20,600 [Phil] Absolutely. Something laid these up here. 355 00:15:20,867 --> 00:15:21,700 Wow. 356 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:24,433 I've never seen anything like this. 357 00:15:26,700 --> 00:15:28,500 So these are gar fish. 358 00:15:29,066 --> 00:15:30,800 The fish look completely eaten. 359 00:15:31,767 --> 00:15:33,367 Bird looks completely eaten. 360 00:15:33,367 --> 00:15:36,533 You see any hairs? Any evidence of anyone that lives there? 361 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:37,734 [Phil] I'm looking close. 362 00:15:37,734 --> 00:15:41,100 I just don't see any right now. 363 00:15:41,100 --> 00:15:43,367 This clearly gets used by something, 364 00:15:43,367 --> 00:15:46,900 and I think that something... is probably big 365 00:15:46,900 --> 00:15:48,567 and it smells. 366 00:15:48,567 --> 00:15:49,867 So, this is our area. 367 00:15:49,867 --> 00:15:52,567 I think this should be the center of our investigation tonight. 368 00:15:52,567 --> 00:15:56,467 [Heather] Skunk Ape or not, it's clear something powerful constructed this tree nest. 369 00:15:56,467 --> 00:15:57,767 And with night falling, 370 00:15:57,767 --> 00:16:01,166 that something could be returning home from a day of hunting 371 00:16:01,166 --> 00:16:03,800 and heading right towards us. 372 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:06,266 Not wanting to miss any movement in the woods, 373 00:16:06,266 --> 00:16:08,734 we set up motion-activated trail cameras. 374 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:10,567 Now it's ready. 375 00:16:10,567 --> 00:16:11,734 We have one facing inward. 376 00:16:11,734 --> 00:16:14,600 Now we need to set up a perimeter that faces outward. 377 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,100 I want these game cams to overlap by at least 10 yards. 378 00:16:17,100 --> 00:16:18,767 I don't want anything to slip through. 379 00:16:18,767 --> 00:16:20,800 Okay. I'll cover, starting over there, 380 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:22,567 working counterclockwise. You start over there. 381 00:16:22,567 --> 00:16:23,667 Sounds good. 382 00:16:23,667 --> 00:16:26,667 Phil and I split up to place several more trail cams 383 00:16:26,667 --> 00:16:28,266 facing away from the nest. 384 00:16:28,266 --> 00:16:30,367 Positioning them 10 yards apart from each other 385 00:16:30,367 --> 00:16:32,600 will create an overlapping field of view. 386 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,567 This will ensure anything moving into the perimeter we've established 387 00:16:35,567 --> 00:16:37,700 will be caught on camera. 388 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:46,667 Oh, okay. 389 00:16:46,667 --> 00:16:48,900 Let's go walk through a swamp at night. 390 00:17:01,700 --> 00:17:03,467 -[water splashing] -[Heather screaming] 391 00:17:03,467 --> 00:17:04,734 Oh, [bleep]. 392 00:17:05,166 --> 00:17:06,400 You good? 393 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,967 There's a huge splash over here. 394 00:17:08,967 --> 00:17:09,934 [Phil] Right, heading that way. 395 00:17:18,066 --> 00:17:19,467 -You just hear a big splash? -[Heather] Yeah. 396 00:17:19,467 --> 00:17:20,533 -Like, this huge-- -[Phil] Did you see anything? 397 00:17:20,533 --> 00:17:22,400 [Heather] I didn't see anything. But I heard it. 398 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:24,200 It was huge. 399 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:25,667 [Phil] Well, there's only a few options 400 00:17:25,667 --> 00:17:28,066 of what could be big out here at night. 401 00:17:28,066 --> 00:17:30,400 There's gators, there's bears, 402 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:32,567 or whatever Frank saw. 403 00:17:32,567 --> 00:17:33,867 You have the FLIR? 404 00:17:33,867 --> 00:17:35,000 I have the FLIR, yeah. 405 00:17:38,667 --> 00:17:39,734 [device beeping] 406 00:18:03,266 --> 00:18:04,166 [twigs breaking] 407 00:18:06,567 --> 00:18:08,066 I heard some, like, chuffing out there. 408 00:18:08,066 --> 00:18:09,600 Did you hear that? It was like... [mimics chuffing] 409 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:10,600 Yeah. 410 00:18:12,700 --> 00:18:14,133 -[twigs breaking] -[Heather gasps] 411 00:18:17,567 --> 00:18:19,133 More branches are breaking. 412 00:18:20,266 --> 00:18:21,467 It's right that direction. 413 00:18:21,467 --> 00:18:22,433 [twigs breaking] 414 00:18:23,500 --> 00:18:24,934 I think we should get closer. 415 00:18:31,166 --> 00:18:32,800 See for eye shine, okay? 416 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:34,333 [Heather] Eye shine. 417 00:18:38,767 --> 00:18:40,667 -[Phil] Right back there. Look, look, look. -[Heather] What? 418 00:18:40,667 --> 00:18:41,900 Right there. See that? 419 00:18:42,700 --> 00:18:43,967 It's an area of flattened grass. 420 00:18:43,967 --> 00:18:46,800 [Heather] It looks like some leftover heat signature there. 421 00:18:47,567 --> 00:18:48,634 [Phil] You see how those are folded down? 422 00:18:48,634 --> 00:18:51,133 -[Heather] Yeah. -[Phil] Folded down right there. 423 00:18:54,367 --> 00:18:56,367 I'm gonna jump ahead and see... 424 00:18:56,367 --> 00:18:57,500 [Heather] Okay. 425 00:18:57,500 --> 00:18:59,500 ...if there's any hairs or anything. 426 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:03,400 Show yourself. 427 00:19:17,066 --> 00:19:18,400 -[twig breaks] -Oh, my God! 428 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:19,700 [Heather gasps] What the [bleep]? 429 00:19:24,967 --> 00:19:26,300 [Phil] That was close. 430 00:19:27,367 --> 00:19:29,634 It's really thick back here. I can't see very far. 431 00:19:31,467 --> 00:19:32,367 They must move quick. 432 00:19:33,300 --> 00:19:35,166 I feel like we're pushing it farther away 433 00:19:35,166 --> 00:19:37,000 just by being out here. 434 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:38,133 The game cams are set up. 435 00:19:38,133 --> 00:19:40,500 Let's let them do their job and let's get out of here. 436 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:41,533 Okay. 437 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:47,400 [Heather] As the sun comes up, 438 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,100 we meet up with our witnesses Frank and Chris, 439 00:19:50,100 --> 00:19:52,900 who take us back to safer ground and wifi access 440 00:19:54,467 --> 00:19:57,600 where we update Josh on what we found so far. 441 00:19:57,867 --> 00:19:58,667 Hey, Gates. 442 00:19:58,667 --> 00:20:00,166 -Hey, Josh. -Hey. 443 00:20:00,166 --> 00:20:02,567 Sending you a shot of whiskey. 444 00:20:02,567 --> 00:20:04,700 A shot of whiskey. Oh, Whiskey! 445 00:20:04,700 --> 00:20:06,000 Phil, you made it funny. 446 00:20:06,500 --> 00:20:07,867 You know what's not a joke? 447 00:20:07,867 --> 00:20:09,000 -The Skunk Ape. -Really? 448 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,166 Was Whiskey able to track something down? 449 00:20:11,166 --> 00:20:12,867 Yeah. He picked up his scent. 450 00:20:12,867 --> 00:20:14,100 We followed this trail, 451 00:20:14,100 --> 00:20:15,800 and we ended up at a giant tree, 452 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:17,467 where I think we found a nest. 453 00:20:17,467 --> 00:20:20,967 A nest? Like, giant enough for a Skunk Ape? 454 00:20:20,967 --> 00:20:22,767 Listen, my first impression was 455 00:20:22,767 --> 00:20:23,800 this has to be the nest 456 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:25,800 of one of the larger bird species around here. 457 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:27,166 But when I climbed up in it, 458 00:20:27,166 --> 00:20:29,567 there was no bird poop to be seen. 459 00:20:29,567 --> 00:20:31,667 And the way that the fronds were laid out 460 00:20:31,667 --> 00:20:34,500 seemed like a very intentional design, so. 461 00:20:34,500 --> 00:20:38,000 Honestly, I don't know what could've made it. 462 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:38,800 Okay, wow. 463 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:39,800 Well, while you've been on the hunt, 464 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:41,967 I went back through my old case files 465 00:20:41,967 --> 00:20:43,767 from when I investigated this story. 466 00:20:43,767 --> 00:20:46,100 and I reconnected with someone that I interviewed back then. 467 00:20:46,100 --> 00:20:47,867 A guy named Dave Shealy. 468 00:20:47,867 --> 00:20:49,100 And since that time, 469 00:20:49,100 --> 00:20:51,667 he says that he has had many more sightings of the Skunk Ape 470 00:20:51,667 --> 00:20:54,200 and says that he captured this video. 471 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:54,900 Check it out. 472 00:20:58,100 --> 00:20:59,634 [Heather] He's moving fast. 473 00:21:00,367 --> 00:21:01,367 [Phil] Hmm. 474 00:21:01,367 --> 00:21:03,400 I mean, it kind of looks like a guy in a suit. 475 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:06,100 Dave is convinced that that is a Skunk Ape. 476 00:21:06,100 --> 00:21:08,367 And what's more, he says he can prove it. 477 00:21:08,367 --> 00:21:09,567 You've gotta meet this guy. 478 00:21:09,567 --> 00:21:11,467 Well, Heather, why don't you meet with him? 479 00:21:11,467 --> 00:21:13,800 I wanna try to track down a primatologist 480 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:15,700 and get an expert opinion on the evidence 481 00:21:15,700 --> 00:21:17,266 that we've gathered so far, 482 00:21:17,266 --> 00:21:18,467 including this video. 483 00:21:18,467 --> 00:21:19,567 Sounds like a plan. 484 00:21:19,567 --> 00:21:21,133 I'll see you later, alligators. 485 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:28,867 -[Heather] Dave. -[David] Heather. 486 00:21:28,867 --> 00:21:31,300 [Heather] David Shealy and his family have been gladesmen. 487 00:21:31,300 --> 00:21:33,467 Essentially the taxis of the Everglades 488 00:21:33,467 --> 00:21:35,100 for four generations. 489 00:21:35,100 --> 00:21:36,767 What a cool boat. 490 00:21:36,767 --> 00:21:37,934 It's called a pole boat. 491 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:40,567 Some good transportation. 492 00:21:40,567 --> 00:21:42,000 [Heather] He's dedicated much of his life 493 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,900 to trying to prove skunk apes are a very real part 494 00:21:44,900 --> 00:21:46,900 of Florida's ecosystem. 495 00:21:46,900 --> 00:21:48,800 I saw a really compelling video. 496 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:51,700 Was that video taken here on the property? 497 00:21:51,700 --> 00:21:56,166 Yeah, I took the video about two miles out back here on the marsh. 498 00:21:56,166 --> 00:21:58,600 A lot of people discount it, but... 499 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:02,000 And when you get out there and see the conditions, uh, 500 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,500 there's no doubt in my mind it was a wild animal, 501 00:22:04,500 --> 00:22:07,600 -some type of primate creature. -Oh, no way. 502 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,400 I'd love to take you out there and show you that area 503 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:11,900 so you can see it for yourself. 504 00:22:11,900 --> 00:22:13,567 [Heather] I would love to go. 505 00:22:13,567 --> 00:22:15,834 [David] Let's do that. I, I welcome that. 506 00:22:18,567 --> 00:22:20,700 [Phil] With witness descriptions of the Skunk Ape 507 00:22:20,700 --> 00:22:23,367 suggesting it's some sort of large primate, 508 00:22:23,367 --> 00:22:25,166 I need to know if an animal that big 509 00:22:25,166 --> 00:22:27,734 could even survive in the Everglades. 510 00:22:28,100 --> 00:22:28,867 [Phil] Hey, Andrew. 511 00:22:28,867 --> 00:22:31,166 Hey, Phil. Nice to meet you, man. 512 00:22:31,166 --> 00:22:33,667 [Phil] I'm meeting with Dr. Andrew Zamora, 513 00:22:33,667 --> 00:22:37,367 a biological anthropologist specializing in primatology 514 00:22:37,367 --> 00:22:39,567 at the Naples Zoo. 515 00:22:39,567 --> 00:22:43,567 Someone recently saw what they can only describe as a Skunk Ape. 516 00:22:43,567 --> 00:22:45,000 -So, I went to investigate it. -Okay? 517 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:46,834 And what we found up in a tree 518 00:22:47,667 --> 00:22:50,100 was something I'm still trying to figure out. 519 00:22:50,100 --> 00:22:53,066 When I climbed up there, right in the middle, 520 00:22:53,066 --> 00:22:54,667 there was a gar. 521 00:22:54,667 --> 00:22:56,667 -[Andrew chuckles] Oh, nice. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. -And... 522 00:22:56,667 --> 00:22:58,900 -some wings from a dead bird. -[Andrew] Mmm-hmm. 523 00:22:58,900 --> 00:23:00,900 Does that look like something an ape would do? 524 00:23:00,900 --> 00:23:03,467 Uh, that does look like something a great ape could do. 525 00:23:03,467 --> 00:23:04,800 It's a decent size nest. 526 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:05,900 They'll lay a cross hatch 527 00:23:05,900 --> 00:23:07,767 of branches and leaves on the ground. 528 00:23:07,767 --> 00:23:09,367 They build a rim around that 529 00:23:09,367 --> 00:23:11,567 and then they'll start filling it with leaves and twigs, 530 00:23:11,567 --> 00:23:14,300 softer materials that's nice and easy for them to sleep on. 531 00:23:14,300 --> 00:23:17,800 But the fact that you're finding a gar in there, 532 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:19,867 feathers and, and bird remains... 533 00:23:19,867 --> 00:23:24,266 Meat tends to not really be a popular fare for primates, 534 00:23:24,266 --> 00:23:25,567 especially your great apes. 535 00:23:25,567 --> 00:23:26,700 That being said, 536 00:23:26,700 --> 00:23:28,467 chimpanzees are pretty famous for doing active hunting 537 00:23:28,467 --> 00:23:29,867 from time to time. 538 00:23:29,867 --> 00:23:32,467 Long tailed macaques that actually forage in the water. 539 00:23:32,467 --> 00:23:35,100 So, it's definitely not impossible. 540 00:23:35,100 --> 00:23:36,400 One other thing that stood out about this 541 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:40,467 -is that the base of the tree smelled pretty awful. -Mmm-hmm. 542 00:23:40,467 --> 00:23:41,667 When it comes to primates, 543 00:23:41,667 --> 00:23:44,600 do any of them use scent markings for their, their nests, 544 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:45,800 their home turf, their territory? 545 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,333 Yeah, well, I mean, you have a great example right here. 546 00:23:49,166 --> 00:23:51,967 These are our three red ruffed lemur boys. 547 00:23:51,967 --> 00:23:55,266 They rely on scent based communication quite a lot 548 00:23:55,266 --> 00:23:58,400 to demarcate territories, to communicate, 549 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:00,300 their age, or reproductive status. 550 00:24:00,667 --> 00:24:01,867 [Phil] Cool. 551 00:24:01,867 --> 00:24:03,367 So, we've been collecting some evidence. 552 00:24:03,367 --> 00:24:06,300 Some of this is from, uh, previous eyewitnesses. 553 00:24:06,300 --> 00:24:08,033 If you see something like this, 554 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:09,300 what's your gut say? 555 00:24:09,300 --> 00:24:10,800 [Andrew] It's quite difficult to tell. 556 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,166 But that arm motion seems, like, 557 00:24:13,166 --> 00:24:14,767 really exaggerated to me. 558 00:24:14,767 --> 00:24:16,867 That definitely strikes me as a bit curious. 559 00:24:16,867 --> 00:24:18,400 So, you're a little suspicious? 560 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:19,233 Great apes, 561 00:24:19,233 --> 00:24:20,500 when you see them walking bipedally, 562 00:24:20,500 --> 00:24:22,166 which they will do from time to time, 563 00:24:22,166 --> 00:24:24,166 one, they have this kind of bent knee gaits 564 00:24:24,166 --> 00:24:26,000 and their knees are also more out. 565 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:27,200 As a result, when they walk, 566 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:29,467 -they almost shuffle a bit from side to side. -[Phil] Mmm. 567 00:24:29,467 --> 00:24:31,300 This animal or whatever it is, 568 00:24:31,300 --> 00:24:35,066 you can definitely tell it's walking with kind of that human-like gait, right? 569 00:24:35,066 --> 00:24:36,166 It's upright 570 00:24:36,166 --> 00:24:39,000 and using its arms as, as balances 571 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:39,867 much like we do. 572 00:24:39,867 --> 00:24:41,900 It's definitely a little fishy to me. 573 00:24:51,100 --> 00:24:52,467 Don't grab this grass, 574 00:24:52,467 --> 00:24:54,266 -because this is called sawgrass. -[Heather] Okay. 575 00:24:54,266 --> 00:24:55,834 -Yeah. -[David] It'll cut your hands. 576 00:24:58,100 --> 00:24:59,467 Well, this is it. 577 00:24:59,467 --> 00:25:00,667 This is the exact spot? 578 00:25:00,667 --> 00:25:02,467 This is the spot where I took the video. 579 00:25:02,467 --> 00:25:04,634 It crossed from the hammock over here 580 00:25:04,867 --> 00:25:06,567 and ran across 581 00:25:06,567 --> 00:25:08,700 and went into this hammock over here. 582 00:25:11,900 --> 00:25:13,667 [Heather] I'd love to do an experiment myself 583 00:25:13,667 --> 00:25:17,000 -and see if I can run the exact same path. -[David] Okay. 584 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:18,400 We'll just compare the two videos. 585 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:19,734 All right, let's do it. 586 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:21,967 [Heather] The supposed creature in the video 587 00:25:21,967 --> 00:25:23,166 had its arms held up, 588 00:25:23,166 --> 00:25:25,100 like it was trying to avoid getting cut 589 00:25:25,100 --> 00:25:27,100 by the swamp's sharp sawgrass. 590 00:25:27,100 --> 00:25:28,634 I'll aim to copy it exactly. 591 00:25:39,500 --> 00:25:42,467 The marsh's muddy waters are exhausting to run in, 592 00:25:42,467 --> 00:25:46,000 and I barely complete three quarters of the path seen in the original video 593 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:47,967 before I'm unable to continue. 594 00:25:47,967 --> 00:25:49,934 [breathing heavily] 595 00:25:52,066 --> 00:25:53,200 And just keep in mind. 596 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,767 When it happened, the water out here was even higher. 597 00:25:55,767 --> 00:25:58,333 And today, it's still, you know, difficult. 598 00:25:59,567 --> 00:26:00,867 [Heather] We compare the two videos 599 00:26:00,867 --> 00:26:03,000 and the results are not even close. 600 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:07,100 The figure covered the entire distance in 26 seconds. 601 00:26:07,100 --> 00:26:08,867 I've always been a pretty good athlete, 602 00:26:08,867 --> 00:26:10,867 but could only complete three quarters 603 00:26:10,867 --> 00:26:11,567 of the same distance 604 00:26:11,567 --> 00:26:15,000 in one minute and 23 seconds. 605 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,800 There's no way a human being can run that far, 606 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:21,300 that fast in this terrain. 607 00:26:21,300 --> 00:26:24,634 In my mind, all questions are put to bed. 608 00:26:26,100 --> 00:26:27,600 If we wanted to find the Skunk Ape, 609 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:29,367 what areas should we look in? 610 00:26:29,367 --> 00:26:31,000 What should we be looking for? 611 00:26:31,567 --> 00:26:33,100 This time of year, 612 00:26:33,100 --> 00:26:36,200 skunk apes tend to get back into swamps. 613 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:38,266 The water levels are falling, 614 00:26:38,266 --> 00:26:41,266 uh, the pond apples are, are starting to produce, 615 00:26:41,266 --> 00:26:43,500 which is a major food source. 616 00:26:43,500 --> 00:26:46,133 These would be the areas I would be looking. 617 00:26:47,767 --> 00:26:49,000 [Heather] David gives me a set of coordinates 618 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:50,800 he believes offers our best chance 619 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:52,667 at finding a Skunk Ape. 620 00:26:52,667 --> 00:26:55,100 A remote patch of land deep in the Florida marsh, 621 00:26:55,100 --> 00:26:57,367 surrounded by water and thick brush. 622 00:26:57,367 --> 00:27:01,367 David believes it provides the perfect ecosystem for this potential creature. 623 00:27:01,367 --> 00:27:03,300 It will be tough terrain to get to. 624 00:27:03,300 --> 00:27:06,233 So, I pick up Phil in a vehicle built for the task. 625 00:27:09,066 --> 00:27:09,834 [Phil] What is this thing? 626 00:27:11,367 --> 00:27:12,667 [Heather] This is a swamp buggy. 627 00:27:12,667 --> 00:27:15,066 They've been around for 100 years. 628 00:27:15,066 --> 00:27:17,567 They were specifically made for the Everglades 629 00:27:17,567 --> 00:27:20,166 as a way to transport people, 630 00:27:20,166 --> 00:27:22,734 and obviously to stay away from gators. 631 00:27:23,667 --> 00:27:25,233 [Phil] It's hauling. 632 00:27:30,500 --> 00:27:31,367 What is that? 633 00:27:31,367 --> 00:27:33,000 -[Phil] On that tree? -[Heather] Yeah. 634 00:27:33,266 --> 00:27:35,133 [Phil] Whoa, okay. 635 00:27:38,100 --> 00:27:40,233 What happened to this tree? 636 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:43,634 This is completely torn up by something. 637 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:45,000 [buzzing] 638 00:27:45,166 --> 00:27:46,700 Oh, [bleep]. 639 00:27:46,700 --> 00:27:48,266 Oh, geez, I just realized why. 640 00:27:48,266 --> 00:27:49,166 What? 641 00:27:49,166 --> 00:27:51,767 [grunts] I was just thinking. 642 00:27:51,767 --> 00:27:55,700 This looks like a tree that a bear tore up to get to honeybees. 643 00:27:56,767 --> 00:27:58,800 There's the honeybee hive right here. 644 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:03,100 I'm gonna try to document it before I get stung. 645 00:28:03,100 --> 00:28:04,100 [Heather] Yeah, you better hustle, Phil. 646 00:28:04,100 --> 00:28:05,634 Get ready, set. 647 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:07,767 -[camera shutter clicks] -[Phil] Got it. 648 00:28:08,367 --> 00:28:10,700 -Okay. Let's get outta here. -All right. 649 00:28:10,700 --> 00:28:11,567 [Phil] Whoo! 650 00:28:11,567 --> 00:28:13,100 Ooh, they're on to me. 651 00:28:13,100 --> 00:28:13,900 Oh, [bleep]. 652 00:28:13,900 --> 00:28:15,300 Let's get it going. Get it going. 653 00:28:15,300 --> 00:28:17,066 Go, go, go, go, go, go, go! 654 00:28:17,066 --> 00:28:18,400 [engine sputtering] 655 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:20,600 Go, go, go! Ah! 656 00:28:21,300 --> 00:28:22,433 -Go, go, go! -[engine revs] 657 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:27,900 [Phil] Go, go! 658 00:28:28,567 --> 00:28:31,667 Whoo! [sighs] 659 00:28:31,667 --> 00:28:33,100 Keep going, keep going, keep going. 660 00:28:33,100 --> 00:28:34,533 They're onto us, they're onto us. 661 00:28:36,100 --> 00:28:37,800 [sighs] I hear one buzzing. 662 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:38,567 Is it in my hair? 663 00:28:38,567 --> 00:28:39,800 -Yes. Yes. -Okay. 664 00:28:40,266 --> 00:28:42,100 -I got hit once. -[buzzing] 665 00:28:42,100 --> 00:28:42,867 [Heather] Oof. 666 00:28:42,867 --> 00:28:44,667 Even while getting stung by a bee, 667 00:28:44,667 --> 00:28:46,300 you still got the shot. 668 00:28:46,300 --> 00:28:48,700 [Phil] Anything for science, you know? 669 00:28:50,100 --> 00:28:52,100 We pushed deeper into the marsh, 670 00:28:52,100 --> 00:28:53,900 eventually reaching the coordinates 671 00:28:53,900 --> 00:28:55,500 David Shealy gave us. 672 00:29:01,367 --> 00:29:03,767 We park the swamp buggy and continue on foot 673 00:29:03,767 --> 00:29:06,000 to avoid alerting any creatures. 674 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:12,233 -[Phil] After you. -[Heather] Thank you, sir. 675 00:29:13,467 --> 00:29:14,367 [Phil] As the sun sets, 676 00:29:14,367 --> 00:29:16,867 we throw on our waders, grab our gear 677 00:29:16,867 --> 00:29:19,066 and continue on foot. 678 00:29:19,066 --> 00:29:20,600 [crickets chirping] 679 00:29:21,500 --> 00:29:25,000 [Heather] Gosh, that is a bright, full moon. 680 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:27,266 [Phil] You know what they say about skunk apes on a full moon? 681 00:29:27,266 --> 00:29:28,500 [Heather] What? 682 00:29:28,500 --> 00:29:30,767 -[Phil] That's when they're at their stinkiest. -Oh, Lord. 683 00:29:30,767 --> 00:29:32,700 [Phil] Wait till you get a sniff of what I got. 684 00:29:33,567 --> 00:29:35,834 -You ready for this? -[Heather] I'm not sure. 685 00:29:36,300 --> 00:29:38,033 [Phil] So... 686 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:40,667 Can you hold my jars? 687 00:29:40,667 --> 00:29:43,467 -I have... -[Heather] It's leaking. What is this? 688 00:29:43,467 --> 00:29:45,000 We have skunk, 689 00:29:45,467 --> 00:29:47,867 we have boar glands, 690 00:29:47,867 --> 00:29:50,800 and we have bear scent marks. 691 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:52,867 Are you trying to out skunk the Skunk Ape though? 692 00:29:52,867 --> 00:29:55,200 100% that's what I'm trying to do. 693 00:29:55,767 --> 00:29:58,266 So, my plan involves this. 694 00:29:58,266 --> 00:30:02,567 It is a laser guided slingshot. 695 00:30:02,567 --> 00:30:03,967 [Heather] Laser guided? 696 00:30:03,967 --> 00:30:05,867 [Phil] It was the only one they had in the store. 697 00:30:05,867 --> 00:30:07,467 Each of these wooden balls in here? 698 00:30:07,467 --> 00:30:10,333 -[Heather] Yeah? -I've been soaking it for about 48 hours. 699 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:12,467 I'm using the slingshot 700 00:30:12,467 --> 00:30:16,700 to launch animal scented objects in multiple directions. 701 00:30:16,700 --> 00:30:18,867 Different reactions can be triggered in primates 702 00:30:18,867 --> 00:30:21,000 by presenting them with different scents, 703 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:23,667 particularly if the scent arrives suddenly, 704 00:30:23,667 --> 00:30:27,000 like the slingshot will ensure. 705 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:28,200 I wanna see what's coming towards us. 706 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:29,700 -So, let me get my FLIR out. -[Phil] Okay. 707 00:30:31,767 --> 00:30:33,500 [Heather] You got that for me? Thank you. 708 00:30:36,900 --> 00:30:38,000 We are recording. 709 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:39,333 [Phil] Okay. 710 00:30:39,333 --> 00:30:41,667 Time to get out these stinky wooden balls. 711 00:30:41,667 --> 00:30:43,300 I'm gonna start with bear. 712 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:48,400 -Yeah, up close. Come on. -Ugh. 713 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:49,900 [clears throat] 714 00:30:50,567 --> 00:30:51,900 It is not pleasant. 715 00:30:54,467 --> 00:30:56,500 I'm guessing bear scent will trigger 716 00:30:56,500 --> 00:30:58,667 an aggressive behavior in apes. 717 00:30:58,667 --> 00:31:01,300 Let's see what response we get here. 718 00:31:01,300 --> 00:31:03,400 Looks like we got some good distance right there. 719 00:31:04,567 --> 00:31:07,600 Bear scent. Ready to launch. 720 00:31:12,100 --> 00:31:13,700 Okay, there's one. 721 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:17,467 Now we got skunk. 722 00:31:17,467 --> 00:31:18,667 [Heather] Oof. 723 00:31:18,667 --> 00:31:19,767 [Phil] If what we're tracking 724 00:31:19,767 --> 00:31:22,767 marks its territory with a scent similar to skunk, 725 00:31:22,767 --> 00:31:24,800 I'm hoping launching this skunk smell 726 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:27,867 will trigger a territorial response. 727 00:31:27,867 --> 00:31:28,934 Stink bomb away. 728 00:31:32,567 --> 00:31:34,333 [Heather] Nice. 729 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:36,400 [Phil softly] Okay. 730 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:37,934 And finally, wild boar. 731 00:31:39,767 --> 00:31:40,800 Uh-oh. 732 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:43,600 The idea here is four could serve two purposes. 733 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:45,000 One, could be prey item, 734 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:46,867 and two, boar eat about everything. 735 00:31:46,867 --> 00:31:49,667 So, definitely, it could be some competition. 736 00:31:49,667 --> 00:31:51,567 I'm gonna shoot this in a slightly different direction. 737 00:31:51,567 --> 00:31:53,700 -[Heather] Okay. -[Phil] Keep each one at space. 738 00:31:58,567 --> 00:32:00,700 [whispering] Okay, let's hunker down and just see what comes. 739 00:32:05,900 --> 00:32:07,300 [Heather] Nothing on the camera yet. 740 00:32:08,100 --> 00:32:09,700 [Phil speaking softly] Let's give it a second. 741 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:21,467 [twig snaps] 742 00:32:21,467 --> 00:32:22,734 [Phil] Ooh. 743 00:32:23,867 --> 00:32:25,433 That was a big branch falling down. 744 00:32:27,467 --> 00:32:28,867 [whispers] You shot a ball in that direction. 745 00:32:28,867 --> 00:32:29,700 [thwack] 746 00:32:32,567 --> 00:32:35,000 [whispers] 747 00:32:42,567 --> 00:32:43,400 Oh, my God. 748 00:32:44,500 --> 00:32:45,467 [thwack] 749 00:32:45,467 --> 00:32:46,734 [Phil whispering] 750 00:32:49,300 --> 00:32:51,300 Can you see it? Up in the trees, up there? 751 00:32:52,967 --> 00:32:54,300 Lower, a little bit lower. 752 00:32:56,266 --> 00:32:57,333 [thwack] 753 00:32:57,333 --> 00:32:59,567 -[gasps] -There, again. That sounds like a knock. 754 00:32:59,567 --> 00:33:00,634 Like, it's just, 755 00:33:00,634 --> 00:33:02,867 someone just banging a stick against something. 756 00:33:02,867 --> 00:33:03,900 [Heather] Oh, my gosh. 757 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:09,000 [Phil speaking] 758 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:12,867 I can't see anything past 40 feet on this. 759 00:33:12,867 --> 00:33:15,300 'Cause it's so thick and heavy, this brush. 760 00:33:15,300 --> 00:33:16,467 [Phil] Yeah. 761 00:33:16,467 --> 00:33:19,467 I think you need to put the thermal drone up in the air. 762 00:33:19,467 --> 00:33:21,533 -Okay. I'll get it out. -Okay. 763 00:33:24,467 --> 00:33:27,266 [beeping] 764 00:33:27,266 --> 00:33:29,467 Right, you hold that. 765 00:33:29,467 --> 00:33:31,266 Looks like we have a little break in the canopy right here. 766 00:33:31,266 --> 00:33:33,333 -So, you wanna stand underneath that. -Yeah. 767 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:35,667 -[Phil] You ready? -[Heather] Yeah. 768 00:33:35,667 --> 00:33:38,000 In three, two, one. 769 00:33:38,567 --> 00:33:40,033 [drone whirrs] 770 00:33:48,567 --> 00:33:50,867 -At least we know that we're lighting up. -[Heather] Yeah. 771 00:33:50,867 --> 00:33:52,667 We're definitely showing up on there. 772 00:33:52,667 --> 00:33:53,700 [Phil] I'm gonna push to the direction 773 00:33:53,700 --> 00:33:55,000 of what we just heard. 774 00:33:59,100 --> 00:34:02,200 That just looks like treetops. 775 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:03,033 [Heather] I don't see anything. 776 00:34:06,066 --> 00:34:07,700 [Phil] Swing back around a little bit. 777 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:09,934 Let's keep pushing. 778 00:34:12,467 --> 00:34:14,734 [Heather] Look. What is that? 779 00:34:15,700 --> 00:34:17,233 [Phil] It's another hot spot right there. 780 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:22,800 -It's moving. It's moving. -[Heather gasps] 781 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:24,367 Oh, my God. 782 00:34:30,367 --> 00:34:33,867 Heather and Phil's search for the Skunk Ape was almost illegal. 783 00:34:33,867 --> 00:34:35,567 It all starts in 1974, 784 00:34:35,567 --> 00:34:38,300 when Palm Beach County deputies report shooting 785 00:34:38,300 --> 00:34:41,867 at a monstrous, ape-like creature that gets away. 786 00:34:41,867 --> 00:34:45,700 It seems this story then opened some very swampy floodgates. 787 00:34:45,700 --> 00:34:47,400 The police were suddenly inundated 788 00:34:47,400 --> 00:34:50,266 with claims of a giant, red furred ape 789 00:34:50,266 --> 00:34:53,100 breaking into homes, feeding on livestock, 790 00:34:53,100 --> 00:34:55,700 and even stalking people. 791 00:34:55,700 --> 00:34:57,300 Locals became so enraged, 792 00:34:57,300 --> 00:34:59,400 that posses formed to start stalking 793 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:01,567 this so called monster back. 794 00:35:01,567 --> 00:35:02,667 Concern for the Skunk Ape 795 00:35:02,667 --> 00:35:04,700 ultimately reached such a peak, 796 00:35:04,700 --> 00:35:06,266 that in 1977, 797 00:35:06,266 --> 00:35:09,066 Florida State representative Hugh Paul Nuckolls 798 00:35:09,066 --> 00:35:13,567 proposed a bill to make it illegal to possess, harm or molest 799 00:35:13,567 --> 00:35:15,100 any humanoid animal 800 00:35:15,100 --> 00:35:17,400 popularly known as the Skunk Ape. 801 00:35:20,367 --> 00:35:21,667 The bill never became law, 802 00:35:21,667 --> 00:35:24,000 but if there are any skunk apes out there, 803 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:27,300 you clearly had a friend in representative Nuckolls. 804 00:35:33,700 --> 00:35:34,600 [Phil] Let's follow it. 805 00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:36,166 Maybe we can get signs of whatever it is. 806 00:35:36,166 --> 00:35:37,300 Okay. 807 00:35:39,867 --> 00:35:40,900 [Phil] It's going quick. 808 00:35:41,500 --> 00:35:42,700 [Heather] I'm right behind you. 809 00:35:46,166 --> 00:35:48,066 [Phil] It's still going. It's still going. 810 00:35:48,066 --> 00:35:49,000 [Heather] It's moving fast. 811 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:50,700 [Phil] Keep going, keep going, keep going. 812 00:35:50,700 --> 00:35:52,500 Okay, we're getting close. We're getting close. 813 00:35:53,467 --> 00:35:55,500 I'm gonna keep the drone following. 814 00:35:59,100 --> 00:36:00,533 [whispering] Stop right here. Stop right here. 815 00:36:04,166 --> 00:36:05,133 Hang on. 816 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:08,767 I'm not seeing it right now. 817 00:36:08,767 --> 00:36:09,900 It was right over here. 818 00:36:12,066 --> 00:36:14,200 I don't get it, it just disappeared. 819 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:15,333 [Heather] Yeah, it's gone. 820 00:36:16,767 --> 00:36:17,634 That thing was moving. 821 00:36:17,634 --> 00:36:19,133 [Phil whispers] I think it was moving. 822 00:36:20,066 --> 00:36:21,467 I cannot find it. 823 00:36:21,467 --> 00:36:24,867 We don't know where it is, but we know where it's been. 824 00:36:24,867 --> 00:36:27,066 We can backtrack along this path, 825 00:36:27,066 --> 00:36:28,500 the exact same way that it came 826 00:36:28,500 --> 00:36:30,300 and we can try to find evidence of it. 827 00:36:30,300 --> 00:36:31,767 Should we spread out a little bit? 828 00:36:31,767 --> 00:36:33,367 I think that's our best chance. 829 00:36:33,367 --> 00:36:35,400 Why don't you start on that side of it's trail, 830 00:36:35,667 --> 00:36:36,667 move slowly, 831 00:36:36,667 --> 00:36:38,767 and I'm gonna find a place to land this drone. 832 00:36:38,767 --> 00:36:40,433 But let's stay within shouting distance. 833 00:36:50,266 --> 00:36:52,700 It's gonna be tough to find any traces of it. 834 00:36:55,800 --> 00:36:57,900 I'm getting this feeling where he could be right above us 835 00:36:58,266 --> 00:36:59,500 at any moment. 836 00:37:04,166 --> 00:37:07,000 [Heather] What is that? 837 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:09,400 Look at those ferns lying on the ground like that. 838 00:37:10,700 --> 00:37:12,066 Phil, come here. 839 00:37:12,066 --> 00:37:13,066 You got something? 840 00:37:13,066 --> 00:37:15,100 [Heather] I think I've got a nest. 841 00:37:15,100 --> 00:37:16,200 [Phil] Up in a tree? 842 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:17,433 [Heather] No, on the ground. 843 00:37:19,667 --> 00:37:20,934 -This? -[Heather] Yeah. 844 00:37:21,667 --> 00:37:22,834 [Phil] Whoa! 845 00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:26,400 Okay. Okay. 846 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:28,767 I mean, look at this indent right here. 847 00:37:28,767 --> 00:37:31,500 Something has spent a lot of time on the ground. 848 00:37:32,567 --> 00:37:35,233 Well, my first instinct is I gotta wonder. 849 00:37:36,200 --> 00:37:38,033 Could this just be a hunter's blind? 850 00:37:38,767 --> 00:37:40,467 They would be really well camouflaged. 851 00:37:40,467 --> 00:37:42,166 I almost walked right by this thing. 852 00:37:42,166 --> 00:37:44,066 [Heather] I mean, in the path we took, 853 00:37:44,066 --> 00:37:45,767 we are in the middle of nowhere. 854 00:37:45,767 --> 00:37:47,433 Think about what we did to get out here. 855 00:37:47,967 --> 00:37:49,233 Wait, wait, wait. [sniffs] 856 00:37:50,667 --> 00:37:51,600 Ugh. 857 00:37:51,800 --> 00:37:52,967 Oh! 858 00:37:53,367 --> 00:37:54,700 -[Heather] That is awful. -That is ripe. 859 00:37:55,467 --> 00:37:57,367 But that just came on all of a sudden. 860 00:37:57,367 --> 00:37:58,333 What does that mean? 861 00:38:00,100 --> 00:38:01,533 [Phil whispers] I don't know what that means. 862 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:10,000 That was not a nice smell. 863 00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:11,834 I'm gonna get some photos of this thing. 864 00:38:23,500 --> 00:38:25,500 -Oh, Heather. -[Heather] What do you have? 865 00:38:25,500 --> 00:38:28,266 -[Phil] I found hairs. -[Heather gasps] No. 866 00:38:28,266 --> 00:38:29,133 [Phil] Yes. 867 00:38:30,367 --> 00:38:32,800 Look at this right-- Oh. 868 00:38:33,166 --> 00:38:34,834 Holy [bleep]. 869 00:38:35,700 --> 00:38:38,467 It's like that damn thing is booby trapped. 870 00:38:38,467 --> 00:38:41,734 It really did just fall right when you picked that up. 871 00:38:42,100 --> 00:38:43,567 [Phil] Okay. 872 00:38:43,567 --> 00:38:45,000 But at least we got the hairs. 873 00:38:45,967 --> 00:38:48,367 Okay, I'm gonna bag these. 874 00:38:48,367 --> 00:38:49,567 Actually, can you come here? Can you help me? 875 00:38:49,567 --> 00:38:51,166 -[Heather] Yeah. -[Phil] Hold this. 876 00:38:51,166 --> 00:38:52,233 [Heather softly] Okay. 877 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:57,433 [Phil] Okay. Got a bag right here. 878 00:38:58,066 --> 00:38:59,300 That is so weird. 879 00:39:00,367 --> 00:39:01,400 Okay. 880 00:39:01,800 --> 00:39:02,734 Well... 881 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:04,934 Figure out what this was, 882 00:39:04,934 --> 00:39:08,500 whether it was a person, or something else. 883 00:39:12,166 --> 00:39:14,266 [Josh] My team braved the Florida Everglades, 884 00:39:14,266 --> 00:39:18,000 investigating the potent legend of the Skunk Ape. 885 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:22,100 We sent the hairs Phil gathered for DNA analysis. 886 00:39:22,100 --> 00:39:24,266 And while it wasn't an ideal sample, 887 00:39:24,266 --> 00:39:27,400 they said it was most likely a match for human. 888 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:29,000 Phil counts that as a win. 889 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:30,033 But Heather argues that 890 00:39:30,033 --> 00:39:32,767 this doesn't necessarily rule out the Skunk Ape. 891 00:39:32,767 --> 00:39:38,200 Because human and ape DNA match by a staggering 98.8%. 892 00:39:38,200 --> 00:39:40,266 -This wasn't the only intriguing evidence... -[Whiskey barks] 893 00:39:40,266 --> 00:39:41,467 [Josh] ...my team uncovered. 894 00:39:41,467 --> 00:39:42,367 [Phil] I think he's got something. 895 00:39:42,367 --> 00:39:44,166 [Josh] Images of these so called nests 896 00:39:44,166 --> 00:39:46,667 discovered by our four-legged friend Whiskey, 897 00:39:46,667 --> 00:39:49,000 were analyzed by wildlife experts. 898 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:50,300 [man] This is crazy. 899 00:39:50,300 --> 00:39:53,867 [Josh] They confirmed it was not constructed by a large bird. 900 00:39:53,867 --> 00:39:56,867 And just like our expert from the Naples Zoo indicated, 901 00:39:56,867 --> 00:39:58,967 fascinatingly, it does appear similar 902 00:39:58,967 --> 00:40:02,100 to nests constructed by large primates. 903 00:40:02,100 --> 00:40:04,867 That does look like something a great ape could do. 904 00:40:04,867 --> 00:40:06,567 [Josh] However, analysis of the video 905 00:40:06,567 --> 00:40:09,300 of the supposed cryptid crossing the swamp 906 00:40:09,300 --> 00:40:11,800 alongside Heather's expert reenactment 907 00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:13,467 was inconclusive. 908 00:40:13,467 --> 00:40:16,300 Although the figure moves much faster than Heather, 909 00:40:16,300 --> 00:40:17,800 under detailed analysis, 910 00:40:17,800 --> 00:40:21,100 its gait does appear distinctly human. 911 00:40:21,100 --> 00:40:23,900 Far from this being a super speeding cryptid, 912 00:40:23,900 --> 00:40:26,867 this really could just be a person in a suit. 913 00:40:26,867 --> 00:40:29,967 And Heather may simply need to work on her cardio. 914 00:40:29,967 --> 00:40:32,100 [Heather] I'm exhausted. 915 00:40:32,100 --> 00:40:36,066 [Josh] It's our final video evidence that is the most remarkable. 916 00:40:36,066 --> 00:40:39,066 The heat seeking drone clearly shows Phil and Heather 917 00:40:39,066 --> 00:40:42,400 on the trail of a very fast bipedal figure. 918 00:40:43,066 --> 00:40:43,767 [Heather] It's moving fast. 919 00:40:43,767 --> 00:40:45,133 [Phil] Keep going, keep going. 920 00:40:45,133 --> 00:40:48,467 [Josh] We estimated they tracked it for about 400 meters. 921 00:40:48,467 --> 00:40:52,100 After analyzing the exact route and speed of this figure, 922 00:40:52,100 --> 00:40:54,567 we determined it cleared 400 meters 923 00:40:54,567 --> 00:40:56,900 in around 40 seconds. 924 00:40:56,900 --> 00:40:58,367 The fastest track athletes 925 00:40:58,367 --> 00:41:01,700 can travel 400 meters in about 43 seconds. 926 00:41:01,700 --> 00:41:04,066 But crucially, that is on flat ground. 927 00:41:04,066 --> 00:41:05,767 Not sodden swamp. 928 00:41:05,767 --> 00:41:07,166 Which begs the question. 929 00:41:07,166 --> 00:41:10,867 If this fast bipedal figure is not likely human, 930 00:41:10,867 --> 00:41:12,400 what is it? 931 00:41:12,400 --> 00:41:15,266 While we certainly haven't found definitive proof, 932 00:41:15,266 --> 00:41:16,867 it does seem there's enough evidence 933 00:41:16,867 --> 00:41:20,100 to ensure the Skunk Ape will be a part of Florida lore 934 00:41:20,100 --> 00:41:21,600 for years to come, 935 00:41:22,467 --> 00:41:27,000 casting a long shadow and an even longer stench.