Is a Skunk Ape (Bigfoot's Relative) Loose in Campbell County (TN)?

WATE-TV/DT Knoxville ^ | 10.30.03 | VINCE LENNON

[mhking]

CAMPBELL COUNTY (WATE) -- A new theory emerged Wednesday as a crypto-zoologist weighed in on sightings of a possible primate in Campbell County.

A Crypto-zoologist, someone who studies uncataloged animals such as skunk apes, accompanied a 6 News crew in Campbell County Wednesday.

Myakka "skunk apes" have been spotted in the southeastern United States since the 1940's.

Local crypto-zoologist Chris Dotson contacted 6 News after seeing the stories on Campbell County primate sightings. "The animal people reported seeing is not a pet."

Dotson took the skunk ape photographs Wednesday to people who've claimed to have seen the primate in the LaFollette area. Dotson's convinced that what people are seeing is a skunk ape.

"We need to capture this thing the best we can," Dotson said. "People need to stay away from it, allow experts to come in who have some knowledge of large primates like this and trap this animal."

Monkey owner Jerome Love answered a summons at the Campbell County Sheriff's Department with his Macaque monkey "Mugway." Love wanted to prove it's not his animal that's loose. "If it's a monkey that's killing these cats, it's not this one and I'm tired of it."

6 News is hearing more accounts from Campbell County residents who say they've seen the creature. Some date back 35 years. However, many people are hesitant to talk, for fear of being labeled as crazy.

In all, six cats and one dog have been killed in the last three days. And there have been a number of sightings within the last 48 hours. The warning still stands though for people not to try approaching the animal, but to report it to local authorities.

Crypto-zoologists believe there could be hundreds of skunk apes across the Southeast.

[drhogan]

workers in the new york subway system have seen skunk apes the size of horses. kids get them as pets and the parents flush them down the toilet when the skunk apes start to smell bad. they wander around down in the sewers and the subways. THIS IS WELL DOUCMENTED!!!

[drhogan]

IN NEW YORK, people's pet skunk apes have been killed: 6 of them in the last 2 weeks. I wanna know: what kind of horrid creature could be killing the skunk apes of new york????

[Pro-Bush]

[drhogan]

Senator Clinton of New York was asked what she is planning to do to end the massacre of pet skunk apes in New York. she replied: "President Bush is responsible, at least indirectly, for the trajedy that has hit the skunk apes of new york. i have sponsored a bill in the senate that will declare the skunk ape an endangered species, and which will provide funding for all skunk ape advocates. after all, if it takes a village to raise a child, what does it take to raise a skunk ape?"

[Long Cut]

Crypto-zoologists believe there could be hundreds of skunk apes across the Southeast..."

Yep, and they've been "seen" since the 1940's...

Yet, we have no trace, no fur, no scat, no carcasses or skeletons, no clear video or photos, NOTHING which even approaches verifiable, scientific proof.

"Bigfoot" himself has provided none of these things. Even the famous footprints have been proven to be a hoax.

Why people continue to believe this nonsense after so many years of naught but legends is beyond me.

[fire_eye]

workers in the new york subway system have seen skunk apes the size of horses. kids get them as pets and the parents flush them down the toilet when the skunk apes start to smell bad. they wander around down in the sewers and the subways.

well, at least *one* of them managed to learn to wear a suit and is now a Senator from New York...

[GailA]

My Dad, brother, and several aunts live in LaFollette.