Amazon's Yeti
© Florence Cardinal
He's nearly seven feet tall, covered in red hair and emits an odor that makes you gasp for breath as your stomach clenches. No, this is not the legendary Sasquatch. This beast roams the Amazon Rain Forests and is just as elusive as are other members of the Bigfoot family - the Sasquatch, the Abominable Snowman, the Yeti.
The Brazilian Natives call him "Mapinguari", meaning defender of the forest. He is rarely seen and never photographed. But many people swear he does exist.
Those who have knowledge of the beast say he issues a blood curdling scream and hates water. Although Mapinguari is hard to find, rumor has it that there are dozens of the creatures haunting the mysterious venues of the Amazon Rain Forests, hiding beneath the giant canopies of leaves and screened by a web of twisted vines.
What are these Defenders of the Forests? Are they some unknown or undiscovered species? Perhaps the remnants of a long-extinct prehistoric beast?
One theory suggests that these are the last remaining giant ground sloths called Mylodon, and said to have become extinct some 10,000 years ago. These creatures did grow to over six feet in length. Another theory says they are some unknown species of giant anteater.
Ornitholigist and scientist David Oren believes in the Mapinguari. He has talked to many people who claim to either have seen or have personal knowledge of Mapinguari. Using mostly his own money and risking his life and reputation, he has launched several expeditions to search for the creature. So far, he has been unsuccessful, but should he ever succeed in proving this animal does exist, it would be the discovery of the century.
Does the Mapinguari really exist? It's a topic open to speculation. The Yeti or abominable snowman of the Himalayas is another such creature with sightings reported for many years, and still not proven to exist.
Bigfoot is said to have harassed campers and residents of many isolated regions of the United States but, again, except for a few indistinct photographs and castings of giant footprints that may or may not be real, again, no real evidence for Bigfoot's existence has appeared.
In Canada, sightings of the Sasquatch have been plentiful, again without proof. These creatures are reported in many places - Florida has a Bigfoot- like Skunk Ape, Florida the Splintercat, Malaysia claims sightings of a giant hairy ape, Indonesia's Bigfoot is called Orang Kubu, China has a Wildman,
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