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Scientists have found traces of giant orangutan relatives in Indonesia. PHOTO/IST
READ ALSO – Scientists reveal tracks of King Kong-sized orangutans in Indonesia
The monkey species called in Latin Gigantopithecus blacki is estimated to reach three to five meters and a body weight of 600 kilograms.
“This species is a distant cousin (of the orangutan). This means that the closest living relative of this species is the orangutan, rather than other great apes, such as gorillas, chimpanzees or humans,” said Dr. Frido Welker of the University of Copenhagen as reported by the BBC.
This primate bears a resemblance to Bigfoot in the United States and the yeti or metoh kangmi, a tall, hairy, primate-like creature whose existence is disputed.
Regular sightings have kept the popular legend alive, but now the story is being told from an indigenous perspective.
The change was driven by public interest in the idea of Sasquatch which is rooted in spirituality and symbolism, not sensationalism.
The creature is held sacred to the indigenous First Nations people of the West Coast, especially the Sts’ailes (sta-hay-lis), who have lived in the Harrison River Valley for at least 10,000 years.
To satisfy a growing curiosity, Harrison Hot Springs opened a Sasquatch Museum within its visitor center in 2017.
(wbs)