Some say it lurks in the steamy, gloppy muck near the Myakka River. It’s big, they say. Hairy, too. And it stinks to high heaven. Count Myakka City resident Mike Falconer among those who are convinced that Sarasota and Manatee counties are home to one of the fiercest — most pungent — figures in Florida folklore: the skunk ape.
More than a dozen skunk ape sightings were reported here between the 1960s and 1980s, prompting a state legislator to sponsor a bill to protect the animal. Even though scientists and wildlife experts long ago concluded that the skunk ape was a figment of human imagination, the legend refuses to die — and thanks to the Web, the mysterious creature may be getting more attention than ever.
Falconer’s video purporting to show a skunk ape roaming through Myakka River State Park has garnered nearly 110,000 views on YouTube. Bigfoot experts came to his door from across the country seeking clues.
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