A good urban legend, when told properly, can really shake someone up. In Florida, there’s no shortage of urban legends. Some of these tales have been passed down from generation to generation, while others are solidified in state history. Take the legend of the Skunk Ape for instance, which still can send chills down someone’s spine, especially if you’ve seen it for yourself.

Anyone who’s lived in Florida has probably at some point heard about the legend of the Skunk Ape.
Flickr Richard Elzey
In fact, the Florida Skunk Ape goes by many names - the Swamp Cabbage Man, the Stink Ape, and the Myakka Skunk Ape to name a few.
Flickr Richard Elzey
Similar to Bigfoot or the Yeti, the Skunk Ape is considered by many to just be a figment of one’s imagination - but not to the people who have seen it with their own eyes.
Flickr Jenni Konrad
Dave Shealy, who has been described as the “Jane Goodall of the Florida Everglades” insists that there are between seven and nine Skunk Apes currently living in the Everglades area.
Flickr Animal People forum

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Shealy, who runs the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters, first spotted a Skunk Ape at the age of 10 and dedicated his life to searching for and documenting these creatures.
Google Skunk Ape Headquarters
These swamp creatures are said to have an unusual odor permeating from their bodies, which some say smells like skunk or rotten garbage.
Flickr Richard Elzey
The average Skunk Ape is between five to six feet in height with a weight between 250 and 450 pounds depending on gender. Reddish or black hair is said to cover the entire body of the Skunk Ape, similar to that of a gorilla, and they stand upright on two legs.
Flickr Kevin Baird
With thousands of Bigfoot sightings every year, the Skunk Ape seems to be a bit more elusive, but that doesn’t mean that a creature like this can’t exist in the wild…right?
Flickr Michael Lusk

Have you ever heard the legend of the Skunk Ape before? Share with us your thoughts in the comments section! Or if you want to know more about the Skunk Ape, we suggest visiting the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters in Ochopee, Florida.

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Featured Addresses
Skunk Ape Headquarters, 40904 Tamiami Trail E, Ochopee, FL 34141, USA