Nape Footprint?

Zack Clothier's reconstruction of the the so-called "nape" footprint - aka "North American ape footprint."

The footprint was allegedly discovered in a side branch (a dry creek bed) of the Steven's Creek, near Decatur, Illinois and was cast by Loren Coleman in 1962 allegedly of a North American ape aka "nape" ....a word generally consigned to Coleman to mean 'North American ape.'

North America has no fossil record of indigenous apes. There may be feral apes (escapees from enclosures or from hurricanes) but these would NOT be related to the sasquatch-like creature.

I am convinced this cast should be filed under hoaxes, - - the big toe appears to be a human thumb print....

There is no toe extension on this cast and no obvious dermal ridges consistent with an unknown primate. No measurements were given. It would have been interesting to have had some perspective on this track from professional trackers or the anthropology dept at Stony Brook; nothing has been forthcoming.

If this cast were authentic and "Napes" really existed, this type of track or something like it would be known to forensic primate print expert Jimmy Chilcutt in Conroe, Texas latent print expert for the Conroe Police Dept or perhaps Dr.'s Grover S. Krantz, University of Washington at Pullman.

We have no history, no fossil record of apes or anything scientifically named "napes" in the United States and Canada... Google lists 'napes' but in another context, not North American apes - therefore one must regard anything labeled 'nape print' or 'nape' as the invention of the author who cast them, in this case Loren Coleman or perhaps Mark A. Hall. The cast, by the way, is of a human foot, not a Sasquatch foot and it is believed by many that it is the imprint of Coleman's own foot with the big toe (hallux) removed and his thumb inserted.

Conclusion: The photo is NOT a genuine track; Coleman fooled nobody with this laughble presentation.

1997, updated 2002

Back to what's new?
Back to Articles?
Back to Hoaxes?
Back to Videos, Images
MAIN