While most scientists agree that Gigantopithecus died out long ago, some people – Bigfoot, Sasquatch and Yeti enthusiasts in particular – believe that this ape is the source of tales of giant and hairy beasts roaming the woods.
The Gigantopithecus blackii lived about 3-10,00,000 years ago.
Accidental Discovery
The quest started in 1935 when G. H. Von Koenigswald, a paleontologist, found an old, yellow molar in a Hong Kong shop. Rink used a dating method called electron spin resonance to determine the age. The ape was a plant eater.
Were humans responsible for its extinction?
Rink says human used bamboo only in limited amounts and may not have hunted the ape.
The Big Foot Riddle
Some scientists say that Gigantopithecus blackii resembles the legend – Bigfoot of the Yeti. ‘I can’t disagree with that statement,’ said Rink, who cautioned that the stories come from various regions and climate zones from around the world. The primate’s territory would have been limited by his food source.