Sasquatch Chronicles Blog

Tim Sermons and Bob Truskowski are in the process of writing a book and they sent me a rough draft to review. This is a small snip-it discussing the Sasquatch and their diet:

“The only way to know for sure about any animal’s diet and eating habits is to observe them in their environment over a long period of time. There are many factors involved in this process.  Probably the most important factor is the changing seasons and the foods that are available at any given time.

To the best of my knowledge Sasquatch has never been studied in this manner, however many sightings include Sasquatch being observed hunting, gathering and eating a variety of plants and animals. The most common reports include deer, hogs and fruits like berries or nuts. There has also been some reports that have them eating horse feed from barns, dog food from porches and in the southern states sightings came up with alligators in their diet. I would think it is safe to assume these items are probably a big part of their diet and obviously regional.

Assumptions have a place in science but they are usually only used to formulate theories. In order to conduct proper research we must be able to apply known facts to any theory to tip the scale.
Let’s start with what we know.

Sasquatch looks a lot like a human.
-They have been observed eating many food items that appeal to man and even some that are not so appealing.
-They hunt animals and gather fruits, vegetables and nuts.
-They are known to be opportunistic, as they have been seen removing dead or wounded animals like deer off our roads and highways.
-Many eye witness reports have domesticated animals such as cats, dogs and smaller farm animals like chickens being taken by Sasquatch.
-From these facts we can demonstrate the hypothesis – “Sasquatch’s diet is very similar to that of humans”.

Without actually having a Sasquatch corpse to analyze, it will be impossible to completely prove any theory about their dietary needs. Therefore we must once again look for clues in other places. Man’s diet is obvious and we don’t need to review what we as humans need to survive. While conducting my research for this article I was surprised to learn that a grizzly bears digestive system closely resembles the digestive system of a human. Since a wild animal probably more closely matches dietary needs of Sasquatch. I will use this as a guide for comparison.

Grizzly bears are found in a variety of habitats, from dense forests, to subalpine meadows and arctic tundra. In North America, grizzly bears are found in western Canada, Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Washington. Historically, they could be found from Alaska to Mexico, California to Ohio. The grizzly bear was once common on the Great Plains. However, human encroachment has forced the remaining brown bear populations to move to rugged mountains and remote forests that are undisturbed by humans. I am sure this same encroachment has affected the Sasquatch population too. When the known habitats of grizzly’s is compared or over laid on a map of Sasquatch sightings it is obvious that both animals live in the same kinds of habitat, However Sasquatch sightings are not limited to the same areas. The flat grassy plain of the United States appears to be about the only place Sasquatch doesn’t frequently habituate.

Although grizzlies are of the order carnivora and have the digestive system of carnivores, they are actually omnivores, since their diet consists of both plants and animals. They have been known to prey on large mammals when available, such as moose, deer, sheep, elk, bison and caribou. Grizzly bears feed on fish such as salmon, trout and bass and those with access to a more protein-enriched diet in coastal areas potentially grow larger than interior dwelling individuals.

Bears have a simple intestinal tract, of which the colon is the primary site of fermentation. They have a long gut for digesting grass, but do not digest starches well. Their small intestine is longer than that of the true carnivores, and the digestive tract lacks the features of the true herbivores.

Plants make up approximately 80%–90% of a grizzly bears’ diet. Various berries make up a large portion of this. These can include blueberries, blackberries, salmon berries, cranberries and huckleberries, depending on the environment. Insects such as maggots, ants and bees are also eaten, but only if they are available in large quantities. At low quantities, the energy gained is not worth the foraging energy output. When food is abundant, grizzly bears will feed in groups, foraging together. For example, many grizzly bears will visit meadows right after there has been an avalanche or glacier slide. This is due to an influx of legumes, such as Hedysarum, (sweet vetch) which the grizzlies consume in massive amounts. When food sources become scarcer however, they separate once again.

The barrel-shaped body of a bear is considered an indication of a long intestine. Sasquatch has an elongated torso also. In a side by side comparison Sasquatch appears as though the gut area is approximately 1/3 larger than a man. The small intestine in human adults is a long and narrow tube about 7 meters (23 feet) long. The large intestine is so called because it is wide in diameter. However, it is shorter than the small intestine – only about 1.5 meters (5 feet) long.  The length of the entire human intestine can range from 7.5 to 8.5 meters (25 to 28 feet). A 30% increase would mean Sasquatches intestines are approximately 32.5 to 36.4 feet.
There are several advantages associated with having a longer digestive system. The most obvious benefit would be the food stays in the body for a longer period of time. Longer digestive time gives the body more opportunity to absorb what was ingested, vitamins and minerals. It also gives the body more time to deal with any toxins that may be present, meaning they probably can eat some things that would sicken or potentially kill a man.

Example: Sasquatch has reportedly been observed picking and eating black berries on occasions, however they have also been seen stripping the vines and eating handfuls of the leaves. Eating the leaves of this kind of plants would be toxic to humans. Why would a Sasquatch do this? – Because he can! Remember plants make up about 80% to 90% of the grizzlies diet and it is not hard to believe Sasquatch’s diet is similar. They both are approximately the same size and weight.  Both live in the same kind of environment and they both are omnivores.

The remainder of Sasquatch’s diet would include proteins like meat. Deer and hogs seem to be the most widely reported animals seen being hunted by Sasquatch. In many cases carcasses of these animals have been found with the chest and belly areas ripped or torn open. When examined the only thing missing is the liver and sometimes the heart. Both of these organs would be good sources of proteins, minerals and vitamins.

The liver would provide nearly everything to satisfy a large omnivores needs. Liver is an excellent, very concentrated source of high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals. It can be used in the prevention and treatment of a variety of nutrient deficiency illnesses.

However, liver is also a concentrated source of cholesterol. Four ounces of liver contain about 400 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol, exceeding the recommended daily limit for humans, set by the American Heart Association by 33 percent.

With this in mind, a careful balance between the nutritional benefits and drawbacks of liver can be maintained. If you plan the amount and frequency eaten, liver can add significant quantities of important nutrients to the diet without dangerous consequences. Ounce for ounce, liver offers the greatest amount of protein. Four ounces of raw liver provides more than 22 grams of protein. Because the protein is of animal origin, liver contains all the amino acids essential to health.

Liver provides the most concentrated amount of vitamin A of all food sources. It is considered an efficient aid in vitamin A deficiency. The current Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin A is 800-1,000 micrograms (mcg) for adults. A 3 1/2-ounce serving of liver provides 18,000 mcg of vitamin A. Vitamin A is very crucial in developing and sustaining good night vision.

Liver has long been a part of the treatment for pernicious anemia because it is a rich source of heme iron (the organic iron in animal foods). This type of iron is five times more easily absorbed than non-heme iron. Liver is a good source of the mineral phosphorus. A diet which includes large quantities of liver also should include added calcium since high phosphorus intake can create a deficiency of calcium. One of the few natural sources of vitamin D, liver is also an excellent source of all the B vitamins (particularly B12), copper and vitamin C, including trace minerals.

Liver is extremely perishable and should be eaten as soon as possible. I believe this why deer are found with only the liver missing. The liver and or heart were consumed immediately after it was removed from the animal. The nutritional value of the heart is very similar to liver and has a lot of the same vitamins and minerals. Hearts are high in iron, niacin, phosphorus, riboflavin, selenium vitamin B12 and zinc.

It is easy to understand why deer and other animals are found with these two organs missing. On top of a diet that is mostly vegetation, these organs would provide nearly everything needed to maintain a well balanced diet. As far as the rest of a deer carcass goes it would probably be not worth the effort to pick at the relatively small amounts of remaining flesh. It would take too much energy for the Sasquatch to sit there and separate the meat from the bones. This doesn’t necessarily mean the remainder of the carcass goes to waist though. I am aware of a location in Central Texas where many complete deer skeletons have been found intact and the bones were clean and white. The key word here is intact. If scavengers like coyotes, buzzards or rodents were responsible, the bones would be scattered very quickly.

I theorize that in some cases the carcass is being cared for and flies are allowed to lay eggs. Maggots would quickly hatch out and begin feeding on the remaining rotting meat. In large quantities maggots would be very high in protein (4 times more than the deer meat) and be easy to harvest. Maggot and grub farming is known to be used as a food source in some tribes in Africa and Australia.

Like the grizzly, the size and overall health of any individual will be determined by the quality of the available protein being consumed. Grizzly’s that eat the protein rich salmon from the west coast get larger than the interior grizzly’s. I believe this could be part of the reason for the size differences we see in Sasquatch. The environment any individual lives in will be a contributing factor also.

By comparing a known animal (grizzly) that has nearly an identical digestive system as man and is approximately the same size, weight and lives in the same environment as a Sasquatch, We can safely answer the question: What does Sasquatch eat? Sasquatch eats what the grizzly eats and probably eats what the Native Americans have eaten in the past and more.”