A vexing obstacle in the search for sasquatch has been the inability to successfully extract and sequence DNA from hair samples attributed to sasquatch on the basis of their distinctive morphology. Recent headlines have expounded the discovery of DNA of the enigmatic Denisovan hominins using environmental DNA (eDNA) survey methods, despite the lack of any physical or trace evidence of Denisovans occupying the cave. The potential for application of eDNA methods to the sasquatch question is obvious.The key to successful results is identifying the appropriate sample site. Recently, members of the Olympic Project, a group of citizen scientist investigators in Washington state, became aware of multiple ground nests of distinctive construction, yielding hairs of an unknown hominoid. Expert opinion is that these unusual nest were not made by bears. This seemed to be an ideal situation for an eDNA survey.

My name is Dr. Jeff Meldrum. I am a professor of anatomy and anthropology at Idaho State University and have considered the question of sasquatch from various angles for over two decades. I was invited by Derek Randles, of the Olympic Project, to visit the site and examine the nests, their location, concentration, and construction. I was stunned. The nests were typically underlain with a foundation of medium diameter sticks overlain with huckleberry boughs that had been apparently manually pulled off the ends of the surrounding bushes that formed and effective 7-foot screen.  The boughs were jammed in stem first and plaited into the marginal ring.  Soil samples were collected under sterile conditions and await eDNA analysis.

My colleague Dr. Todd Disotell, a molecular anthropologist at New York University, has remained open-minded about the possible existence of sasquatch and has analyzed tissue samples of interest in the past. Dr. Disotell, who first suggested to me the prospects of eDNA as a tool to get at this perplexing objective, has agreed to conduct the surveys this Fall once funding is secured. The cost to carry out the analysis is approximately $1000 per sample.

It should not be surprising that the physical remains of sasquatch have yet to be secured. An extremely rare and reclusive species, solitary, perhaps nocturnal, far ranging, long-lived -- these attributes make the discovery  challenging. How often does one stumble on a a bear carcass that died a natural death? Or more to the point, something like a wolverine, or a marten? The alignment of these two factors -- improvements in eDNA protocols and the identification of what is most likely a sasquatch nesting site -- provide a novel opportunity to perhaps finally get the novel DNA sequence we have been searching for.  You can participate in this scientific endeavor through your contributions to fund the eDNA analysis.  To show our appreciation, I am offering the following perks:

donations of $100  a Sasquatch Field Guide...

...plus a Skype conversation with me.

donations of $300, Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science...

...a soft-cover book (320 pages) inspired by the acclaimed Discovery Channel documentary, and over 10 years of scientific investigation by the author.

donations of $500, a replica footprint cast taken on the Olympic Penninsula.

accompanied by a frame-able description of the discovery and analysis...

Thank you for your interest and support!