Primate

“Primate” in cryptid contexts usually refers not to known monkeys or apes, but to numerous worldwide reports of undiscovered large primates — from North America’s Sasquatch to the Australian Yowie and Russia’s Almasty. These beings are generally depicted as upright, hair-covered hominids inhabiting deep forests or rugged mountains, shunning human contact but occasionally leaving behind footprints, eerie calls, or brief, spine-tingling sightings. While mainstream biology sees no evidence for such creatures, their persistence across cultures and continents has made them staples of cryptozoology. They embody humanity’s ancient fascination with shadow cousins — beings that stand just outside the reach of science, haunting our collective imagination with the possibility of not being the only clever, upright walkers in the wilderness.