The Batsquatch is a very elusive cryptid that has been reported in the Mount St. Helens region of Washington State in the United States. The name “Batsquatch” comes from this cryptid’s unique appearance which combines the features of both a bat and a Sasquatch (Bigfoot).
| Cryptid Name: | Batsquatch |
| Location: | Primarily reported in the Mount St. Helens region of Washington State, USA |
| Category: | Flying Cryptid |
| Description: | Large, flying creature with bat-like wings, humanoid body, sharp claws, and glowing red eyes. Described with a head similar to a bat or wolf. |
| Size: | Size varies in witness accounts, but is generally described as big with some reporting a wingspan of up to 50 feet / 15 meters. |
| Behavior/Characteristics: | Said to emit a loud, high-pitched scream or screech; aggressive, territorial. |
| Diet: | Unknown; no concrete information about its diet. |
| Habitat/Environment: | Reports suggest sightings near forested areas and mountains, particularly in the vicinity of Mount St. Helens. |
| Evidence: | Eyewitness Sightings. |
| Sightings and Encounters: | Sightings are rare and not well-documented. Some witnesses claim to have seen the creature, but these accounts are often anecdotal. |
| Skepticism/Explanations: | Skeptics believe that sightings may be misidentifications of known animals, birds, or natural phenomena. It is often regarded as a local legend and not scientifically substantiated. |
What Does The Batsquatch Look Like?
The Batsquatch is described as having a humanoid body that is very similar to other humanoid cryptids such as the Mogollon Monster, Downey Booger, or The Beast of Seven Chutes with a large, muscular body and stocky build. It has dark fur that is described as being black, dark brown, or dark blue in color.
One of the most distinctive features of the Batsquatch is its big wings which are said to look like bat wings or the wings of a pterosaur, with a wingspan of over 50 feet / 15 meters wide. It has glowing red or yellow eyes and a face that has bat-like or wolf-like features. Some witnesses have also reported that it has a very loud, high-pitched scream or screech which is very unsettling and eerie.
The Batsquatch Legend
On 18 May 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted after being dormant for 140 years. The massive explosion devastated the whole area and a massive column of ash and volcanic debris was spewed into the sky reaching heights of almost 80,000 feet / 24 kilometers!
During this time people started reporting seeing what would later be known as the Batsquatch flying around the volcano. This gave rise to the idea that the Batsquatch was dormant or hibernating until the eruption and that the volcanic activity awakened it.
Batsquatch Sightings
The first notable sighting of the Batsquatch took place in 1994. A teenager by the name of Brian Canfield was driving home when his truck mysteriously stopped in a deserted area. In the vehicle’s headlights, he saw the Batsquatch descending into the middle of the road in front of him. He described it as being nine feet tall, thirty feet away, with blue-tinted fur, yellowish eyes, tufted ears, and sharp, straight teeth. Later, he described it further, saying, ‘Its eyes were yellow and shaped like a piece of pie with pupils like a half-moon. The mouth was pretty big with white teeth, but no fangs. The face was like a wolf.’
The creature stared at him and then spread its wings and disappeared into the sky as quickly as it had arrived. After a few minutes, Brian said that his truck started and he drove home as fast as he could.
They visited a neighbour who was familiar with the woods in the area and they drove out to the spot where Brian and seen the batsquatch but there was no evidence that the creature had been there.
Since Brian Canfield’s Batsquatch sighting, there have been a number of other sightings that describe it in a similar way but just like Brian’s sighting, there was no physical evidence left behind.
Possible Explanations For The Batsquatch
Many skeptics have suggested that sightings of the Batsquatch can be attributed to misidentifications of known animals such as large owl species, birds of prey, or even large bats. Some have also suggested that perhaps the Batsquatch could be a relative of an extinct dinosaur such as the Pterosaur which has been reported in different parts of the world, for example, the Kongamato in Zambia.
Of course, the Batsquatch could simply be a hoax or a prank albeit a very elaborate hoax as in the case of the Brian Canfield sighting.
