Coyote Peterson bigfoot skull claim leaves scientists skeptical

YouTuber Coyote Peterson recently made news after claiming that he had found a "large primate skull" in British Columbia and filmed the discovery to release it on his Brave Wilderness show on Animal Planet.

He shared a series of images and stated that he wanted to share his findings before the government took them down or ceased them. In the photos, Peterson can be seen retrieving a large skull submerged in muddy waters inside a forest.

Peterson revealed that he kept the skull a secret for several weeks and has kept it in a secure location while waiting for primatologist review.

The YouTuber also said that he initially thought it was a bear skull but can now guarantee that it is not. He then explained that the skull was partially buried underground in a Pac Northwest forest when he first discovered it and mentioned that the skull was "safe."

Following Peterson's post, several scientists took to social media to question claims about the skull belonging to a primate.

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Experts and netizens react to Coyote Peterson's primate skull discovery claim

As Coyote Peterson's claims about finding a primate skull went viral online, scientists and netizens reacted to the discovery. Darren Naish, a vertebrate paleontologist and science communicator in the U.K., told Live Science that the skull belonged to a gorilla:

"This is undoubtedly a gorilla skull, as is obvious from numerous anatomical details, and as verified by a list of experts. Also, it seems to be identical to commercially available casts of a specific gorilla skull."

He further alleged that Peterson had possibly made the claims as clickbait and condemned the action:

"I'm told that Coyote Peterson does this sort of thing fairly often as clickbait, and that this is a stunt done to promote an upcoming video. Maybe this is meant to be taken as harmless fun. But in an age where anti-scientific feelings and conspiracy culture are a serious problem it — again — really isn't a good look. I think this stunt has backfired."

Meanwhile, social media users mocked his discovery by saying Peterson found the skull of Bigfoot, a popular legend in North America:

As reactions poured in online, some scientists also questioned the legal and ethical process of transporting the skull. According to Live Science, carrying animal remains across national borders can be illegal:

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection states that transporting "biological specimens" or wildlife parts requires permits from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and/or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Parks Canada also mentioned that if Peterson found the skull in a Canadian National Park, his actions would still be considered illegal under the Canada National Parks Act and National Park General Regulations as the laws prevent unlawful removal of any "natural objects" without a permit.

Live Science notes that if the skull is considered a fossil, British Columbia law would ban individuals from collecting vertebrate fossils as it requires individuals to report all "unusual or rare specimens" to the Royal B.C. Museum.

As of now, it remains to be seen if Peterson will respond to expert opinions and social media reactions in the days to come.

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Everything to know about Coyote Peterson in brief

Coyote Peterson is a YouTuber and wildlife educator (Image via Peterson/Instagram)

Coyote Peterson is an American YouTuber and wildlife educator, best known for his online channel, Brave Wilderness, and his Animal Planet show Coyote Peterson: Brave the Wild.

Peterson was born on September 1, 1981, in Newbury, Ohio. He attended The Ohio State University and aimed to establish a career in films. He started his channel on September 8, 2014, and has earned 140,000 subscribers with millions of views in his videos.

Following the opening of his YouTube channel, he gained massive popularity for his Breaking Trails series, which also earned him an Emmy Award in 2015.

Some of his other YouTube series include Dragon Tails, Coyote’s Backyard, On Location, and Beyond the Tide. In addition to his channel, the YouTuber has also authored a book titled Coyote Peterson’s Brave Adventures: Wild Animals in a Wild World, chronicling his adventurous experiences.