Beasts of the World is a seven-part series, which seeks to investigate the histories, evidence, and common theories surrounding the numerous cryptid creatures that have been reported around the globe.

In Volume 1. — Hairy Humanoids, we examine the diverse collection of hairy, bipedal, man-like monsters that are believed to inhabit the world’s remote and lonely regions and ask the question — do they represent a single species, or, could there be other lesser-known varieties of Wildmen, yet to be revealed?

This book seeks to classify some of these distinct kinds and proposes a separation (even when two or more ‘types’ or ‘species’, appear to be sharing a similar geographic area) based upon key physiological and behavioural differences. And so, we find that the Man-Ape — Bigfoot of the Pacific Northwest, is something quite different to the Wildman — Almasti, of the Caucuses Mountains; and that the Relict Ape — known as the Yeti, is more akin to the Florida Skunk Ape, than the Chinese Yeren…

Are these mysterious monsters surviving Gigantopithecus, extant Neanderthals, undiscovered apes, hidden tribes, or simply folklore and fable, repackaged for the modern world?

Join me, as I go in search of these Hairy Humanoids and the many yet to be discovered Beasts of the World.

Andy McGrath