I think it is unheard of for a hominoid (ape like) animal to be nocturnal. Is there sufficient evidence to speculate that bigfoot is primarily a creature of the night? If yes, from a Darwinian point of view, are they moving to a different niche than us to avoid conflict? Is it fear of us little homos that drove them into the darkness to avoid our spears?

Don't know, it seems to me that an awful lot of BF sightings take place in the daytime (and certainly SOME of them are authentic encounters, assuming BFs exist at all). True, a lot more would probably occur at night if we humans were out and about after dark as much as we are in daylight -- but still . . . .


I think they are likely similar to us in that they go out when they dang well please!

That would definately do it for me

Colobus could answer that one. While in africa he witnessed a troop of chimps go nocturnal because of all the human warfare going on.

Reasons for doing something like this could be:

1. Food source shift

2. Niche competion

among other things.

I wonder if they went nocturnal because of all the humans in the forest with guns. Thanks, that was very intesting and I never heard that before.

Maybe they work second shift

Easier to move because of cover. Assuming that they are nocturnal then their eyesight would give them extreme advantage. Raccoons are predominately nocturnal and so are opposums but I've witnessed them both active in the daylight,along with Owls. The other senses would probably be heightened as well. Take us, the humans, put us in the woods, at night, with no light or means of seeing and we go to almost helpless.We don't have the natural tools to be a nocturnal creature, thus putting us and Sasquatch on two different time frames.Adapting to nocturnal helps them to conceal,thus keeping them away from contact. It also gives them an extreme advantage hunting. We're talking about a creature than can get to immense size; the cover of darkness would be of huge advantage.

I can vouch for that! Sometimes I have to be active in the day

I agree with mike2k1 for the reasons he notes. Also, doesn't eye shine denote an animal with eyes adapted to see in the dark? Like, there are more cones or rods in the back of the eye or something like that? Does someone know?

Yes, you are right about eyeshine denoting the ability to see in the dark. It is called chatoyancy. Nocturnal animals have what they call a tampetum lucidum layer of the retina. When you see eyeshine it is the light that is reflected across the tampetum lucidium layer. The color of the eyeshine will differ from animal to animal and by the angle of the light. On the other hand "red eyes" when photgraphing humans is light reflecting off the retina and the color comes from blood vessels. Sorry humans are not equiped with a tampetum lucidum layer of the retina, so we can't see in the dark!! Bummer, huh?

I think they're both, but move around more in the dark. Easier to move around under the cloke of darkness. More places to go in the dark, such as crossing roads or backyards, etc. Opportunistis Movers!


Belle

Great thread! I took this picture in FL this past July and it started me thinking about this very subject. There were 6 or 7 of these racoons that would come out of this cover and wait for people to throw them scraps of food. There was this one little guy who would stand up on his back legs and stare at you, and most of the time he could catch the food in midair. The sun was blazing down and it was 2 p.m. when I took this picture at a distance of about 25 feet. Could he actually see the food coming, or did he hear the french fries as they buzzed through the air?

I wonder if some animals can see equally as well in the day as in the night? Is the day light something that over time their eyes just become accustomed to so their day vision improves? Could it be that the big guy can see just as well in the day as he does at night or vice versa? Is that physically possible? Science was never one of my stronger subjects. Dang too much thinking too early in the a.m.

I always wondered why most people say BF is nocturnal. My sighting was in the middle of the afternoon. Alot of the reports on the BFRO also occur in the daytime. I would like to take the time some day and go through all the reports to get sats on daytime sighting vs night sightings. Has anyone ever done this?

IMO, there are way too many daytime sightings to say that BF is a nocturnal creature.

Green's database has as many daytime sightings as nighttime sightings. Based on the how much easier it is for us to see things when it's light out, Green has made the assumption that they must be "far more active" at night. I agree with that. I also agree that the large number of daytime sightings makes it hard to say they're nocturnal.

If I was one of only several thousand humans on a continent overrun by sasquatch and I didn't want to be seen, I'd spend most of my time running around at night, too.

Deer and wild hogs become more nocturnal after hunting season opens, in areas that get a lot of hunter use. Would stand to reason that a large bipedal animal would do likewise according to it's proximity to populated or highly used areas. I used to spend a lot of time in the woods at night* as a young teenager, coon hunting, frog gigging, catfishing, trapping, and other country-boy type mischeif. My eyes became MUCH more accustomed to low light, and I could see amazingly well at night. Probably not on par with an animal who's vision apparatus was designed specifically for that purpose, but enough to greatly impress my friends and any adults I could drag out in the woods at night. Just my 2 cents.

*Edited to include the words "at night" in the third sentence.

maybe they see into infrared and night/day isn't really an issue, sleep when you want to........oh, that'd be the best!

There are several species generally regarded as nocturnal (flying squirrels, owls, etc.) that confront an interesting problem here in Alaska's latitudes:

It doesn't get dark during long, extended periods of the summer months.

While their periods of activity are greater during dusk and dawn hours (and not at mid-day), the sun is still shining brightly.

Apparently, they adapt.

And then there is the Winter season...

Opposite from summer.

Makes you think....hmm...

-TQW

I have dun a lot of night time recon, and you eye sight does get better, nowhere near the other animals but it does get better. I know that there are alot of day time sighting,but i would be interested in knowwhat type of enviroment, in heavy forest, on the floor, It can be very dark, A thick canopy will dim the lights. A dog see's in black and white at night, and see's very well. If BF see's this well at night, as in the day. But this would not explane his ability to see IR camras and such.. or is it his hearing is very acute, that he is able to hear infrasound....which may give him a PIC in his mind. or all three to form a pic.. And way I look at it he has us beat at all levels except one i.e. the brain. But I have to say I have seen some strange people, who At time I think just didnt get past the 3 grade, and common sence is, well they must have been napping...

Between Belle and Cochise..... my opinion was covered fairly well.......but add that they may be out at night in areas where there are more humans and during the daytime where human activity is minimal........by the way, i've gone over JG's data on this ......many more daytime sightings....bipto....think you're quoting Grover Krantz's opinion of JG's data?...my own sightings are both daytime and nightime.....almost twice as many in the daytime but, i know of others whose experience is just the opposite......................

It makes more sense to me that the bulk of sightings occur during the daylight, after all thats when we humans are more active in the woods. How many of us other than coonhunters, folks going to hunt deer, headed to their stands, or planned excursions looking for you know who are out traipsing about the woods at night? Alot of those who do report night sightings. Your more active in the day,hence more sightings.

I kind of lean that way in my thinking too ... maybe they just take a series of catnaps throughout the day and night, whenever the mood strikes, but are awake more when it's dark??

Somebody help me here. When I want to go fishing, I've heard that you have a better chance early and late in the day. And I work a very late 2nd shift, so I see deer from 10 pm - 2 am. I've also seen them very early. Maybe sassy is the same way...semi-turnal ( ), sleeping through the heart of the day and the heart of the night. Or maybe they feed early....chill through most of the day....and feed again late. I can just hear them yelling at about 11 am, "Hey, Siesta time!"

Stacy, those cats could be awake anytime, day or nite! You're probably right.

I was quoting this:

"When you have, as in the case of my database, almost the same number of reports at night as in the daytime and when you consider all the handicaps of the potential observers at night, it seems to me solid evidence that they're far more active at night than in the daytime."

Found here.

It may have been GK's opinion, but it's also JG's!

I'm sticking with mike2k1 on this. Seems to make the most sense and confirms my original speculation. So many animals eat at dawn and dusk that I can see bf being active at these times also. As has been pointed out by others on this thread however, even so-called nocturnal animals can be active during the day - They are going where the food is and I'm sure bf is capable of same.

Bottom of page is statement of cause of red-eye glow.

I think a successful Bigfoot hunter will likely spend some time in the forest at night and might like to learn something about the physiology of night vision.

I think bright red eye-glow is an indication of being nocturnal. This is my opinion and I have not been able to directly corroborate it. I have noticed that photographers generally state that red eye-glow is caused by blood in the retina but most physiologists say it is rhodopsin that actually causes the red eye shine. I am not trying to quibble, just make a point.

I believe red eye shine is actually caused by rhodopsin (visual purple) reflecting off the retina. It is the pigment used by the rods (black and white vision) that is used for night vision and is derived from vitamin A. The amount of red eye glow is indicative of the amount of rhodopsin (supposition). More rhodopsin = more red eye shine = better night vision. I have heard a number of what I believed were credible sightings, where it was stated that red eye glow was observed. I know many of you have more experience than I at bigfoot sightings data and maybe even would know if it is common or if it just stuck in my head.

Some facts about human night vision.
It takes about 30 minutes for rhodopsin to regenerate after being bleached (exposed to light). That is why your eyes get better at seeing in the dark and peeks after about 1/2 hour in the dark. It is like film being exposed in a camera except that it continuously regenerates. When a photon of light enters the eye and reacts with a molecule of rhodopsin on your retina you see a point of light. Night vision is black and white and also has no sharp focus because the fovea (area of sharp focus in the center of vision) is made of cones (color receptors). Rods are sensitive well into the infrared but the color red is perceived only by cones which take about 1000 times as much light to work.

I realize an error exists in my logic. Why do most nocturnal animals not shine red even with their tapetum lucidum? I don't know. Supposition is not an exact science.

Alligators have red eyeshine. Because of the lack of a tampetum lucidum humans have no eyeshine and from reference neither do monkeys or birds. Interesting. I agree with you about red eyeshine denoting the ability to see in the dark. Maybe more on the infrared spectrum?

Clarification:
I did some more research on this. Rhodopsin is only slightly sensitive into the infrared. It would have very little absorption though and I don't think it would help you see much. I was thinking it might explain if someones infrared equipment was seen and destroyed.

I'm theorizing the possibility of a eye that has developed into having the ability to see in the infrard spectrum. Not only would this explain the abilty to avoid camera traps but also the abilty in reports I've read to see and avoid hunters in stands and that are camoflauged. Just a thought? What would haft to develop in the eye in order to do this if Rhodopsin is only slightly sensitve to infared? I'm like you and believe that most of the reports I've read concerning Sasquatch eyeshine states that the color is red.

I always thought dogs saw partially in the infrared. If true for bf, it would indeed explain a lot of their elusiveness.

I beleive the IBS or someone associated with them did research on this subject last year. This study is from a compilation of reports and sightings of the times and seasons of these alleged Sasqy reports throughout a period of 30 years or more.
Anyway the results showed that these alleged Sasqy activities occured at all times of the day (24hr period) excluding severe weather. The conclusion is that there was a pattern of activity in roughly 4 hour intervals(give or take and this number varies as well) over 24hr period. This is called Cathemeral Activity.

Diurnal : Primarily active during daylight
Nocturnal: Primarily active during the Night time hours
Crepuscular: Primarily active during the hours at or before sunrise / sunset.
Cathemeral: Active throughout a 24hr period on a sporadic basis sleeping periodically during the day

I would tend to beleive this is the most accurate description of Sasqy as it fits the pattern of most reports as well as our own research and experiences here in Colorado.

I think maybe there is some confusion here between red eyeshine in animals (including bigfoot), and photographic 'red-eye' in humans. Remember that human eyes only glow red in the glare of a camera flash (from the blood vessels at the back of the eye, not the tapetum lucidum, which humans lack). Human eyes do NOT glow in the dark the way a cat's eyes do, in other words, red-eye is no the same thing as red eyeshine.

And by the way, blue eyed cats like Siamese usually have red eyeshine, so there are plenty of examples of red eyeshine in animals with a tapetum lucidum. I am becoming fairly convinced that Bigfoot has a t.l. as well.

Oh, and Jaylee, in reference to your post about the raccoons way back, i don't think an animal having good night vision necessarily makes its day vision poor. Think of it like an animal with very sensitive hearing.. does that mean it can't hear loud noises?

-robin

My cat is a Himalayan...she has very beautiful blue eyes and when I take a pic of her with a flash....they show up red. This is characteristic of her breed. It is exactly as why Robo said...

Another thing about their vision that interested me was in reference to the story of Dr. Baddour's Zoobies down in Alpine County. (I wonder if he called them Zoo Beasts??) Anyway....this one quote was interesting:

"HUSE:
Let's see, the first set of circumstances I remember was Dr. Baddour finding damage to the house when he'd just moved in. He said he bought the house from an older German couple and all of the light bulbs, inside and out, were the yellow bug repellent type. Baddour said the German man told me that he shouldn't change them to white, that he should get used to the yellow light."

It doesn't say weather the family left the yellow bulbs in....but I couldn't imagine living with yellow light bulbs all the time, that would drive me nuts.

But it does say a book was supposed to come out of it.....well what the heck happened to that? I'd like to read it!!

Note: The 1971 Alpine incident is described in John Green's book, Sasquatch: The Apes Among Us, pages 311 - 312. Dr. Baddour no longer lives in Alpine. The house is now in modest disrepair but looks much as it did over 20 years ago. The terrain's the same - thinly populated, steep and dry and full of thicket. Throughout the years attempts to interview Dr. Baddour by researchers not involved in the initial investigations have failed. As recently as July of 1992 the doctor, who currently has an active practice in San Diego, still refused to comment at length on his family's bygone experiences, saying only that he's going to "...tell the whole story..." in an upcoming book. Dr. Baddour implied that the Zoobies of Alpine altered his view of reality and, he said, his book will "...impact mankind." Ken Coon, a former Los Angeles police detective, spent a considerable amount of time investigating the Baddour report. He came away convinced the sightings were authentic.