A Complete Guide to the Differences Between Bigfoot vs. Sasquatch vs. Yeti

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Uncover the myths & reported sightings of these cryptids
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The Sasquatch (also known as Bigfoot) and the Yeti (also known as the Abominable Snowman) are two popular cryptids, or creatures that people believe in but aren’t proven to exist. While the Sasquatch and Yeti are referred to interchangeably, these creatures are actually thought to be very different! Whether you believe these beings are really out there or are simply curious about them, read on. We’ll go over the main differences between the Sasquatch and Yeti and tell you if either of these creatures actually exists.

How do the Sasquatch and Yeti differ?

While the Sasquatch and Yeti are both believed to be large, hairy, primate-like creatures, they are thought to live in different areas. The Sasquatch lives in the northwest US and southwest Canada while the Yeti lives along the Himalayas in Asia. The Sasquatch might also be taller than the Yeti.

Section 1 of 6:

Differences Between the Sasquatch and Yeti

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  1. The Sasquatch has its roots in legends from indigenous North Americans in the northwest US and southwest Canada. For instance, the Coast Salish people in the Pacific Northwest and the Sts'ailes people in British Columbia told stories of a supernatural, hairy creature who is wild, but kind. [1] Meanwhile, the Yeti comes from the Sherpa and Tibetan peoples of Nepal and Tibet, near the Himalayas. They consider the Yeti to be a peaceful and spiritually sacred creature. [2]
    • The name “Sasquatch” comes from the Halkomelem language spoken by the Coast Salish and Sts'ailes people. In Halkomelem, “sasq'ets” means “hairy man.” [3]
    • The name “Yeti” comes from the Sherpa word “yeh teh,” which means “cliff-dwelling bear.”

    TL;DR: The Sasquatch originates in North American mythology while the Yeti stems from Sherpa and Tibetan stories.

  2. The Sasquatch is believed to live in the forests and mountains around Washington State in the US and the Fraser Valley in British Columbia, Canada. [4] On the other side of the world, the Yeti is thought to live around the snowy Himalayan mountain range, which spans across China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. However, it's also said to reside in the forests below the snow line. [5]
    • While both the Sasquatch and the Yeti reside in forest areas, the Sasquatch lives in more temperate areas in North America while the Yeti lives in colder areas in Asia.

    TL;DR: The Sasquatch resides in the forests of the northwest US and southwest Canada while the Yeti lives in the Himalayas near China, Bhutan, Nepal, and India.

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  3. The Sasquatch is described as a very tall and muscular creature that’s covered in long brown or black hair from head to toe. [6] The Yeti is also believed to be large and powerfully built, but it’s typically depicted as having long white hair. However, the original legends say it can have brown or black hair, too. [7]
    • Both the Sasquatch and Yeti are believed to have very long limbs and large feet.
    • Both of these creatures are also described as having hairless faces and flat noses, similar to an ape.
    • The Sasquatch, in particular, is also described as being very unpleasant smelling.

    TL;DR: The Sasquatch has long brown or black hair while the Yeti is typically described as having white hair.

  4. Both the Sasquatch and Yeti are believed to be tall creatures, but the Sasquatch may be taller. People who claim to have seen the Sasquatch describe it as being 6 to 15 feet (1.8-4.5 m) tall. [8] The Yeti is said to be between 7 to 10 feet (2-3 m) tall.

    TL;DR: The Sasquatch may be taller than the Yeti, although reports differ.

  5. The Sasquatch and Yeti are both well-known for their big feet, which come from alleged footprints discovered by hikers and mountaineers. However, the Yeti may have larger feet. People claim to have found Yeti footprints 32 inches (81 cm) long and 15 inches (38 cm) wide. [9] The largest Sasquatch footprints are believed to be 24 inches (61 cm) long and 8 inches (20 cm) wide, though most alleged footprints are around 18 inches (46 cm) long. [10]

    TL;DR: The Yeti has larger feet than Sasquatch.

  6. In general, the Yeti is regarded as a more peaceful creature than the Sasquatch. While both creatures are believed to mostly keep to themselves, there are more reports of the Sasquatch acting aggressively. Many people claim to have been stalked by the Sasquatch and there are 2 known reports of attacks. [11]
    • The Himalayan people generally view the Yeti as a peaceful creature that may even be spiritual. According to Tibetan Buddhist lore, a Yeti cared for the religious leader Lama Sangwa Dorje as he meditated and eventually became his disciple. [12]
    • In Western culture, Yetis are usually described and viewed as more monstrous and violent.
    • In Native American legends, some tribes view the Sasquatch as a benevolent creature and guardian. In some other tribes, they see the Sasquatch as a dangerous monster that harms or even eats humans. [13]
    • Neither the Sasquatch nor the Yeti is believed to be able to speak human language.

    TL;DR: The Sasquatch is more aggressive than the Yeti.

  7. Both the Sasquatch and Yeti are consistently seen by people, though the Sasquatch might have more reported sightings. There are thousands of Sasquatch sightings across the US and Canada, though most of the reports come from Washington State and British Columbia. [14]
    • The Sasquatch and Yeti both have a long history of sightings, starting at least around the 1800s. [15]
      • For instance, in 1955, William Roe claimed to see the Sasquatch on Mica Mountain in British Columbia. He even signed an affidavit to confirm what he saw.
      • In 1986, mountaineer Reinhold Messner said he saw the Yeti twice as he climbed the Himalayas. He even wrote a book about his experience.

    TL;DR: Sasquatch has more reported sightings than the Yeti.

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Section 2 of 6:

What’s the difference between a Sasquatch and Bigfoot?

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  1. Bigfoot and the Sasquatch are the same creature—Bigfoot is just another name for this being. The name “Bigfoot” was likely first used in 1958 by Jerry Crew, who found a huge footprint near his work site in California. The journalist Andrew Genzoli reported Crew’s story about Bigfoot and helped popularize the name. [16]
Section 3 of 6:

What’s the difference between a Yeti and Abominable Snowman?

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  1. The Yeti and Abominable Snowman are the same creature. The name “Abominable Snowman” comes from a mistranslation of the Tibetan word for this creature. In 1921, the journalist Henry Newman translated the Tibetan term “miteh kangmi,” which means “human-like bear of the snow,” as “Abominable Snowman.” [17]
    • The Abominable Snowman quickly became the popular name for the Yeti in the West. It’s also the most likely reason why Westerners view the Yeti as ferocious rather than peaceful—“abominable” means “very bad or unpleasant.”
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Section 4 of 6:

Is Bigfoot related to the Yeti?

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  1. Most people agree that Bigfoot and the Yeti are related because they’re both described as bi-pedal, ape-like creatures that are covered in hair. They’re thought to be the same species but distant cousins, since they live on different continents.
    • There are some people who believe that the Sasquatch and Yeti are the same exact creature rather than just being related.
Section 5 of 6:

Are the Sasquatch and Yeti real?

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  1. While many people claim to have photos, videos, footprints, and hair samples belonging to the Sasquatch and Yeti, there is still no DNA evidence confirming that these are real creatures. Scientists have regularly analyzed hair and footprint samples claiming to be from either creature and so far, these samples have turned out to be from bears, deer, and even humans. As of now, the Sasquatch and Yeti are simply mythological creatures. [18]
    • The most popular evidence in support of the Sasquatch/Yeti being real is a video shot by Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin in 1967.
    • Many people believe that the Sasquatch/Yeti are real because of the widespread legends about these creatures in distinct Native American and Asian cultures. These creatures are also consistently described the same way despite there being no known communication between these cultures.
    • Some scientists believe that the Sasquatch/Yeti could be an extinct giant ape called the gigantopithecus blacki , which was native to China. There is no current evidence of the ape ever being in North America, however. [19]
    • In most cases, people have simply mistaken humans, bears, other animals, and even trees for the Sasquatch/Yeti. This is attributed to pareidolia, which is a common phenomenon where people see patterns (often faces) in unrelated objects. [20]
    • Plenty of Sasquatch/Yeti evidence has turned out to be a hoax, too. People have dressed up as the Sasquatch/Yeti or created their footprints to try to get others to believe in these creatures.
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Section 6 of 6:

Who would win in a fight: Yeti or Sasquatch?

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  1. In a neutral environment, the Sasquatch would most likely win in a battle against the Yeti due to its superior size and alleged ferocity. However, it would probably be a close fight since these creatures are thought to be so similar!
    • The winner might shift to the Yeti if the battle was fought in the snowy Himalayas, as the Yeti would be better adapted to the landscape than the Sasquatch.
    • However, this is purely speculation and you might have a different opinion! There’s no true way to know which creature would win in a battle since they’re not proven to exist (not to mention that they allegedly live on different continents)!

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.native-languages.org/sasquatch.htm
      2. ↑ https://aquila.usm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=16181&context=fac_pubs
      3. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220720-the-true-origin-of-sasquatch
      4. ↑ https://mil.wa.gov/the-legend-of-bigfoot
      5. ↑ https://aquila.usm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=16181&context=fac_pubs
      6. ↑ https://mil.wa.gov/the-legend-of-bigfoot
      7. ↑ https://aquila.usm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=16181&context=fac_pubs
      8. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sasquatch
      9. ↑ https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/indian-army-says-it-found-yeti-footprints-himalayas-n999951
      1. ↑ https://statemuseum.arizona.edu/online-exhibit/curators-choice/tracking-legend-bigfoot
      2. ↑ https://www.bfro.net/gdb/show_faq.asp?id=659
      3. ↑ https://aquila.usm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=16181&context=fac_pubs
      4. ↑ https://www.native-languages.org/legends-bigfoot.htm
      5. ↑ https://www.bfro.net/gdb/
      6. ↑ https://mil.wa.gov/the-legend-of-bigfoot
      7. ↑ https://press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/079790.html
      8. ↑ https://aquila.usm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=16181&context=fac_pubs
      9. ↑ https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/separating-fact-from-fiction-the-truth-about-the-yeti
      10. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220720-the-true-origin-of-sasquatch
      11. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/pareidolia

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