It’s known by many names depending on where you are – Bigfoot, Sasquatch or Yeti are just a few of the popular ones. In Southwestern Florida, it goes by the name Skunkape. Ironically, though this elusive gorilla-like creature has many names, we know so little about it. Numerous expeditions for so many decades have been done, many have been televised or put into DVD specials, but none got close enough for it to be studied by science. What we do know and agree upon is that it’s massive, hairy, biped and ape-like. Yet the less we know about this creature the more it captivates our imagination as we see variations of this beast in movies, novels, video games and other pop culture sources.
Fortunately for us, we got Skunkape Headquarters. This is a tiny gift shop that‘s 38 miles from downtown Naples sells all kinds of Skunkape related merchandise off of the Tamiami Trail in the Everglades area. The Skunkape Headquarters sells t-shirts, mugs, key chains, caps, pendants that has a “tooth of a Skunkape”, Skunkape plush toys an e-book about Skunkape and even a movie about these frightening creatures. The shop has a cool rustic feel to it. From the outside, you can see the dried palm leaves that serve as its roof. There are even make-shift walls that have a spray paint of the Skunkape Headquarters logo. And to top it off, a nice neon sign that say “open”.
However, the experience in the Skunkape Headquarters does not end in the gift shop. In certain times of the year, the Skunkape Research Headquarters conduct an expedition composed of a guide and five other people and they trek through the forests and the dense woods of the Everglades to find tracks of this very mysterious creature. And since these creatures are experts at hiding, this tour provides detours that will certainly make you enjoy the whole trip. While on the trip, members are taught to cook frog legs and fish out in the wilderness. There will be swamp buggy rides, airboats and walks through the swamps. While doing all that, you will get to learn the Skunkape’s diet, their habitat and even the baits that will be appealing to the Skunkape. Learning all these should equip you with the knowledge to track this beast. This will be a two-day trip which will be loads of fun and you never know, you might just spot an actual Skunkape.
If you want to know more about the flora and fauna that are known to science and can surely be enjoyed by many, head on to our Articles page. You may also want to go to our Tourist Guide section where we show you awesome places you can visit in Fort Myers and Bonita Springs. However, if you’re new to the place and would need some product or a service on-the-go, try our Business Directory page where we connect you to the best local business owners and skilled workers in this side of the country. Or, you may drop by our office in 4th Ave South in downtown Naples to talk about tour packages that you may need.
