Geologist James Waldo Discusses Wood Ape Research and Encounters

If you've been searching for a podcast that takes the Sasquatch subject seriously and treats it with the academic rigor it deserves, there's a recent interview floating around YouTube that's worth carving out some time for. The channel Beyond the Human, hosted by anthropologists Chris Dailyaly and Ryan Gner, sat down with James Waldo, a licensed geologist, retired Army Reserve engineer officer, and investigator with the North American Wood Ape Conservancy (NAWAC). The conversation dives deep into how NAWAC operates, why they prefer the term "wood ape," and what Waldo personally experienced in the field that completely shifted his worldview. Waldo's path into the research community is refreshingly down-to-earth. Like a lot of folks who grew up in the 70s and 80s, his fascination was sparked by pop culture moments, including those classic Six Million Dollar Man episodes featuring Andre the Giant as Bigfoot. But it wasn't until he stumbled upon a NAWAC booth at a local conference that things got serious. After reading their published papers, he knew he'd found a group doing actual scientific work rather than the "fringy stuff" that turns so many curious people away. He applied, got accepted, and has been a member since 2019. One of the most fascinating parts of the interview comes when Waldo describes a moment that fundamentally changed how he viewed the subject. During a field operation, his team arrived at a location where the previous week's crew had spent three days without leaving a single footprint. Within just a few days of NAWAC being there, fresh tracks appeared, and remarkably, some of those impressions were still visible three years later. Waldo describes having roughly 24 hours where he had to completely reorient his worldview. Even though he had already taken it on faith that these beings were real, based on the visual sightings and encounters his teammates had experienced over the years, this was the first time he personally witnessed something undeniable with his own eyes. NAWAC itself is a scientific research organization dedicated to studying what they call the North American wood ape. Their overarching mission goes beyond simply proving the creature exists. As a conservancy, their ultimate goal is to have the species documented, protected, and to preserve the habitat they inhabit. That environmental focus is something that often gets overlooked in mainstream coverage, but it's a crucial piece of the puzzle. Any large, intelligent primate would require vast, undisturbed wilderness to survive, and protecting those ecosystems benefits countless other species as well. The terminology choice is worth noting too. NAWAC deliberately uses "wood ape" instead of Bigfoot or Sasquatch to strip away the pop culture baggage and present the subject as what they believe it truly is: a species of primate, one of the great apes. It's a small linguistic shift, but it makes a big difference when trying to engage with academia or present the research in a serious light. Waldo also addresses the controversial goal of collecting a specimen, something NAWAC has been transparent about from the start. He makes a compelling point: science has never accepted a species without a type specimen. Every organism classified under the Linnaean system required physical evidence. It's an uncomfortable topic for many in the community, but it's the reality of how biology works. Without a specimen, no amount of video, audio, or track evidence will ever satisfy the scientific community's requirements. The full interview runs long but is packed with insights into how a serious research organization functions, from their membership selection process to their field protocols. Waldo's background as a geologist brings a unique perspective to footprint analysis and environmental factors that affect track preservation. If you're curious about the more methodical, evidence-driven side of Sasquatch research, this is definitely one to check out.