Researchers Use eDNA Sampling to Search for Sasquatch in Washington

Citizen science is taking a wild turn, and honestly, it's about time someone tried this approach. A video popped up on YouTube recently that dives into something genuinely fascinating: using environmental DNA, or eDNA, to hunt for traces of Sasquatch in waterways. Yeah, you read that right. The same tech biologists use to track elusive fish and amphibians is now being pointed at the most elusive hominid of them all. The video features a researcher who attended a Project Zubbook meeting where Haskell Hart presented his eDNA project. The concept is pretty straightforward but brilliant in its execution. Biologists routinely pull water samples from streams and lakes to identify what creatures have passed through, since everything leaves behind trace DNA in the water. Skin cells, hair, saliva, you name it. So why not apply that to areas with reported Sasquatch activity? Hart's approach zeroes in on human DNA found in these water samples, but here's where it gets really interesting. He's specifically looking at rare human mutations showing up in completely different states. Now, this isn't going to be a smoking gun on its own. Anyone in the research community knows that. But as a stepping stone, combined with track finds, hair samples, audio captures, and sighting reports, it adds another piece to an ever-growing puzzle. And if a type specimen is ever obtained, having these baseline samples could prove invaluable for comparison. What makes this video worth checking out is that it doesn't just talk theory. The researcher heads out into the field to actually collect samples. The location sounds like something straight out of a Pacific Northwest postcard. Two creeks converging at the base of a hill where there's been repeated Sasquatch activity over the years. The hypothesis? They're using the creek drainage to move through the area, which means they have to cross the water. If they've been through in the last two weeks, there's a chance their DNA is hanging out in that creek. The collection process itself is pretty hands-on. Using a syringe system, water gets pushed through a specialized filter that captures biological material. In this case, it took about 20 syringes worth before the filter started clogging up, which is actually a good sign that the system is working as intended. The samples get preserved, bagged, and shipped off to a lab in Colorado for analysis. Now, the location isn't exactly a walk in the park. The researcher mentions finding fresh cougar scrapes along the trail, complete with scat, which is always a little nerve-wracking when you're alone in big cat country. There's also plenty of bear sign, including a very large pile of fresh bear scat that apparently didn't make it on camera but did make it into a photo. Mashed-down trails everywhere suggest bears are regulars, though the researcher notes there's not a ton of hoof sign, meaning deer aren't the main traffic in this particular spot. Other researchers are getting in on the action too. Bart Cino has been pulling samples from Northern California, possibly Oregon, and even Washington when he visits. The NAWAC crew has also been collaborating with Hart on collection efforts. Shane Corson with the Olympic Project is taking samples as well. This is becoming a multi-state, multi-team effort, which is exactly the kind of collaborative approach the community needs. One of the most exciting parts is that even setting aside the Sasquatch angle, these samples will reveal what known animals are frequenting these water sources. Game cameras and thermal imaging miss things. They always do. eDNA doesn't lie. There could be surprises waiting in those results, species people didn't even know were in the area. For anyone curious about where citizen science meets cryptid research, this video is absolutely worth the watch. It's methodical, it's thoughtful, and it represents a genuine attempt to bring hard science into a field that's often dismissed. Whether you're a skeptic or a true believer, you have to appreciate the dedication it takes to climb down into a remote creek bed, syringe by syringe, hoping to catch a trace of something that might just rewrite what we think we know. Check out the video and see the process in action. The Pacific Northwest setting alone is worth the click, but the science behind it? That's what keeps this community moving forward.