A woman encounters an orangutan-looking creature on her porch at her swampy homestead. A hunter sees a troop of baboons. A hairy hand reaches into a deer blind.

Across the American South, particularly in states like Texas and Florida, tales have surfaced for decades of strange, often unnerving encounters in the wilderness—not with known native wildlife, but with creatures resembling feral apes or wild primates. 

Some researchers believe these sightings may be linked to feral populations of escaped or released primates. In the mid-20th century, exotic pet ownership and roadside zoos were far more common, and many animals were let loose or escaped into the wild. Over time, it’s possible that some species adapted to their environments, forming secretive breeding populations in remote, unmonitored regions.

Wildlife journalist and field investigators have documented everything from anomalous hair samples to strange vocal recordings in these hotspots. The behaviors described—chest-beating, howling, and ambush-like movements—align more with great apes than with any known North American species.

In the latest episode of Dark Outdoors, we dive deep into these encounters with feral apes and wild primates, exploring the theories, legends, and firsthand accounts that paint a chilling portrait of what might be lurking just beyond the campfire’s glow.