Dear Prof. Sekender Khan,
I am contacting you in regards to an important question regarding Great Dismal Swamp wildlife. I am a member of the forums for the James Randi Educational Foundation which is an organization which promotes skepticism and critical thinking. I have a friend and fellow member who is completely convinced that in the Pasquotank River area in 1982 while inside a deerstand on a hunting trip he saw an extremely large primate standing on its hind limbs and feeding on the leaves and fruit of a mulberry bush. He is quite adamant that he did not see a bear and said there was no snout or ears visible. He is also quite certain that the creature he saw was roughly nine feet tall and spanning six feet at the shoulders. Just before the sighting he said that he experienced a terrible odour. There are apparently similar and more recent reports from the Great Dismal Swamp area.
More details of his claim can be found here:
http://blogsquatcher.blogspot.com/2009/04/round-mulberry-bush.html
This person was apparently deeply affected by the experience and seems to be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. He currently is the member of various Bigfoot enthusiast organizations including one that conducts searches for evidence of such a creature in Virginia and North Carolina. As there has never been reliable evidence for such a creature existing anywhere in North America, I am highly skeptical of this claim. I would like to know if you can provide any insight into the possibilty of such a creature existing undetected in the Pasquotank River and Great Dismal Swamp area. If you could forward this email to any member of the ECSU faculty who has expertise on the environment and fauna of the area, it would be most appreciated. Good day to you and thank you for any assistance you may provide.
Kind regards