Sasquatches are real! Or at least, they are in Jennifer Park’s new YA novel The Shadows We Know by Heart. IRL, though? Well, let’s just say The Shadows We Know by Heart protagonist Leah isn’t the only one claiming to have spotted these legendary creatures—hundreds of people across the United States have reported Sasquatch sightings. Perhaps Leah wouldn’t have had to keep her Sasquatch knowledge to herself if she knew about the myriad of legitimate Bigfoot research organizations throughout North America. For example, there’s The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, The North American Bigfoot Search, Bigfoot Researchers of the Hudson Valley, Sasquatch Research Association, Washington Sasquatch Research Team, Sasquatch Investigations of the Rockies, and the Northern Sasquatch Research Society, just to name a few. If you’re eager to join in the search, or if you’ve been hiding your own stash of Bigfoot evidence, now’s a good time to seek out a local organization and get involved!

Based on the dedicated work of these research organizations, I’ve gathered up some fun Bigfoot facts (if you could call them “facts”). Have you experienced any Bigfoot sightings? If so, please share in the comments—I MUST know!

It is illegal to hunt Bigfoot in Skamania County, Washington, because the county is a “Sasquatch Refuge.” Also killing Bigfoot might be considered manslaughter because he is humanoid (and/or possibly just a person is a massive ape suit…)

Bigfoot was added to the endangered species list in Russia in 1965, France in 1967, and Germany in 1967.

Bigfoot legends go back at least 3,000 years with Native American accounts of sightings.

Some researchers speculate that Bigfoot bury their dead, perhaps explaining why no one has ever recovered a Bigfoot carcass.

Bigfoot are allegedly immune to pepper spray, and have been known of “being incapable of sneezing.”

Bigfoot is either related to or the same species as the Yeti/The Abominable Snowman. In “fact,” some claim there as many as 12 different kinds of Bigfoot in the United States alone!

Bigfoot have been known to come in a wide variety of sizes, some weighing as much as 1000 pounds and reaching up to 10 feet tall.

Many conspiracy theories actually link Bigfoot to UFOs.

Nearly 30% of Americans (and 21% of Canadians) think Bigfoot is “definitely” or “probably” real, according to a 2016 Angus Reid Public Opinion poll.

Bigfoot have been reported to have psychic powers, including the ability to read people’s minds!