Has Bigfoot been found? Update 1

The back story: Two Georgia (USA, not the country Russia is raping) men claim to have found the corpse of a Bigfoot creature in the north Georgia woods. Later today they and "Veteran Bigfoot tracker Tom Biscardi" will hold a presser to make their case.

But not so fast, all you cryptid crowd. Let's turn to Scientific American's interview with "Jeffrey Meldrum, a prominent researcher on Sasquatch and professor of anatomy and anthropology at Idaho State University in Pocatello." Meldrum is no scoffer - he says, "the evidence that exists fully justifies the investigation and the pursuit of this question" of whether Bigfoot actually exists. A key problem with the claim:

I've had interactions with Tom Biscardi [the Bigfoot hunter holding the press conference] in the past, and based on that history, I would say that anything he is involved in is suspect. The fact that the two Georgian men [who said they found the body] turned to him and not anyone with scientific credentials is very questionable. [...]

Why would anyone stake such an outrageous claim without proof?

I don't know what their motivation would be. I don't see how they think they can perpetuate such a hoax in this day and age. You hold out hope that Bigfoot will be found one day, and to some extent this is probably what that event would be like. But assuming that this kind of scenario transpires at some point, hopefully it wouldn't unfold in such a carnival atmosphere and the proper authorities and scientists would be involved.

I would almost be willing to predict that we will learn today that the press conference will be postponed, and then we may never hear about this again.

CNN adds,

According to a written release, the two announced the discovery on an Internet radio show, "Squatch Detective," several weeks ago.

"The only person we would allow to come down and verify the body was 'the Real Bigfoot Hunter,' Tom Biscardi," Dyer said, referring to Searching for Bigfoot's CEO, who has been looking for the elusive, legendary creature in the United States and Canada since 1971.

Now, how about that? Have you ever heard of Tom Biscardi before? Or the Internet radio show, "Squatch Detective?" Or Searching for Bigfoot, Inc.? And yet, just by coincidence, understand, two men who just happened to have stumbled upon this corpse turned first thing to Biscardi and the obscure radio show. Funny how all that just fell into place.

Update: The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization has a comprehensive takedown about "this ongoing hoax," with a lot more information about Biscardi, none of it good. BFRO is equally skeptical about the noon Palo Alto press conference as I am:

If Biscardi actually brings the "body" itself (i.e. more than just stories, photos, and 'DNA samples') to the press conference, and he hands the "body" over to the anthropology department of the nearest respectable university (e.g. Standford) [sic] ... and THEY declare that it's a real bigfoot ... then we shall admit we were wrong about the whole thing.

But instead, here's what you might expect from the "press conference': Biscardi will waltz into the room with two smiling impostor Russian "scientists" ... who will say whatever Biscardi has paid them to say about the "body" that he will never allow the press to examine in the flesh, because it will be "held elsewhere at a secure location pending further study".

Yep, that sounds about right. But I still say there's just as good a chance that it won't take place at all.

Update: Now the buzz is that the "corpse" will not be brought to the Bigfoot press conference at all, but that Biscardi, et. al., will present only more photos and results of various "tests." Yes, the scare quotes are intentional.