De Loys’ Ape

The De Loys Ape was a clever ruse concocted by Swiss Explorer Francois De Loys seeking media attention. De Loys claimed he spotted a man like primate during an expedition on the border of Venezuela and Colombia searching for oil. He even said that he had photographed the animal and circulated it among friends and journalists. However, as per De Loys accounts, the expedition members after photographing the creature captured it and skinned it for its hide. All De Loys had, was his photograph as proof of its so called existence.