November 19, 2007

The Curious Case of Mr. Holmes and the Mystery Ape

“Perhaps when a man has special knowledge and special powers like my own, it rather encourages him to seek a complex explanation when a simpler one is at hand.” ~ Sherlock Holmes, in The Adventure of the Abbey Grange.

The serial melodrama apparently continues.

To tell you the truth, when I read the headline to the story late last night (November 18, 2007), “Bear trap set for mysterious ape,” I chuckled to myself. I immediately thought: “Dang, someone’s decided to finally attempt to catch Jacobs mangy bear.”

But I read on, and was more startled than enlightened by what I read.

Here was the Florida Fish and Wildlife folks saying they were going to set out a bear trap to catch the “mysterious ape” seen around Glen St. Mary, Florida. How weird, I said to myself. Didn’t they declare on November 15th, as reported on the 16th, that the “orangutan” was nothing but a “fox squirrel” (apparently a well-fed one)?

Surely, I continued with my internal dialogue, there must be another section of FF&W involved in this part of the new “bear trap” operation?

Yikes. Guess who is reported to be the one putting out the bear trap for the “mysterious ape”? Ken Holmes. Is this the same Mr. Holmes, I presume, who used donuts for bait the first day of all the excitement? Is this the same Mr. Holmes, I must deduce, who was quoted by the newspapers for the “fox squirrel” theory?

Obviously, something isn’t correct in all this reporting about Mr. Holmes, his opinions and actions.

Okay, first, something seems off with the chronology of this tale. I need to dig into the media postings of this “new” bear trap story.

Two web renderings about the broadcast media story of the bear trap are both shown below for historical critical analysis of the evolution of this story. You can read the earlier two stories on Cryptomundo about the Florida reports here and here.

The story I read late yesterday is from a Colorado NBC news station, for November 18th. They are treating this report as brand-new, obviously because they just showed the footage. But as you can see below, the beginning of this “bear trap” account issued from a Florida NBC television station, which created it on November 15, the same day, apparently that Mr. Holmes was formulating his “fox squirrel” statements.

So, is the bear trap baited with bananas and apples still out there? Was the trap placed after or before the “fox squirrel” theory? What does FF&W officer Mr. Holmes really think? What does animal control officer Tina Thomas, who reported and described accurately what an orangutan looks like in a tree, think of the “fox squirrel” theory?

In the video clip that is found with the Florida link, below, Ken Holmes is taped as openly saying that orange peels have been found associated with the feeding occurring with the “mysterious ape.” (Do Florida’s fox squirrels eat oranges?)

I am beginning to think that the “fox squirrel” story is more media misquotes than Mr. Holmes’ statements. I am now strongly skeptical about what was allegedly reported about the “fox squirrel.”

What are the realities in this mysterious enigma and what is merely media hype? And what of Ms. Tina Thomas and her tortured trauma upon seeing the tree-bound anthropoid with binoculars? (Okay, yes, she had the binoculars, not the ape.) Was the other person there that saw the red ape through the eyeglasses none other than Mr. Holmes? Where did the trail of orange peels end? Only Mr. Holmes and Ms. Thomas may know the answers to many of these riddles.

I will continue with my efforts to directly reach Mr. Holmes and Ms. Thomas.

Here are the two web-articles:

Glen St. Mary, Florida – Florida Fish and Wildlife have set a trap for a mysterious ape spotted a few days ago.

It seemed just about everyone in the sleepy town of Glen St. Mary knew about the big sighting, but a few residents still hadn’t heard the news.

If they see it, they’ll know what it is.

“It’s an orange-ish brown – that’s all I know,” said one resident.

“I had no idea,” said another.

Those who’ve seen it believe the mystery ape is an orangutan.

Florida Fish and Wildlife officials say they think something is there, and they’re hoping their bear trap will catch it.

Ken Holmes baited the trap with bananas and apples.

It’s set up in the yard of the family that first saw the ape in their backyard. ~ by Dan Boniface , Web Producer, created: 11/18/2007 11:10:27 AM“Bear trap set for mysterious ape,” KUSA-TV-Channel 9, Colorado, November 18, 2007.

— Thursday, Florida Fish and Wildlife set up a trap for a primate apparently spotted a couple of days ago.

It seemed just about everyone in the sleepy town of Glynn Saint Mary’s knew about the big sighting, but today, First Coast News found out some people hadn’t heard the news.

But if they see it, they’ll know what it is.

“It’s an orange-ish brown, that’s all I know,” said one resident.

“I had no idea,” said another resident.

They’re talking about a possible Orangutan on the loose.

But Florida Fish and Wildlife says they think something is there. And they’re setting up a trap to try to catch it. Ken Holmes put bananas and apples inside what’s normally used to trap bears.

It’s set up in the yard of the family that apparently saw the Orangutan in their back yard. ~ by Kristin Smith, Reporter, “Bear Trap Set Up to Catch Orangutan, First Coast News — WTLV NBC-12, Jacksonville, Florida, Created: 11/15/2007 7:10:45 PM; Updated: 11/16/2007 11:46:57 AM.

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