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Dave Shealy |
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 Dave Shealy has spent nearly his whole life looking for a
creature, believed by many, to be only a figment of his imagination...
You know him from his appearances on national television (Unsolved Mysteries, The Daily Show, The Pulse, Inside Edition, Travel Channel & Learning Channel), and you have read about his adventures in the Enquirer, The Sun, Miami NewTimes, and Readers Digest.
Dave spends most of his time in the Big Cypress Swamp searching for the Skunk Ape when he's not maintaining the Trail Lakes Campground.
Dave Shealy was born September 28, 1963. He has spent his entire life living in the Everglades. His family history in the Everglades can be traced back to 1891. As far back as Dave can remember rumors circulated around town of a creature covered with hair, standing upright; like a man and smelling like a skunk. At the age of 10 while hunting with his brother Jack, Dave had his first encounter with what the locals referred to as a Skunk Ape. Dave has spent the last 30 years investigating sightings, collecting data and researching these elusive creatures.
To date, Dave has had a total of three confirmed Skunk Ape sightings and collected valuable information in regards to Skunk Ape habitat and density. He estimates that between 7 & 9 Skunk Apes exist in the Florida Everglades. Dave's research takes him to some of the most remote areas in South Florida. The Everglades is a very harsh environment and difficult to traverse. He often spends weeks at a time conducting research in these remote areas.
 Dave's hard work and dedication has not gone unnoticed. His research has gained the attention of most all major news broadcast organizations, including broadcast organizations abroad. He has appeared on the Travel Channel, The Learning Channel, and Unsolved Mysteries. In addition he has done numerous radio broadcast worldwide and has been the feature story on many publications such as Readers Digest, Roadside America, Florida Living and several highly publicized magazines. He also participated in filming a documentary for Florida International University, which gained worldwide attention. In 2007, Dave was featured across Europe on a very well known public television show entitled "My America" bringing attention to the Everglades, its fragile eco system, and the few remaining Skunk Apes that exist there. |
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Where We Are |
We are located at the Trail Lakes Campground on Highway 41 in Ochopee, Florida. We are fifteen miles south of Interstate 75 (old Alligator Alley) then four miles east of Highway 29. We are 36 miles east of Naples, 60 miles west of Miami and just 90 minutes from either the Miami International or Regional Southwest Florida International Airports.
See a Google Map |
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