Grover Krantz
Grover Sanders Krantz (November 5, 1931 – February 14, 2002) was an American anthropologist and cryptozoologist; he was one of few scientists not only to research Bigfoot, but also to express his belief in the animal's existence. Throughout his professional career, Krantz authored more than 60 academic articles and 10 books on human evolution, and conducted field research in Europe, China, and Java.
Grover Krantz | |
|---|---|
| Born | Grover Sanders Krantz November 5, 1931 Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
| Died | February 14, 2002 (aged 70) Port Angeles, Washington, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of California, Berkeley (BS, MA) University of Minnesota (PhD) |
| Known for | Research on human evolution, Kennewick Man, and Bigfoot |
| Partner | Evelyn Einstein |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physical anthropology |
| Institutions | Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology (1958–1968) Washington State University (1968–1998) |
Outside of Krantz's formal studies in evolutionary anthropology and primatology, his cryptozoological research on Bigfoot drew heavy criticism from his colleagues due to being fringe science, costing him research grants and promotions, and delaying his tenure at the university. Further, his articles on the subject were rejected by peer-reviewed scholarly journals. However, Krantz was tenacious in his work and was often drawn to controversial subjects, such as the Kennewick Man remains, arguing for their preservation and study. He has been described as having been the "only scientist" and "lone professional" to seriously consider Bigfoot in his time, in a field largely dominated by amateur naturalists.