Sightings of Bigfoot around the world could simply be humans “from distant inbred tribes” who have spent generations becoming increasingly feral, a prominent cryptozoologist has claimed.

Andy McGrath has written books about myths, rumors and reports of unknown and endangered species – and is even working on a TV series in an effort to protect them.

It is crucial to his work to approach countless half-man half-ape tales with a certain skepticism in order to make sense of outlandish claims.

And Andy claims that various folk tales similar to Bigfoot around the world – the giant swamp Ngoloko in East Africa, or the mountain-stalking Almasti in South America – could actually be people born with physical abnormalities caused by inbreeding.

He told the Daily Star: “Is it possible that the ‘Ngoloko’ represents an example of an undiscovered inbred tribe? Just think of its claw-like hand – with only a finger and a thumb – to reminiscent of the V-shaped feet of the vaDoma nomadic tribe, also known as the “two fingers” Where “ostrich-legged” tribe.

Andy explained that the unfortunate condition resulted from a single mutation and persisted within the tribe due to their small gene pool and tribal law, which prohibits them from marrying outside the tribe.

Due to their feet, the tribe has been referred to as an ostrich people.

Rather than suggesting that the Ngoloko are just members of the vaDoma tribe, Andy points out that it is possible that it is being confused with similar island communities in Kenya.

The Almasti is another legendary human-like creature said to inhabit the Caucasus and Pamir Mountains in Central Asia and the Altai Mountains in western Mongolia.

Hypertrichosis, also known as Werewolf Syndrome, is a condition Andy suggests could be behind Almasti’s claims because it causes excessive hair growth on a person’s body.

Andy said: “It certainly seems unlikely that a community of humans, so mixed in their physiological traits, would have begun to resemble a hybrid of humans and simians. [ape-like] characteristics, could have escaped scientific discovery.

“As seen in other parts of the world, some unusual human societies have at least managed to avoid assimilation and detection in other parts of the world, such as the pygmies of the Congo.

‘Not to mention recent aerial photos of the unofficial name’Uncontacted Indians of Upper Humaitá’ in the Amazonian tribe whose physiological uniqueness we do not know and which could be genetically cut off from the general population.”

Not all humanoid sightings and legends are of large hulking beasts, as some are smaller, such as the Salvaje which translates to savage.

Andy suggests the Yanomami — a large group of native Amazonians almost untouched by modern civilization – could correspond to the stories of the Salvaje.

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The Yanomami, numbering around 38,000 men, hunt everywhere on millions of hectares across Brazil and Venezuela that outsiders dare not tread, Andy claims.

He added: “Known for their violent inter-tribal wars and raids on women, they will even resort to kidnapping women and foreign travellers.

“Endocannibalism, which is the ritual eating of their dead, combined with endemic first-cousin marriage, means they could easily be mistaken for the legendary raging Salvaje..

Andy is working with Monster Quest producer/creator Doug Hajicek to create a TV series in search of rare and endangered animals.