BWBS Ep:137 The Traverspine Gorilla

In the winter of 1913, the remote settlement of Traverspine in Labrador’s Mealy Mountains became the stage for one of Canada’s most enduring mysteries. Families living on the edge of survival reported nightly visits from a towering, white-maned creature that left enormous footprints, rattled cabins, and fought sled dogs with terrifying strength.

Known as the Traverspine Gorilla, it would haunt the region’s history for over a century. What makes this story remarkable is not just the fear it inspired, but the credibility of those who documented it. Doctors Harry Paddon and Wilfred Grenfell, wildlife biologist Bruce S. Wright, and later explorer Adam Shoalts all investigated, recording consistent testimony and baffling physical evidence. From bloodstained snow to 12-inch two-toed tracks, the case defied easy dismissal.

In this episode, we relive the Michelin family’s terrifying encounters, the hunts and ambushes that failed to corner the beast, and the theories that followed—bear, moose, exotic animal, or something science has yet to name. We’ll explore how extreme isolation and brutal frontier life shaped perception, and why credible witnesses still insisted this was no ordinary animal.

The Traverspine mystery has been retold in journals, memoirs, and books for over a hundred years. Even today, travelers to the Mealy Mountains speak of strange voices in the night and the unsettling feeling of being watched. The whisper lingers in the wilderness—reminding us that some places still hold secrets, and some stories refuse to die.