Researcher and crew member of Animal Planet’s TV show “Finding Bigfoot,” Tyler Bounds, visited libraries across Whidbey Island this month to discuss his findings on one of the region’s biggest mysteries — Bigfoot.

More than 20 people gathered at the Langley Library on June 18 to listen to Bounds. Some audience members discussed their own encounters with the so-far mythical big ape, better known in the Northwest as Sasquatch.

Bounds said he has received several reports from Whidbey Island and in Washington he estimates there may be around 100 such encounters. He said of the reports he receives, many of them could be the same Bigfoot sighting. Bounds said studies estimate 10,000 Bigfoot creatures may exist in North America, but he doesn’t believe there are that many.

When multiple people report sightings in the same area that don’t know each other, he says it reinforces the belief that Bigfoot is there.

“We have a saying: There isn’t a Bigfoot behind every tree, but there is one behind every other tree,” he said.

Bounds has always been interested in mysteries and the unknown. In his lifetime he said he had multiple encounters with Bigfoot including sightings and hearing their unique howls. He played a recording of a howl for the audience at the Langley Library.

No one is an expert on Bigfoot, but he’s one of the people with the most complete picture, he said.