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You make some good points, Norse, as always.  And, you leave room for discussion.  Thank-you.      "I think our perception is skewed a bit."  Yes, and just imagine what the other animals must be thinking.     "Our violence today is more organized and mostly contained within our own species."  Well, we raise, kill and waste almost every other animal to make sandwiches so...   "Earth wasn’t a Utopia. It was a single stage winner takes all fight to the death stadium."  My point is that Earth could be a Utopia.  I think that our genetically altered DNA was meant to make that happen but, it hasn't worked out that way.     Dinosaurs roamed and dominated the Earth for what, 165 million years?  I doubt that we will last quite that long and I think that is because too many of us feel entitled to have everything and to dictate what other people do.

Love the opposable thumbs joke!   As for the rest? I think our perception is skewed a bit. I think there is a reason we are one of the last bipedal primates standing. And there is a reason our ancestors were lucky to see 40 years of age. Earth wasn’t a Utopia. It was a single stage winner takes all fight to the death stadium. And we are a product of the ultimate survivors,  but old habits die hard.   I think just going to water every morning was risking your own life back when. And in some places on Earth? It still is.   How many modern humans would have the courage to even leave the cave? Let alone spread out over an entire planet. It’s an amazing story.   Our violence today is more organized and mostly contained within our own species. It’s something mostly within our control to solve. Back then? Violence was mostly predation from other species including those in our own genus. Or mishaps or child birth. Most of it must have seemed incredibly random and well outside of our grasp to control. And the survival of our species wasn’t even on the radar. We were just another version of ape men from dozens of species that had came and gone over and over again.

^ yeah, I get it.  Lions don't have opposable thumbs either (which are great for making save the whale stickers).  The great kindness, compassion and empathy to which you refer seems to be diminishing.  Humans are wasting a veritable Utopia so, putting Bigfoot in a zoo seems to be the perfectly wrong thing to do.  

I think there is a duality of Homo Sapiens. We have great skill and cunning in being ruthless warriors.   But we also have great kindness, compassion and empathy.   But I have a sneaking suspicion that this will be may be true of any sentient species.   Albeit I don’t see a species of sentient bipedal lions having “save the whale” stickers on their personal transportation vehicles.    Each species will add its own twist to intelligence I suppose?

This is a copy and paste affair. (Google AI) But this is what science is looking for. And it’s why many upright walking ancestors did not make the cut.   Key Criteria for Homo Classification Cranial Capacity & Brain Size: A significant increase in brain size, often cited as above 600 cubic centimeters (cc) for early Homo, indicating higher intelligence and cognitive complexity. Facial & Dental Changes: Less protruding jaws (reduced prognathism), smaller teeth (especially molars), and flatter faces compared to Australopithecus. Bipedalism: More advanced, habitual upright walking with fully adapted feet, arched soles, and structural changes in the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Tool Use & Culture: Evidence of complex, standardized stone tool production (like Oldowan tools), signifying increased reliance on culture for survival. Body Proportions: Generally larger body size and more human-like limb proportions (longer legs, shorter arms). Reduced Sexual Dimorphism: A decrease in body size differences between males and females.    ==============================   Patty’s sloped head does not favor an over 600 cc brain. But maybe body size may make up the difference.   Patty’s head has characteristics of both human and ape in my opinion. But without fire will have size able chompers to pulverize raw food.   Check on full bipedalism. But Australopithecus Afarensis was as well, dunno.   No evidence of stone tool manufacturing or use. Such as flaking stone tools.   I believe Thinker Thunker has looked at body proportions and they are outside of Homo Sapiens range. But not sure of the genus. For example Neanderthals or Homo Erectus proportions. Definitely longer arms than ours in proportion.   I think we would have to punt on that one. Albeit Patty is massive. But what percentage is she smaller than a male? We have no data.   All of this is our current understanding of extinct cousins. But some people want to give living great apes legal status. If that happens? It would no longer be a question. Regardless? I think a super special ape man living in North America would be given special status and protections. Incredible biological find. Earth shattering. And in North America no less, albeit I am convinced other cryptid ape men species exist in other places.   The push back from science on a global scale is disconcerting to say the least. We can all speculate as to why.