Breaking News: Orang Pendek Sighted

Posted by: Loren Coleman on September 25th, 2009

I’m on my way to Tyler…but I just received this…so I’ll post it quickly:

“Yeti sighted in Jungle !!!! Two team members have sighted the Yeti while we were in the jungle. I heard a large animal moving towards us. Subsequently the creature was then sighted by team member Dave Archer and Sahar Didmus, a forest ranger. I have a sworn affadavit from Sahar to that effect. It hid from us by a tree, before moving rapidly and bipedally through the jungle. Dave describes the OP [Orang Pendek] as looking almost chimpanzee-like. Sahar was so upset and disturbed he began sobbing, and I had to comfort him. We have taken hair samples found at the site, and bagged some rattan which it was eating. We will have these analysed by Todd Disotell. Numerous tracks also found……………!!!!!!!!” ~ Adam Davies (enroute out of Indonesia via Singapore)

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Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct). Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015. Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.


37 Responses to “Breaking News: Orang Pendek Sighted”

  1. mystery_man responds:

    Wow, this is a pretty exciting sighting. I’m very impressed that they were able to not only spot the animal, but collect samples to back the claim up. Hopefully something will come of it. This really could be tremendous news, I just hope that the samples haven’t been too compromised, and were collected and stored in a proper manner. Any inconclusive results are going to immediately bring raised eyebrows towards the whole ordeal, unfortunately.

    I’ve always been intrigued by stories of the Orang Pendek, and to me it seems like a very plausible cryptid. Here’s hoping this new sighting isn’t a dead end.

  2. YourPTR! responds:

    Wow…sounds like a great sighting and the results of the analysis of the hair and other evidence gathered will be interesting but why did no one have a camera, or was able to take a pic? I’m presuming no photographic evidence was obtained seeing as it’s not mentioned in this report.

  3. bobdub responds:

    That is really cool. Its good to know they are getting closer on this.

    Oh wait… or are they… ?? Having just read the “catfish” story and taken the warning to heart. Are you just making this up? 🙂

    I doubt it. Just playing around.

    BobDuB

  4. Sharmz responds:

    They are leaving already? So no photos?

  5. Labyrinth_13 responds:

    I hope that it will be possible to get DNA from any saliva on the Orang Pendek-munched rattan.

    I’ve followed the Orang Pendek stories for years, always feeling that if an unknown species of strange ape was going to be discovered, it would be in the jungles of Indonesia.

    This is indeed exciting news.

  6. cryptocajun responds:

    My fingers are crossed!!

  7. planettom responds:

    Holyl guacamole! I can only hope they had a camera? I look forward to the follow up.

  8. whiteriverfisherman responds:

    This team, were they there to find an OP? Why were no photos taken? Hmmm, I guess we are supposed to take their word for it.

    I am a little skeptical and he could have left out the part where it says “and I had to comfort him” That is sweet but not relevant.

    Next!

  9. red_pill_junkie responds:

    Pretty exciting news!

    Hope we finally discover this cryptid before the end of the decade.

  10. aRNIe001 responds:

    Wow, can’t wait to hear more on this, I wonder if there are any pics, or maybe they might save that for desert..

  11. korollocke responds:

    Great news! But where the proof? Pictures,film, something besides words.

  12. dobher-chu responds:

    that is amazing news cant wait to hear more about it!

  13. Talysman responds:

    Be interesting to see how this pans out.

  14. dwindell responds:

    NEED MORE INFORMATION!

  15. jennife0 responds:

    Wow. Can’t wait to hear more news! Hope there are photo’s coming soon.

  16. Buckeye1 responds:

    Hopefully one of them had a camera so we can get some photos of the tracks if nothing else. Very exciting nonetheless.

  17. cliff responds:

    The article is a little confusing, since when has Orang Pendek been referred to as a Yeti? Those are two distinct and separate cryptids from what I understand.

    I guess it’s safe to assume from what I read above that there is no photographic evidence though, too bad, but still a great sighting though. I would like to see some track casts of the “numerous tracks” they found on site, as well as some photos of the hair samples they say were collected. Hopefully the hair samples won’t come back as bearcat, lol.

    Any mention though of why no photos were taken? The article starts out by saying that they heard a large animal moving toward them, were there no members of the group that thought a video or photo would be a good idea? Or did they just retreat out of fear? I realize this is a short post due to you (Loren) being on the road, but I would like to read more details when they become available.

  18. cryptidsrus responds:

    This is encouraging and excellent news!!! If only they had been able to film it!!! Oh well…Funny—Davies first refers to the OP as a “Yeti.” I guess this is one of those cases where certain “cryptid-specific” names are used interchangeably with other “Similar Cryptids.” Sorry Sahar got so wound up, too. 🙁

  19. Ceroill responds:

    Very exciting, Loren! Good stuff, let’s hope for the best here!

  20. Dj Plasmic Nebula responds:

    🙂 i always thought that Bigfoot, yeti or Sasquatch might be related to a known animal..

    one thing to remember, this may be a different large bipedal animal. This may or may not be the yeti, it can be another unknown giant or unknown giant hybrid.

    i always wonder if a Gorilla and Orangutan mated that it may produce either a Bigfoot, yet, or Sasquatch (remember a male lion and a female tiger creates a larger baby.)

    If its chimpanzee like, I’m beginning to wonder if this animal maybe be a chimpanzee hybrid with a larger ape (orangutan possibly). There’s 2 different orangutans i think, a Bornean Orangutan and Sumatran Orangutan. Also it could of been a hybrid with a larger known or larger unknown chimpanzee. Or a Chimp/Gorilla Hybrid.

    why else would it look chimpanzee like? it may be related to the chimps after all.

  21. Spinach Village responds:

    This is great news!

    So when they say “Yeti”, they are referring to an Orang Pendek?

    Regardless, this is awesome! I’m looking forward to hearing more about this.

    Thanks LC.

  22. potsonna responds:

    Interesting!

  23. alcalde responds:

    Not only is the part about an expedition to find the orang pendek apparently not having still or video cameras confusing, but if you’re there to find them, and you see one, and it’s heading off… shouldn’t you *follow* it, rather than, um, (no offense) crying? See, if you had me along, I’d have gone chasing after it with my trusty butterfly net. I can’t get my mind around the explorers and wildlife experts who have all come back talking about having seen the creature (apparently it’s not that difficult given the number of expeditions who claim sightings) but there doesn’t exist any photographic evidence that I’m aware of. Meanwhile the number of expeditions which set out to find bigfoot and actually eyewitness it is slim to non-existent, and yet there are at least a steady stream of blobsquatch photographs. Go figure.

    What will be at least as interesting if the hair samples come back unidentified, is if they come back identified (just ponder what I mean by that).

  24. karlshuker responds:

    This is indeed excellent news – I’ve always considered the orang pendek one of the likelier ‘classic’ cryptids to be formally confirmed by science in the not-too-distant future. The four-man team, incidentally, was led by Adam Davies and included three members from Britain’s Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ), for which I am its cryptozoology consultant and also its West Midlands representative. In response to queries re cameras and photographic evidence: yes, Dave Archer, one of the two orang pendek eyewitnesses, did have a camera to hand, but sadly lost the opportunity to snap some pictures while attempting to secure a better vantage point. The team also had some video cameras, but the intense humidity of the area rapidly soaked into their batteries, rendering them largely inoperative. Nevertheless, the hair samples, chewed rattan, and footprint photos all offer hope that some positive physical evidence corroborating their sighting will be forthcoming. So let’s keep our fingers crossed, and many congratulations to the CFZ team for their exciting news!

  25. alcalde responds:

    I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say we appreciate the update, Mr. Shuker. I think the lessons learned here are:

    1. Always use waterproof (video)cameras in the field.

    2. I’m still pulling for the butterfly net.

    3. Bloodhounds! Or better yet, Fila Brasileiros – think of a part mastiff, bulldog and bloodhound that can not only track, but hunt jaguars and tree bears. You’d have your orang right now if the team had taken along a Fila or two. Or my trusty butterfly net.

    “Dave describes the OP [Orang Pendek] as looking almost chimpanzee-like.”
    Anyone think this is a case like Oliver the Humanzee?

  26. lukedog responds:

    Cool, glad to read this promising story won’t be backed up by any ‘Blob’ photo’s’ . Hopefully hair samples will produce something ‘Unknown’.

  27. lukedog responds:

    However, a little disappointing when a team of semi professionals go in search of a hidden animal , find it, and gear not work. I can no longer abuse amateur shots.

  28. swnoel responds:

    Nothing new… no photos or video from a group that planned the expedition in hopes to find the beast!

    lol

  29. kittenz responds:

    Great news if it’s really a “new” primate. I’m not gonna hold my breath waiting for proof though.

  30. dwindell responds:

    I don’t believe a word of this. “Professionals” on the hunt for this animal:

    1- don’t have cameras ready…seriously???
    2- don’t have video cams that work in an environment the KNOW is going to be humid….c’mon
    3- take PHOTOS, not impressions, of the ‘footprints’
    4- say it’s “chimpanzee-like”…if they did see something, there are great apes known to be in the area, prolly was an orangutan

    You gotta believe that they’d have at least tried to snap a pic prior to getting ‘a better vantage point’, this is rediculous. Just a few guys trying to get funding for there next expidition/two week vacation from their normal lives. I’m never this skeptical, but this stinks of BS.

  31. sluggo responds:

    fingers crossed !

  32. cliff responds:

    In response to queries re cameras and photographic evidence: yes, Dave Archer, one of the two orang pendek eyewitnesses, did have a camera to hand, but sadly lost the opportunity to snap some pictures while attempting to secure a better vantage point.

    Seriously? He had a chance to get a once in a lifetime photograph of an Orang Pendek, but decided that just any photo wouldn’t do, it had to be a perfect photo?? Sheeesh, come on now. Wouldn’t an investigator, on an expedition for cryptids, given the rare opportunity to see OP snap whatever photos he could just to make sure he got at least one, then maybe after securing at least one photo then try to get to a better vantage point?? Oh well, chalk up another one to the cryptids.

  33. alcalde responds:

    I was thinking it, but I let Dwindell say it. 🙂 As I, um, cryptically said before, it’ll be at least as interesting if the hair/other evidence comes back as a known animal, given the story associated with it.

    Cliff…. “He had a chance to get a once in a lifetime photograph of an Orang Pendek, but decided that just any photo wouldn’t do, it had to be a perfect photo?? Sheeesh, come on now. Wouldn’t an investigator, on an expedition for cryptids, given the rare opportunity to see OP snap whatever photos he could just to make sure he got at least one, then maybe after securing at least one photo then try to get to a better vantage point??”

    I thought and thought about this, and believe I finally came up with a solution… Dave Archer’s fulltime job is a Sears Portrait Studio photographer! He would not be happy unless he could get Orang Pendek photos like these….here and here.

  34. cliff responds:

    It’s hard to believe that anyone would pass up the once in a lifetime photo opportunity of a major cryptid to try to get a better vantage point. I could see someone snapping off a few quick shots THEN trying for a better vantage point, but I can’t see things happening the way they were described by Shuker. And like Dwindell said, it’s also very strange that they mention “photos” of the tracks instead of actual track casts that could be analyzed. He did say they had moisture problems, but I’ve witnessed tracks being cast successfully in moist conditions, it could have been done, so why wasn’t a planned “expedition” prepared with all the neccessary equipment?

  35. Loren Coleman responds:

    For news of the release of one of the photographs of the alleged Orang Pendek footprint and a detailing of the evidence, see here.

    An update on the expedition is found here.

  36. DWA responds:

    cliff:

    “It’s hard to believe that anyone would pass up the once in a lifetime photo opportunity of a major cryptid to try to get a better vantage point. ”

    Well, I can actually believe it.

    Given the barrier that so many need to get over of their own skepticism (“Oh, I won’t see one…”), the shock factor alone militates against a good shot. Maybe against remembering you have a camera. (How many of those have I read.) I honestly think I would focus on seeing it first. Maybe I’m self-centered (check that. I know I am). But I would have my proof at that point, and for those few moments The Quest to Document could go hang. I’d want to cement it in my own mind before thinking about the world’s. After all, I *am* having a once in a lifetime opportunity, right then and there. And I don’t want to blow it.

    I remember once setting my camera up for a spectacular sunset. Tripod; cable release; lens; put it together; bracket bracket bracket; unscrew everything; put it away; pick up the pack; start walking….wait a minute! I HADN’T SEEN THE SUNSET. Photographing a sunset and seeing one, I can attest from personal experience, are totally unrelated activities. I’d imagine this is the case here, too.

    None of us would ever know unless we were right where he was, I don’t think.

  37. shockbeton responds:

    We have taken hair samples found at the site, and bagged some rattan which it was eating. We will have these analysed by Todd Disotell.

    Sooo. Todd, how’s that analysis coming along?

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