Orang Pendek Tracker Has Died

Posted by: Loren Coleman on November 14th, 2011

Adam Davies wrote (on Monday, November 14, 2011, at 1:44 AM ET) with this breaking news: “I have just heard that Sahar Dimus* passed away an hour ago. He has been a friend for years, and was an amazing tracker. I am totally stunned by the news, and have just sent messages of support to his family.”

Dimus died suddenly in his native Sumatra, at the foot of Mount Tuju**, on November 14, 2011.

Sahar Dimus was an individual who actually saw the Orang Pendek. He assisted Adam Davies on five of his expeditions, and due to Davies introducing him to others, helped three of the CFZ expeditions.

Also, Pat Spain, the cryptozoologist host of NatGeo’s Beast Hunter, had used Sadar as his guide and considered him a friend. Spain writes: “Anyone who knew him, liked him. He was such a gentle and kind man. He also really knew the forest and lived in balance with it. He will definitely be missed.”

In the above photograph, the first individual to the left is tracker/ranger Sahar Dimus (also below), then Chris Clark, David Archer, Adam Davies, Richard Freeman, and local guide Donny. Photos: A. Davies.

Here’s is Davies’ new reflective thoughts on his friend:

Sahar Dimus* Passed Away Today.
Mon, Nov 14 2011
Sahar was a great friend of mine, and accompanied me on 5 of my 6 expeditions to Sumatra. In 2001, he was with me when we found the hairs and cast, which were subsequently analysed as being from an “unkown primate”, and of course was there in 2009, when we obtained the hairs which generated a similar result. I last saw him just two months ago, when he and his brother John found what we think is a handprint of the Orang-Pendek, as well as new hair samples, which are currently undergoing testing.
Sahar has featured in several documentaries, firstly with me, in the National Geographic “Is It Real” series, then also with MonsterQuest, and most recently as part of a documentary we filmed in September, with the B.B.C. He also featured in “Beast Hunter” [with Pat Spain ~ LC] and the Destination Truth episodes [with Josh Gates ~ LC].

I first met Sahar in 2001, when he was part of Debbie Martyr’s Tiger protection team. On that occasion I was enormously impressed by his tracking skills – he was I think, the best in the world for years (and I have plenty of experience with international trackers). He had a great affinity with nature, and was keen to protect the forests he so loved. Since then Sahar has always led the Sumatran contingent of my expeditions, and I found him to be a highly organised and jovial guy.

I was privileged to be with him in 2009 when he saw the Orang-Pendek, a moment which he described as “one of the greatest of his life”, and gave him a hug as he sobbed with the emotion of it.

I have watched his sons grow up, and am in shock today at his sudden passing away. My thoughts are for his wife Lucy, and his lovely boys who I know will make him proud.

Adam Davies

Our Cryptomundo condolences to the family and friends of Sahar Dimus. Appreciation to Adam Davies for first sharing this sad news with the world.


Adam Davies and the 2001 cast of an Orang Pendek footprint.

*Sahar had spelled his name “Didmus” and “Dimus,” in various exchanges, but recently took to only using “Dimus” in his emails, writes Davies, so we have standardized to that usage overall here.

**Mount Tujuh (Indonesian: Gunung Tujuh) is a caldera volcano in the Barisan Mountains of Sumatra. It has seven (tujuh) peaks, of which only three have been climbed. Mount Tujuh has a large caldera lake at its center, Lake Gunung Tujuh. It is located within Kerinci Seblat National Park (the site of most of the good Orang Pendek activity and sightings). The mountain supports one of only three known wild populations of the tropical pitcher plant Nepenthes aristolochioides.

(More info.)

Loren Coleman About Loren Coleman
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.


8 Responses to “Orang Pendek Tracker Has Died”

  1. Adam Davies responds:

    Thank you for posting this Loren. I am sure Sahar’s family will appreciate it!

  2. tmi0920 responds:

    That’s very sad – he looks quite young… R.I.P. Sahar

  3. DWA responds:

    RIP Sahar.

  4. mungofoot responds:

    R.I.P. Sahar, your contributions will not be forgotten

  5. Kopite responds:

    Sad news, especially so young. RIP and condolences.

  6. stickyum responds:

    Extremely sad news. R.I.P. Sahar and sincere condolences to your wife and sons.

  7. Cryptoraptor responds:

    When information is available as to what caused Sahar Dimus’ passing please update.

    He died suddenly at the foot of Mount Tuju as a result of what? A heart attack? tiger attack? food poisoning? robbers? bee sting? allergy? rivalry? infection? suicide?……..

  8. Adam Davies responds:

    Luke Mackin, who lives near to Sahar in Kerinchi, mailed me today to say that it appears Sahar died of some kind of acute kidney failure. Of course, medical care is not as comprehensive as you would always wish in Sumatra, so we may never fully get to the bottom of this.

Sorry. Comments have been closed.

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