Day 3 of the CFZ Weird Weekend 2012

Sunday at the Weird Weekend 2012 In Woolfardisworthy, Devon.

By Tania Poole - from the CFZ Australia, now living in the wilds of a Yorkshire valley...

Apparently, during the night, here in Woolfardisworthy, a leopard was heard calling nearby! Jon McGowan, a large cat expert and hunter, heard it at about 5am, while he camped by the local Community Centre. Jon has heard many large cats before, so he should know. Yes, all manner of weird things come to the Weird Weekend, even cryptids like out-of-place leopards.

First of the day was Richard Muirhead’s ‘The Flying Snakes of Namibia’ where he looked into old stories from the 1950s where someone saw a flying snake – or thought they did. Since then and in many areas of this south western part of Africa, people who see lights in the sky at night, don’t say it’s a UFO like we would, but that it’s a flying snake with glowing lights on its head.

Lars Thomas gave us a run down on the cryptids of Denmark, ranging from bugs, beetles, wolves, and chipmunks, to trolls, hominids and lake monsters. Lars not only reads a lot, and travels to see  location of sightings, but he uses the microscope to discover what is out there – and has tested many hairs under a microscope, finding leopards, out-of-place cats, hominids, and even a platypus hair…from New Zealand. The old stories in Denmark of hominids and hairy creatures are found in many old documents from wooden carvings to old manuscripts. He also knows of a colony of Siberian Chipmunks that live in forests in Denmark, but is uncertain how they got there. The questions at the end even involved Trolls, and it was clear to Lars and many others that questions were asked in relation to the ‘Troll Hunter’ movie, released in 2011.

Richard Freeman spoke about the Sumatra expedition of 2011 – so far the largest group to go on an expedition, splitting 3 teams up to cover more ground to try and see the Orang-Pendek. Even our fair Rebecca Lang was mentioned, as she and Mike Williams were two of the explorers. There was no success in seeing the cryptid this time round, like the sighting in 2009, but Richard still has hopes to see something one day and tick this off as ‘found’ for the CFZ.

Lars and Jon teamed up to talk about the nature walk they took people on the grounds of the community centre, and Lars came back with photos of several bugs and flies – including over a dozen types of hover fly.

Ronan Coghlan, the CFZ’s ever hilarious trickster talked about Sinbad the sailor, and the cryptids he had encountered. This re-introduced us to creatures like the Roc, and the ‘Old Man of the Sea’ – from Sumatra and probably like our Orang-Pendek or even the Flores dwarf.

Jon ended the Weird Weekend by remembering those lost to us this year – Jeanett Thomas, the late wife of Lars, and Lionel Beer’s long term partner Joy who passed away this week. And there was acknowledgment of a CFZ birth and a wedding too.

The dinner was held in the hall this year, with a wonderful meal presented to us by the lovely ladies of the community centre, and we all ended the night eating a CFZ cake too. After dinner, a small few of us stayed behind and watched ‘Occasional Monsters’ a British film that, I think, was inspired by Nick Redfern’s book ‘Three Men seeking Monsters.’

Due to the excitement about possibly having a leopard nearby, Max Blake, Jon McGowan, Darren Naish, and Mark North appeared to walk away from the Community Centre equipt with headlights, torches and wet weather gear, into the dark fields of the Devon countryside in search of it. The rest of us (now an even smaller group) listened to Silas Hawkins read out a third story of Richard Freeman’s book ‘Green Unpleasant Land’ – this one a rather creepy one about the Bodmin little people. Richard is an excellent writer of the macabre and I recommend this book, and not just to those interested in forteana, but those who love ghost stories.

This ended the XIIIth Weird Weekend for 2012, and as a representative of the Australian CFZ gang, I was honoured to be there (It certainly helps when you are currently living in Yorkshire). Thanks to Jon and Corinna Downes, and all other members of the CFZ that helped me out this weekend. And thanks to Joe Thomas who taught me how to say Haribo properly! Those of you who have not been to a Weird Weekend, make an effort, DON’T MISS IT!

Plight of the Orang-utan in focus

In searching for the Orang Pendek, which some believe is a sub-species of Orang-utan, it's worth focusing on the plight of its iconic orange-furred cousin - and a new book out.

In the 1960s, it was believed that no more than about 4000 orang-utans remained in the wild. Consequently, IUCN - The World Conservation Union - declared the ape an endangered species, demanding its world-wide protection.

Nevertheless, the orang-utan today faces extinction because it is dependent on a rain-forest habitat that is rapidly being demolished due to human greed, and a growing human population.

Rijksen was among the first to make a detailed study of the ape in the wild, emerging as an authority on orang-utan conservation. In the late 1980s he became so alarmed by local rumours of the rapid decline of wild orang-utans that he initiated the study leading to this book. Meijaard conducted the ambitious, island-spanning surveys in Borneo and Sumatra to reveal the ape's whereabouts.

This is the story of their findings. It is the first comprehensive study of the ape's distribution and status based on a wealth of first-hand field data, and a frank, disturbing account of a mixture of good intentions, ignorance and greed, spelling doom for our Asian relative.

Nevertheless, the authors emphasise that the orang-utan can survive. A realistic plan to save the ape, and with it thousands of unique wild animals and plants, does exist. It is the authors' hope that Our Vanishing Relative, so urgent and eloquent in its description of the deadly net of problems descending over our helpless relative, will awaken attention and empathy in order to safeguard the future of the orang-utan.

CFZ Sumatra expedition guide Sahar Dimus dies

We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Sahar Dimus, who only a few months ago helped to organise and run our CFZ expedition to Sumatra in search of the Orang pendek.

Expedition leader Adam Davies has written a tribute on his Extreme Expeditions website.

"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..."

Read the entire tribute here.

A sneak peek at the new Orang Pendek book...

Isn't it grand? We'll be ordering a copy of Orang Pendek: In Search of Sumatra's Forgotten Ape ASAP after it has rolled off the printers.

Artist Mark North is the man behind the stunning cover; CFZ Zoological Director Richard Freeman is the author whose writing, multiple trips to Sumatra and unique insight will combine to make this an unforgettable tome; and CFZ Director Jonathan Downes is the brains behind bringing this book to publication.

Tell Santa you want this one for Christmas cobbers!

And for those who want a taste of what might be contained therein, watch our CFZ Sumatra Expedition video here:

Hunt for the Orang Pendek 2011 - the video!

You've heard all about our expedition on this blog and elsewhere, now enjoy this short presentation on this year's expedition...

Is this evidence of the Orang Pendek?

An Orang Pendek handprint? Photo: Andrew Sanderson

CFZ zoological director Richard Freeman has had a third article published in The Guardian about our expedition in search of the Orang Pendek:

"Even in this age of satellite mapping and global positioning, there remain "lost worlds" where few humans tread and where species of animal unrecognised by science live. Kerinci Seblat National Park in West Sumatra is one such place. The size of a small country, its dim, steamy interior has never been explored properly. Last month I returned to these jungles for the fourth time to track an elusive and, as yet, unrecorded species of ape known to the locals as the orang pendek or "short man".

"This year's expedition was the largest of its kind ever to visit the area. It consisted of two teams. The first, made up of Adam Davies (expedition leader at the Centre for Fortean Zoology), Dave Archer, Andrew Sanderson and myself, would concentrate on the highland jungles around Lake Gunung Tujuh. The second team, consisting of Dr Chris Clark, Lisa Malam, Rebecca Lang, Mike Williams, Jon McGowan and Tim De Frel would have their base in the "garden" area – the more open, semi-cultivated land that abuts onto the true forest."

Read the full article here.

The CFZ's Richard Freeman wrote these two articles prior to the CFZ Sumatra Expedition kicking off.

On the trail of the Orang Pendek, Sumatra's mystery ape

Orang Pendek quest begins in Sumatra

A miscellany of Orang Pendek reports

From the Calgary (Alberta) Herald, March 14, 1958.

You might recall we ran an article while we were in Sumatra about the discovery of a so-called 'ape-girl'. 

So was this ape girl really an Orang Pendek candidate? Or just a feral girl or lost child? 

Perhaps she was even a member of a tribe of small-statured people rumoured to live in the furtherest reaches of Sumatra...

Here we've collected together a miscellany of articles about, and possibly related to, the subject of our recent quest - enjoy!

From The Adelaide Mail, August 13, 1932.

The Broadford Courier and Reedy Creek Times (Broadford, Vic. : 1893 - 1916), Friday 22 March 1912.

Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954), Thursday 6 July 1922.

Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1885 - 1954), Saturday 3 January 1925.

The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Thursday 23 June 1932.

Advocate (Burnie, Tas. : 1890 - 1954), Monday 27 June 1932.

Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954), Tuesday 23 August 1932.

Sumatran Stories: Dave Archer's 2009 Orang Pendek sighting

Back in 2009 CFZ Sumatra expedition member Dave Archer caught sight of our elusive bipedal quarry - here's his story in his own words:

Sumatran Stories: The Orang Pendek

As we slog through the jungles of Sumatra, we've lined up some posts to keep you entertained. This latest one profiles our quarry, the legendary Orang Pendek, the man-ape of Sumatra.

Deep in the Kerinci region of Sumatra, a creature is said to exist that has a lot in common with apes - and humans. The so-called Orang Pendek (literally meaning 'short man' in the native tongue) is a ground-dwelling bipedal ape about three feet tall. It also leaves behind a somewhat unusual footprint, as seen below compared to several others.

The animal has allegedly been seen and documented for at least one hundred years by forest tribes, local villagers, Dutch colonists, and Western scientists and travelers. 

But what is it? This 1932 newspaper article describes an encounter with the creature (skip to the second half):

And another article details a startling discovery:

Curiouser and curiouser!

CFZ Sumatra Expedition 2011 kicks off!

Bags have been packed and flights caught. We rendezvous with our British colleagues within the next 24 hours and head off into the jungle.

Will we find the Orang Pendek, or evidence of the elusive creature? 

Stay tuned!

Adam Davies at the Weird Weekend 2011

CFZ expeditions organiser Adam Davies attended this year's Weird Weekend and spoke about the search for the Orang Pendek.

Readers of this blog will know that the CFZ team will shortly return to the wilds of Sumatra (next week in fact!) to continue the search for evidence of the Orang Pendek, the upright-walking ape seen for the past 100 years.

Watch on...and stay tuned for Orang Pendek updates in coming weeks.

Update: Sumatra 2011 - In Search of the Orang-Pendek

Details of the planning of the CFZ Sumatra expedition are almost finalised, and the trailcam fundraiser has been a great success, with four Bushnell trail cameras (aka game cameras) secured thanks to the generosity of CFZ supporters.

A big thank you to Glen Vaudrey, who drove the fundraising, and to Adam Davies and Andrew Sanderson who have worked hard on planning the trip.

The team, as it stands, will comprise the following members: Dr Chris Clark, Richard Freeman, Dave Archer, Jon McGowan, Lisa Dowley, Andrew Sanderson, Rebecca Lang and Mike Williams.

The countdown to September has begun!

A bit of fun for this year's CFZ Sumatra expedition

Jon Downes and Richard Freeman get ancy with this Adam Ant/Amphibians-inspired homage to the Orang Pendek!

Meet the Cryptozoologist: Adam Davies

The fourth guest in our new Meet the Cryptozoologist series is UK adventurer and author Adam Davies.

Welcome Adam!

How did you first get involved in researching strange and mysterious creatures?
I first started tracking animals when I was a child. As a teenager, I watched Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious Worlds `, and it mentioned that Professor Ivan Mackerle was going to hunt of the Mokele-Mbembe in the Congo. From that day on, I decided I was going too.

What were some of the early influences in your life?
Please see above, but I have also been influenced by other historical figures. As a boy I first read accounts of Stanley's journeys down the Congo. The accounts of Shackleton, and Mallory and Irvine were also inspirational. I have grown up with Sir David Attenborough's wonderful series of documentaries,and have been in correspondence with him recently.

Have you personally seen one of these creatures?
Yes,I have seen the Seljord Serpent in Norway.It was amazing! Perched on my little boat, I had the most incredible adrenaline buzz as we chased after it. I felt like Captain Ahab!

What creatures particularly interest you?
I love looking for ‘Yeti’ type creatures, as I am fascinated about what we will learn by their discovery. Probably a lot about ourselves!! I also like Lake Monster investigations as well.

What cryptids are most likely to exist in your opinion?
The Orang-Pendek does exist, as does the Thylacine, ABCs, and the Seljord Serpent.I don't believe in all cryptids though - Chupacabaras are a no-no for me.

What’s your favourite?
My favourite is the Orang-Pendek. I am desperate to preserve the environment and prove its existence before it’s all destroyed. I feel a personal attachment there.

What’s your favourite Australian cryptid?
My favourite Australian cryptid is the Thylacine. I would like to look for that, and the Yowie.

Have you developed any theories around where the more unusual animals - i.e. yowies/bigfoot - have come from?
Yes - take a look at the article I have written for EdgeScience magazine, issue 7. It’s all there!

Have you written any books/articles?
Yes, I have written lots of articles, and one book Adam Davies Extreme Expeditions, Travel Adventures Stalking the World's Mystery Animals.

Do you have a website?
Yes - if you tap Adam Davies Extreme Expeditions in to Google, you will find my website http://www.extreme-expeditions.com.

How many mystery animal reports would you receive a year?
On average I receive about two a week, but they tend to come in flows. Nothing for a couple of weeks, then I'll receive three in one day.

What’s the closest you’ve personally come to finding something?
I have seen and was part of a team who's findings on the Seljord Serpent were analysed by the Marine research in Bergen institute as being from an unknown species. Over the years I have had scientists form the USA, Britain, Denmark and Australia anlayse field research, and evidence I have brought back on the Orang-Pendek. The conclusions reached have been 'unknown primate'. I always send my any of my findings off to be analysed independently by respected academics, who are at the top of their fields.

What’s the farthest you’ve traveled to go ‘in search of’ mystery animals?
I have travelled all over the world, literally! Mongolia, China, the Congo, Norway, Russia India and many more!

What’s next for you - any trips planned? Books or articles to write? Talks to give?
My next planned trip is to Sumatra again in September. I would also like to have a go at hunting for Sasquatch pretty soon, and I have started looking into that.

Could you share some of your favourite cryptozoology book titles with us?
I would rather do it by author. Everyone knows Sanderson, but for modern stuff, have a look at titles by Karl Shuker and Loren Coleman for some good background and science on cryptids. Redfern and Freeman are fun, entertaining reads. Have a look at both types of the genre.

What advice would you give anyone getting into the field of cryptozoology?
I would say , go for it,get out there and go on expeditions, it's immensely rewarding, and you will remember what you did every single day of your life. If you want help or advice, then ask me!

EdgeScience features Sumatra's Orang Pendek

CFZer Adam Davies, the expedition planner who is pulling together the 2011 Sumatra campaign, has written of his numerous trips to the area hunting the Orang Pendek for EdgeScience magazine #7.

Adam writes:

"But a serious consideration of the scientific evidence for the orang-pendek points in two directions at once. The structural analysis of the hair suggests either an orangutan, or something very closely related to an orangutan. The DNA analysis, on the other hand, points to a human or something very closely related to humans. But why can’t it be both?" 

You can download a free copy of the magazine from the website.

Preps for Sumatra 2011 underway

Preparations have commenced for the Sumatra expedition now that some key aspects of the trip have been finalised - namely the purchasing of tickets!

And while Mike is the pinnacle of fitness, Rebecca has some work to do in the fitness department that includes regular rigorous bushwalks and weight training.

We're going into some pretty challenging terrain choc-a-bloc full of tigers (you know, SUMATRAN tigers), leopards, snakes, giant spiders (Rebecca's favourite) and orang-utans. In other words, we'll be strolling into some of the most biologically diverse terrain on the planet!

But the Orang Pendek isn't the only mystery animal hiding out in the jungles of Indonesia.

In 2005 the World Wildlife Federation's game cameras captured a still of a strange little red-furred carnivore (pictured below), nicknamed the 'Bornean red carnivore', the identity of which remains a mystery for now.

So you see, there will be more than enough to keep us busy while we look for the little hairy man!

Sumatra's Short Man of the Forest

We finally finished watching Murray Collins' Short Man of the Forest, which was released in 2004, but only arrived in the mail this week (and no, we didn't order it seven years ago, we only just managed to track down a copy!).

It was interesting watching the documentary, in which Collins goes in search of the Orang Pendek, for many reasons, but you can't help but be struck by the thought that the folk over at Nat Geo's Beast Hunter used his doco as a template for a recent episode of their Beast Hunter franchise.

Collins, a Brit fluent in the local lingo (a big plus), talks to researchers and witnesses - most of whom reprise their interviews in the much later 2010 Beast Hunter episode (Debbie Martyr, Jeremy Holden, and local farmers and guides) - and treks through the jungle to Lake Gunung Tuju (aka the Lake of Seven Peaks), as Pat Spain later does. Collins and Spain visit the (same?) market and ask if anyone has seen the 'short man' (and get the same hilarious reaction). They even visit the same local shaman!

If you want to be bald about it, it looks like the Beast Hunter crew has pretty much lifted Collins' trip template and used a new front man to spice up the format, which is kind of disappointing. OK, you could argue there are precious few people to interview, and experiences to have, but really...

What's great about Short Man of the Forest though is that it features as its protagonist a fluent Indonesian-speaking primatologist who approaches the subject with the kind of open, enquiring mind that draws in the viewer. You could same the same of biologist Spain, but Collins conveys a genuine earnestness in his quest and the documentary comes off less boy's own adventure and more scientific quest, which is surely the point.

A close encounter with a tiger and a snake doesn't put Murray off, and he has some thoughtful reflections on what the creature could be (is the tiger's deep throaty roar a part of the mythology?), and attempts to deconstruct some of the problems with the Orang Pendek story.

For Orang Pendek fans, it certainly doesn't hurt to watch both, but you will find that while six or seven years elapse between filming, not much else happens, which is a shame in the case of the Beast Hunter episode as so much has happened since the early 2000s it seems almost criminal to have overlooked it.

Sumatra 2011 - In Search of the Orang-Pendek

CFZ expedition planner Adam Davies has launched the latest Centre of Fortean Zoology expedition - the continuing search for the Orang-Pendek - over on the CFZ HQ blog.

The team, as it stands, will comprise the following members: Dr Chris Clark, Richard Freeman, Dave Archer, Jon McGowan, Lisa Dowley, Andrew Sanderson, Rebecca Lang and Mike Williams.

Here's what Adam has to say about the Orang Pendek:

"Sumatra, and the Orang-Pendek in particular, hold a special affection for me. Since I first visited this beautiful country, with its dense virgin rainforest and proud tribal people, I have always been fascinated by the orang-pendek, the 'short man' of the forests.

"I have no doubt the Orang-Pendek exists. Over the years I have interviewed many witnesses who have seen this creature. In 2009 the CFZ expedition was fortunate to have an eyewitness ourselves in Dave Archer, and Sahar Dimus saw one pinned against a tree, before it scurried away from us into the jungle."

Read the whole post here.

Orang Pendek update - new species?

Danish zoologist Lars Thomas has finished his analysis of the suspected Orang Pendek hairs brought back from the 2009 CFZ Sumatra expedition - and it sounds very promising indeed!

Read all about it here: http://forteanzoology.blogspot.com/2010/11/lars-thomas-analysis-of-orang-pendek.html

Do Wild Men roam the earth?

Could wild men still be roaming the jungles, forests and wilderness regions of the world?

There are reports from all over the globe of large 'man apes' - America has its Bigfoot; Canada has its Sasquatch; Australia has its bush ape, the Yowie; Indonesia boasts the Orang-Pendek; Brazil has its Mapinguary; China has its Yeren; Vietnam its Wildman; India its 'forest man' or Mande Barung; Nepal its Yeti...surely there must be something to all of these tales?

And what are they? Remnant race? Distant cousin? A new species?

Henry Gee, senior editor of that esteemed journal Nature, reckons there's a strong chance:

"It is entirely legitimate to ask whether H. floresiensis, or something like it, still exists, or, perhaps, became extinct in historical times: a human version of the red gazelle, perhaps.

"And if one admits H. floresiensis to the canon, what of other celebrated mythical beasts - if not necessarily Nessie, then the orang pendek of Malaysia? The yeti? The sasquatch? Bigfoot? Are all such creatures the products of delusion, conspiracy theories and hoax? Perhaps - but not necessarily. The little we know of those large mammals on the fringes of knowledge suggests that they live in remote places, are very shy, are extremely rare, and that to find them before they become extinct requires a degree of luck. So far, no hard evidence for yetis (say) has emerged. But in a world that hosts H. floresiensis and the saola, the kouprey and the red gazelle, one should keep an open mind."

How refreshing and inspiring to know there are still some very open minds in science, and that the spirit of adventure and inquiry isn't dead - not by a long shot!

This week there has been talk of launching a high-level expedition in the remote mountains of China's Shennongjia Nature Reserve in search of the Yeren, a costly exercise but one that could very possibly bear fruit given the remote locality.

In neighbouring India, the CFZ will soon be searching for the Mande Barang (or Burung) during a three-week expedition departing October 31 and returning November 20. The team consists of seasoned explorers Adam Davies, Dave Archer, Jon McGowan, Dr. Chris Clark and Richard Freeman.

To get an idea of what the team are in for when they get there, read Alistair Lawson's BBC story from 2008 about the Mande Barung sightings.

Now don't you wish you were getting out of that armchair and going with them?