This Little Bigfoot From Sumatra Is Most Likely Real

Bigfoot, mothman, thunderbirds, dogmen, and of course, the Loch Ness monster… Cryptozoological creatures have fascinated the imagination for centuries- and every once in a while, one turns out to be real. In the early 19th century, European scientists scoffed skeptically at the corpse of a Platypus, which they considered a hoax perpetrated by Chinese sailors. Of course, decades later, it was confirmed as an unusual, but very real creature.

The komodo dragon and the mountain gorilla were similarly considered to be mythical beasts until they were discovered by European zoologists in the early 20th century- hiding away in their dense and impenetrable forest environments. The African Golden Cat was first written about in 1827, but not photographed until 2002. The medium-sized cats are so elusive, that researchers will spend years looking for them before a single sighting.

Even today, new species are being discovered all the time. A group of scientists working in the remote Himalayas identified 211 new species in the region between 2009 and 2014. In Sumatra, a new species of orangutan was discovered just a few years ago. The Tapanuli orangutan, while similar to its more well-known cousins, features a unique skull shape, and many behavioral differences, which clearly make it a distinct species of ape. Only 800 of these primates exist, and the entire population is contained in one remote Sumatran forest.

Elsewhere on the island of Sumatra, centuries of stories describe an even rarer and more unusual primate- roughly 4 ft tall with a flat, human-like face- often mentioned as having a pot belly in spite of its impressively muscular upper body. Stranger still, this primate walks gracefully on two legs, much like a human, and has been witnessed using primitive tools- suggesting a level of intelligence and manual dexterity usually reserved only for humans and our closest ape relatives.

This littlefoot of Sumatra, elusive to photographers but well documented in lore and trace evidence, is known as the orang-pendek. And it is perhaps the best candidate for the next cryptid to be proven real.

Talk to natives of the tiny villages surrounding the forests of Kerinci in Sumatra, and it won’t take long to hear a story of the aptly named orang-pendek, which translates to “little man of the woods.” While the locals seem to have no question about the existence of the elusive primate, Western scientists are more skeptical- requiring physical proof before admitting the orang-pendek into the zoological record.

The first sightings by Western eyes date back to the very beginning of European exploration in the region: in 1295, Marco Polo journeyed to Sumatra, where he described small ape-men in his diary. In the early 19th century, Sumatra became home to Dutch colonies- leading to a number of orang-pendek sightings by so-called “more reliable” European sources. Hundreds of sightings have been recorded by Dutch colonists and other European visitors to the jungle. The encounters are always brief, yet remarkably similar.

Typically, the orang-pendek will be first seen eating- favorite foods include sugarcane, fruits, and insects harvested from fallen wood. Once spotted, the ape will acknowledge the presence of the observer, casting the gaze of their intelligent, human-like eyes upon the witness before quickly running off on two legs. One armed observer admitted he had the animal in his cross-hairs, but once it began to run, he was so overcome by its human-like movement that he felt he would be guilty of murder if he pulled the trigger.

Much like its larger cousins the Yeti and Bigfoot, the orang-pendek has provided the strongest proof for its existence in the prints made by its diminutive, human-shaped feet. Several plaster casts have been made of these prints- one of the most compelling examples was also one of the first- produced by Adam Davies in 1999. This cast contains all the prominent features of the most common ornag-pendek footprint reports; roughly 6 inches long by 4 inches wide, the footprint looks somewhat like a man’s, except for a more pronounced ball, a broader overall shape, and a big toe which protrudes from the side, much like a human thumb.

Primate expert Dr. David Chivers from the University of Cambridge had the opportunity to examine the cast. He noted that the print had aspects of different primate feet, including chimpanzee, orangutan, and human- but as he ultimately reported: “The print did not match any known primate species and I can conclude that this points towards there being a large unknown primate in the forests of Sumatra.”

This particular cast is only one example- dozens of experts have now examined orang-pendek prints, and have largely come to the same conclusions. Unlike controversial Bigfoot prints found in North America, which often appear almost entirely human- the prints of the orang-pendek are fascinating because of their unique amalgamation of several primate features.

On the same expedition that turned up the cast footprint in 1999, Adam Davies and his crew found a few hairs near these tracks, which they believed may provide stronger evidence of the elusive primate. The hairs were brought to Dr. Hans Brunner, the foremost expert in the world on mammalian hair. Dr. Brunner had developed a new technique for species identification, which is now used all over the world. After analyzing the specimens provided by Davies, Dr. Brunner concluded they did not match any known species of primate or any other animal native to Sumatra.

Since the early 2000s, interest in the orang-pendek has increased, with many researchers braving the dense Sumatran jungles in search of the reclusive biped. Despite the abundance of anecdotal sightings and the trace physical evidence, no one has yet produced any clear photographic or anatomical proof- skeptics cite this as definitive proof that the creature must be a misidentified orangutan or sunbear. Yet, when one looks critically at the eyewitness reports, there are so many consistent aspects which contradict the behaviors of these other animals. For starters, none of these creatures have a footprint that looks anything like the alleged orang-pendek prints.

The Sumatran orangutan has reddish fur, more vibrant than the darker brown and gray of the orang-pendek. While they will occasionally walk on two feet, the orangutan rock awkwardly from side to side in such a stance, holding their arms in the air to stabilize their rocky gait. Moreover, their faces feature large plates, giving them a distinctive and decidedly non-human appearance. But the most compelling dismissal of the misidentified-orangutan hypothesis is the fact that the Sumatran orangutan has never been seen in the Kerinci forest, preferring the jungles further north on the island.

Sunbears are an even more absurd suggestion- while their coloring is right, their mole-like faces do not match any description of the orang-pendek. Furthermore, they are incapable of walking on two feet for more than a few steps, and their footprints feature signature marks from their long claws with no protruding big toe. The sunbear lacks an opposable thumb, which means it can not grasp tools, as the orang-pendek has often been described.

Yet, there is one other mammal who does possess remarkably similar traits to the orang-pendek. Unfortunately, the existence of the Nepalese Small Yeti is equally challenging to verify. Much like with its Sumatran cousin, there are hundreds of Small Yeti eyewitness reports and footprints (which are described as identical to those of the orang-pendek). Their height, coloring, upright stance, and bipedal movement match exactly in reports.

In fact, the only differences between the two fabled primates would be perfectly explained by their difference in climate. The cold mountains of Nepal would require a more carnivorous diet, which would explain the Small Yeti’s more predatory and aggressive behavior.

If one accepts that the orang-pendek is real, and that it possibly has a cousin roaming the mountains of Nepal, then it must have a genetic link to other primates. One popular hypothesis is that they may be close relatives of Homo Floresiensis: a recently discovered ancestor of humans, popularly known as hobbits due to their small stature. First discovered in 2004, these human ancestors stood roughly 3 feet tall. They were found with evidence of tools, weapons, and fire in a remote cave on the island of Flores, not far at all from the jungles of Sumatra. It is believed that Homo Floresiensis died off around 12,000 years ago- and while some have theorized the orang-pendek may be a surviving population of these diminutive human ancestors, the physiological differences are too great for that to make much sense. However, it is quite possible that the reclusive jungle primate may have some genetics in common with Homo Floresiensis.

The larger point to consider is that even in the 21st century, new discoveries about our primate lineage are coming to light all the time. From the identification of a new orangutan species, to 12,000 year old remains of an ancient relative, the understanding of our closest relatives is constantly evolving. Perhaps one day soon, a fortunate find in the deep jungles of Sumatra could officially announce the long-suspected existence of the orang-pendek.