MAKALU BARUN YETI EXPEDITION 2017: Strange tracks at 13000ft

One of my main objectives during this expedition was to look for tracks on snow-covered passes at moderate altitudes. My Nepalese guide and I were able to find just such a location high above the infamous Barun Valley, which has long been considered to be a prime Yeti habitat.

After setting up cameras by the Barun river, which took well over five hours, we decided to explore the high mountain pass just above our current location where we were based. After hiking approximately twenty minutes off the main trail we entered a large field that was covered in relatively hard-packed snow with several large rock formations strewn across it. Above us stood two unnamed peaks connected by a ridge and from our position we had fine views of both Mount Makalu to the west and the Kanchenjunga range to the east.  As we slowly continued to make our way one of the boulders caught my eye as it seemed that there was a dark looking patch of snow just at its base. As we approached the spot it was apparent that something had jumped off the top the rock which I estimated was close to seven feet in height and then proceeded to stride off into the distance.The  large track was very peculiar as it appeared to have been made by something that had large talons or claws. The subsequent tracks,which were almost in a straight line,were much smaller and appeared to be hoofed.

After a considerable amount of  discussion, we agreed that they were probably made by an ungulate, most likely a blue sheep or a species of musk deer (such as the one below which was photographed the week before at a much lower altitude).

Several  minutes  later and slightly higher up we found another odd looking trackway which my guide adamantly declared was made by a Tehlma or Pigmy Yeti. The tracks were only about 3 inches across and appeared to have 4 or possibly 5 small toes on them. My immediate reaction was that they were most likely made by a snow leopard as they had no heel print. However, my guide quickly explained to me that these Tehlmas when traversing trough snowfields walk on the balls of their feet and therefore the heel is not visible. He then proceeded to draw an outline of what the full foot of the creature would actually look like. A very persuasive argument given the fact that the entire trackway was incredibly straight with a constant stride length which strongly suggested or at least superficially resembled one that an animal walking bipedally would make.

Subsequent trail cam set up in the same vicinity indicated that there was a considerable amount of Himalayan grey wolf activity in the area and therefore my final conclusion is that the tracks were  made by wolf and not a pygmy hominid, but I might be wrong.

Throughout this region the local Sherpa name for the Yeti  is "Cokpa" (pronounced shokpa or sometimes chokpa). These creatures are  virtually never seen but their tracks are said to be enormous and their stride length even more impressive.

As we got closer to the mountain ridge we came upon another intriguing  trackway but this time the tracks were considerably bigger than my size 10 boots. After closer inspection my guide surmised that they were made by a Yeti but of the larger, Cokpa variety. The distance between each individual track was very short, however further up there were large gaps indicating a stride length of well over four feet if indeed they were made by something walking upright. I can only speculate as to what made them; a Himalayan brown bear, a Sherpa porter attempting a treacherous short-cut or just a natural phenomenon such as a chunk of ice skipping down a slope.

This was my fourth expedition into the Himalayas and I still strongly feel that modern day Yeti sightings and tracks can be attributed to a known or unknown species of bear. However, further expeditions focused on lower altitudes in this region are needed in order to finally resolve the enigma of the Abominable Snowman.

ORANG PENDEK EXPEDITION 2016: Into The Fray Radio Podcast

 I recently had the opportunity to discus my ongoing research into Orang Pendek and other anomalous primates with Shannon LeGro, the host of Into the Fray Radio. This is only my second podcast since I began investigating relict hominids some eight years ago, and I hope to do them on a more regular basis. You can listen to the show here:

https://intothefrayradio.com/Episodes/itf-43-international-cryptids-orang-pendek-yeti-daniel-antal/

UPCOMING ORANG PENDEK EXPEDITION

On April 2nd I will be entering the equatorial rain forests of Sumatra to conduct my fifth Orang Pendek expedition.The objective this time around will be to set up trail cameras and DNA traps in multiple locations with an emphasis on Mount Kerinci. This 3805m high stratovolcano has a long history of sightings and is surrounded by large tracts of unspoiled highland rain forest which are virtually unexplored. The perfect habitat for this creature and possibly the best place for obtaining photographic and physical evidence to prove its existence.

Once again I will be teaming up with one of the most experienced guides in the region, Endatno Een, who himself encountered the creature on the slopes of Mt. Kerinci some twenty-five years ago.

I expect to post my first photos and  initial findings shortly after I return in late April.

WHERE TO FIND THE YETI BEAR?

Several months ago I was finally able to get a hold of Professor Sykes' latest book NATURE OF THE BEAST, in which the renowned human geneticist from Oxford documents his search for DNA evidence to support the existence of anomalous primates and relict hominds.

Although the release date of the book was moved on at least two occasions, his conclusions regarding the Yeti hair samples remain unchanged: an archaic proto-polar bear inhabits both the western and eastern regions of the Himalayas. This controversial hypothesis and the lab work associated with it has been peer reviewed and challenged on several occasions,most recently by Proferror Eliécer E. Gutiérrez  and Ronald H. Pines.You can read their research paper here: 

http://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=4885&display_type=list&element_type=8

Having conducted my own field research in three separate areas of the Great Himalayan Range my personal opinion is that at least one type of Yeti, the massive and shaggy Dzu-Teh, is most probably an unclassified subspecies of Himalayan brown bear that exhibits exceptional bipedal abilities.

Although the controversial hairs were found in two very distinct regions,the Kingdom of Bhutan and Lahdak State 
in India, I feel that there are two other areas where more evidence for the Dzu Teh-Yeti Bear connection could be found. My top two regions for the independent researcher would be both in Nepal.The extremely remote Kanchenjunga region which straddles both Nepal and Sikkim,India and the western Dhaulagiri range,particularly the valleys and mountains enclosing the Konabon Glacier. Both of these areas have a considerable amount of historic Yeti reports and below is a brief photographic overview of these two magnificent regions.

Kanchenjunga



Dhaulagiri

If the Dzu-Teh is a known or unknown sub-species of brown bear,then what about the man-sized Meh-Teh? Said to inhabit the temperate and subtropical valleys of Nepal, most of which today are found within buffer zones of various national parks.These regions are also well populated and recent credible sighting are virtually nonexistent. If a relict and breeding population of these creatures does still exit then we have to look elsewhere.Venture further south to India to one of the wettest regions on the planet,the rain forests of Meghalaya.

ORANG PENDEK ENCOUNTERS: The Night-Time Intruder

Eyewitness: Mr. Rahman Kitab and his wife.
Date: 2004
Location: Rawa Bento Swamp Forest

Approximately halfway between the towering Kerinci volcano and the mysterious mountain lake Gunung Tujuh lies an extensive tract of marshland and jungle-clad hills known as the Rawa Bento Swamp Forest. This area has an interesting history of Orang Pendek sighting and some of the first tracks ever described by a foreigner were found here in 1915 by the Dutch naturalist Dr. Edward Jacobson.

The marsh forest itself was virtually uninhabited until the early 1960s when small  farming communities began cropping up,eventually leading to large sections of the wetlands being converted into agricultural land,primarily rice paddy fields. Mr.Kitab moved into one of these villages in 1976, and built himself a small house about one kilometer from the center where the paddy fields merge with the marsh and forested hills.A skilled woodsman with vast experience in tracking and hunting game he would have to wait almost 30 years before it would be his time to encounter the region's most infamous resident,Tirraw.

One clear evening with a half moon in full view the family dog started to bark feverishly.Surprised by the ruckus Mr.Kitab grabbed a high-powered flashlight and went to investigate.As he flung open the door his dog darted inside,he then quickly stepped out and shone a light into the yard.To his amazement and only about 10m away where the edge of his yard blends in with the rice fields was a man-like creature with the face of a monkey.

Only about one meter tall with very broad shoulders and a bulging abdomen, it was walking bipedally in a somewhat awkward side to side manner.Its arms slightly outstretched to the sides and from time to time it would reach out and grab at branches for support and balance.The limbs were of human proportions and its powerfully built body was covered in short brownish-red hair similar to that of a wild boar.The eyes did not reflect light when the flashlight was directed at them,indicating that it was most likely some form of primate and not just a misidentified known animal.

During the encounter,which lasted almost ten minutes, no audible sound was made by the creature as it slowly made its way along the field and then disappeared into darkness of the jungle.Due to the muddy terrain no discernible tracks could be made out, however,several years later he found what he believed were Orang Pendek footprints in the neighboring forest.

The entire event was also witnessed by his wife, making it one of the rare occasions where an Orang Pendek was observed by two individuals.

An interesting footnote is that Sumatran tigers were commonly encountered in the area until about twenty years ago.However, Mr. Kitab believes a black panther took some chickens from his yard about two years ago.This is a rather interesting statement as phantom panthers and melanistic big cats have been mentioned by villagers in several regions during my travels in central Sumatra,despite the fact that leopards (Panthera pardus) have never been officially recorded on the island.







  

ORANG PENDEK ENCOUNTERS : The Grey-Haired Beast

Eyewitness: Mr. Jur

Date: 1987

Location: Danau Gunung Tujuh

At almost 2000m above sea level ,Danau Gunung Tujuh (the Lake of Seven Peaks) is the highest lake in southeast Asia and is reputed to have a depth of 250m. This crater lake has long been considered  by the inhabitants of the Kerinci region to be the home of a short but powerfully built primate whom they call Tirraw, and nobody knows the remote valleys that surround the lake better than Mr. Jur. A semi-permanent resident since 1974 he has assisted on every major Orang Pendek expedition to the lake since the early 1990s but has never been interviewed,until now.

Prior to becoming declared a national park some twenty years ago,Mr Jur extensively hunted and trapped large game such as samba deer,wild boar and interestingly feral goats which roamed the marshes and closed canopy forests that enclose the lake,often spending weeks alone in search of his quarry.The area was also home to a large number of Sumatran tigers whose presence has significantly diminished over the past several decades, however pug marks can be still be found on occasion.

One late morning in 1987 as he was returning to his camp by the lake shore,he spotted a greyish figure standing about twenty meters away.He saw the creature from the back as it proceeded to run away at breakneck speed, grabbing at branches and leaves as it raced from a clearing near the shore and into the forest.

From his vantage point the creature appeared to have a thick waist and very wide shoulders, and its entire body was covered in dark grey hair.He estimated its height to be no more than 1.2 meters and the entire encounter lasted only 10-15 seconds. When he went to look for tracks, he was quite baffled to find human-like foot prints that led in the opposite direction to its movement.

In 1993 he encountered what he believed was the same individual in virtually the same spot.It's also worth noting that two encounters in a span of forty years by a professional woodsman indicates that it's an incredibly elusive and shy animal and chances of having a third sighting are nil.

ORANG PENDEK ENCOUNTERS : 15 Minutes With An Apeman

Eyewitness: Mr.Poniman

Date: November 1980

Location: Planation on Gunung Kerinci

On a sunny morning around 9am Mr.Poniman made his way up to the end of a potato plantation on the slopes of Mount Kerinci. Like many of the inhabitants of the area,he worked the fields surrounding this enormous stratovolcano and had visited this particular location countless times but this day was to be very different.As he neared a clearing which was bordered by a dry stream bed with dense forest behind it he came upon a strange animal which was standing upright and somewhat resembled a pygmy gorilla.

The creature was standing almost motionless and observing him from a distance of approximately 10m. He estimated its height to be around 1.2m and it was covered with reddish brown hair which was of medium length and uniform across the body.The shape of the head was similar to a human's and not pointed.The face resembled a gorilla except the eyes looked very human and the brow ridge was not particularly prominent.The face was hairless but appeared to be somewhat darker than the surrounding hair,the lips were thin.The neck-less head was set on incredibly wide shoulders,possibly 50% wider than that of a normal man.The arms and legs appeared to have very human proportions.

They watched each other for several minutes before it calmly started walking down to the dry stream bed taking steps in a side to side manner.On several occasions it emitted a “Hoo Hoo” sound as it slowly moved away and then proceeded to start grabbing at branches and leaves as it made its way up the bank and then into the forest. The entire encounter lasted for approximately 15 minutes and Mr Poniman was able to examine the tracks in detail. They where approximately 18cm in length with a pointed heel and the track depth was similar to his own foot prints, indicating a body weight of about 60kg. Interestingly,he also determined that the tracks led with the heel and the toes pointed in the opposite direction. 

His son also encountered a similar looking creature on the same plantation in 1983 or 1984.

ORANG PENDEK EXPEDITION 2015: YouTube Videos

Over the past couple of weeks I've been able to put together two short videos which I have now uploaded on YouTube.

The first video (Part 1) is a compilation of photos from the Danau Gunung Tujuh phase of my investigation. I have also included some jungle trekking footage and a series of trail cam pics of a large Malaysian tapir (Tapirus indicus) which was roaming the perimeter of the lake not far from our main camp.   
              

Part 2 is a collection of photos and video clips from the mysterious marshlands known as the Rawa Bento Swamp Forest.This area has a rich history of Orang Pendek tracks and sightings which by all accounts continue up to this very day.The first farming communities appeared here in the mid-1960s and while large portions of the marsh forest have been converted into paddy fields the region remains sparsely inhabited and the surrounding hills still form a large tract of primary rainforest which is very rarely explored even by the locals.In the not so distant future I plan a more extensive investigation of this fascinating region.

My next series of posts will be devoted to eyewitness encounters.None of these individuals have ever been interviewed before and therefore their stories offer additional insight into the physiology and nature of the pygmy apeman known as Tirraw.

ORANG PENDEK EXPEDITION 2015:The Hantu Photo

Orang Pendek is the generic Bahasa Indonesia name for the pigmy apeman said to inhabit the forested mountains  and valleys of central Sumatra. However,in the Kerinci region this unknown hominid is more commonly known as Tirraw. Sometimes the word hantu is added to the name to create Hantu Tirraw. This now means ghost or spirit Tirraw.

On January 27th my guide and I set up a trail cam on a remote plantation just below some steep jungle clad hills. The following morning when I examined the pictures through the view finder I was surprised that only one photo had been triggered,the rest being taken using the pre-set field scan mode. On closer inspection I found find that a strange and shadowy image had been captured at 7:01pm.To make things even more puzzling a 5-foot long stick that had been baited with fruit and stuck into the ground was missing from the photo.Only to reappear in the morning field scan shots leaning against a tree.

In the photo below the yellow elongated triangle represents the initial position of the stick when we left it at 5 pm.The red line is its approximate position in the morning.The blue circle indicates the area where something very black and without eyeshine appears to be lying on the ground,possibly falling on

top of the stick after trying to climb or pounce on it.

Since the object is lacking any distinguishable physical  features and its outline is barely discernible I can only speculate as to what it could be. My initial reaction was that it was a siamang or possibly a langur as there seems to be something elongated like a tail coming off the the main body.Other possible candidates would be a binturong or a local species of jungle feline,but once again the lack of detail makes it impossible to know for sure. As a result I will simply name it the "Hantu Photo".

ORANG PENDEK EXPEDITION 2015: Trail Camera Photos

ORANG PENDEK EXPEDITION 2015: Interview on Paranormal Central

Just a few days ago I participated in my first ever internet radio talk show.I was interviewed by the folks on Paranormal Central which is broadcast on Livestream and Art Bell's Dark Matter Radio Network. The subject matter was my recent expedition to Sumatra and you can see the show here(part 1) http://new.livestream.com/ParanormalCentral1/events/3827303

and here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkKtxbb2SuE

It was a great experience and I'd love to do another show in the near future.

ORANG PENDEK HYPOTHESES

Considerable amount of discussion and speculation on the Web regarding the possible identity of the infamous short person of the Sumatran jungles.Since I will be conducting my fourth expedition in a matter of days I have prepared a brief photographic comparison of three possible "candidates", starting with the least  plausible hypothesis and ending with my personal favorite.I will expand on these when  get I back.

                                 THE HOBBIT HYPOTHESIS

 PYGMY ORANG UTAN HYPOTHESIS

                        

   ROBUST SIAMANG  HYPOTHESIS