A few questions.

I am in a bit of a rush today. Quite literally , as I seem to have a bit of a dodgy gut.......
Ah well, it will pass!And Pass!

Last night , I went on the Parafactor Radio show to talk about the expedition .As always with those guys the show was a blast ,and I had a lot of fun. It did lead me to think though, I should answer a few of the points raised by people in Cryptomundo and elsewhere. So here are a few that really struck me:

1/ Firstly, I am not a member of the CFZ. That said, I have always supported their aims, and the other three members of the expedition team are members. I led the expedition, and invited those people on the team bacause I though they had unique skills to offer, not because of any organisation they belonged to. Dave is a great Tracker, Chris a level headed explorer with considerable technical expertise, and Richard because of his considerable Zooalogical expertise. We payed for the expedition as private individuals, we were not funded by any organisation including the CFZ, and any equipment we brought was our own. I am not under contract with any film company, and the press releases issued by the CFZ have nothing to do with me. I do not see them before they go out.

2/ In terms of planning, I have been to Sumatra some 5 times. The area I picked to go this time was very carefully chosen by me, as I have found foodprints ,and or hair samples before. The analysis is done by independant scientists , not cryptozoologists. For example, the hairs were previously studied by Dr.Hans Brunner, famous for his scrutiny in the Lindy Chamberlain murder trial. The prints have been analysed by Dr.Jeff Meldrum(U.S.A) and by David Chivers from the university of Cambridge. They independantley came to the decision that they were from an unkown primate. Professor Todd Disotell will be carrying out the analysis this time.

3/ Equipment is always an emotive subject. There is always something better you could bring, but as I have said ,we brought the best we had with the money we had. That included night vison equipment, infa red cameras ,and camera traps. Do not forget , you have to haul all this gear through the jungle, and weight is a serious issue. If I get better equipment I will use it-witness the films I have made for the History Channel. My only regret in terms of equipment is that the plaster of Paris the guides had purchased for casting , had degraded and we could not use it. That said , I have got a print there before, which has been shown on Cryptomundo, and we found several trails, these were photographed to scale. These things happen in the field .

4/ Matt Billie asked a very good question as to whether it could have been a Lars Gibbon. I am used to seeing Gibbons in the jungle , adn Sahar is a really experienced guide .I am certain he would not mistake an Orang-Pendek for a Gibbon, and his astonished reaction compounds that view. The physical descriptions by both eyewitnesses do not match Gibbon.

5/ Normally my expeditions do not last more than a month or less, because I have to work full time. In my dream scenario I make films, and do this full time. Unfortunately I am not yet living the dream, so back to the day job.

I will be sending off the samples on Saturday. I will update this blog again later next week.

Earthquake in Sumatra.

Last night, after a returned home I saw some shocking news.The city we had left only a few days ago, in Sumatra, Pedang had been devastated by an earthquake. Having visitied the area some 5 times, Iwas able to recognise familiar streets strewn with rubble. All I can say is my thoughts are with those who are struggling out there in this crisis. If you want to do something to help, then donate to a voluntary organisation like the Red Cross or Medicene Sans Frontier, they both do excellent work.
In 2007 I was in the midst of an earthquake whilst I was in the jungle in Sumatra.The easiest way to describe what happened is that the ground felt like it had turned to liquid , you were unable to stand up, and that the animals were terrified. I also heard on the news this morning that siesmologists predict a further bigger quake along that fault line in the next 2 to 5 years.

The area where the Orang-Pendek is,is also wedged between volcanoes- when I was there Sahar showed me stills of Kerinci spewing lava only 5 months before. A very rare creature in a very volatile environment.
The good news is that the team in Indonesia have made contact with me this morning ,so it appears they are safe. My thoughts are with the families of those who have suffered loss......

Testing The Evidence.

I had a look at Cryptomundo last night, and the evidence we found, or certainly the nature of it, seem to be causing a lively debate! Soon I will write up a more detialed account of the expedition and publish it on the blog. What I will do today is stick to the facts on what we actually got , and what I intend to do next in terms of analyising that evidence.

1/ We have got both Rattan that the animal was probably chewing, and hair .

The Rattan + 1 hair was found at the location where Dave Archer and Sahar Didmus saw the Orang-Pendek. This was in a place I specifically choseto go, after finding tracks there on previous occcasions , including the cast of the footprint I found in 2001.

2/ We also have numerous hairs found on a tree . This ran parallell to another Orang-Pendek track I found on the other side of the Lake.

3/ We found two seperate Orang-Pendek trails which I photographed. These were identified by the Forest Rangers as originating from the OP. In terms of size and other specifics etc, they match the print I found in 2001.

4/We have two eyewitnesses, and I also have a sworn affadavit from forest ranger Sahar Didmus as to what he saw. We do not have a photo.

What next? The hair and Rattan will now be subject to scientific analysis by Professor Todd Disotell, from New York University. Whilst I cannot be sure they are from the OP, I can be confident they were gathered in the best possible manner they could be in the field, using sterilised tweezers, with no cross human contamination. They are now stored in ethanol. I will of course, make that information public.

I am Back !

I am back in the U.K. A few scars, but nothing that won`t heal. I have so much to tell you!
However, possibly the greatest highlight is that two team members, Dave Archer, and Sahar Didmus saw the Orang-Pendek. I took the team to an area where I have found prints before. As we were approaching that location, I heard the movement of a large animal, and ordered the team to stop. As Dave and Sahar peeled off to move slightly ahead, both of them caught sight of the OP. Dave reported that it had attempted to hide, pinning its face against a tree. Subsequently, it then moved with a bipedal motion , on two legs, through the jungle. Dave reported that the creature most closely resembled a chimpanzee .Of course though, there are no chimpanzees in Indonesia, and none that walk on two legs!!
We found several trails, including some with great footprints.Probably most importanly of all , we also found chewed rattan and hair samples in tow locations where we found the trails. This could well be of enormous significance, as if they are from the animal, we will be able to identify its DNA.....

I will of course post furhter updates on the Blog .

To come: How I ended up being kissed by a King, and the perils of dealing with Tigers at night...!

Yeti Just sighted!

Just sighted!


I have just been sent a report that an Orang-Pendek has been sighted right in the area where we are going to be looking-it was spotted by villagers eating some fruit on the edge of farmland!

Its getting exciting! Right , I really do have to go now...................

I am off to Sumatra!

Well, after months of planning ,I am finally on my way in a few hours.

I have got alll my kit camrea traps , G.P.S. etc - including as much Beef Jerkey as my kit will carry........

I am looking forward to the jungle , but not the food- I have spent several months eating fish head curry three times a day in previous expeditions! Where is the rest of the damn fish?

Still I will no doubt be offered some spicy chicken heads to wash it down with . Great people , beautiful country, but I reckon I could make a million by building a fat camp here...........

I will update you ,if I can when I can .

I want to see it. I want to see it so badly, I dream about it.

I will now have been to Indonesia five times looking for evidence of the Orang –Pendek, the Sumatran Yeti. Importantly, I have found real scientific evidence of its existence . For example , the hair I found in 2001 was identified as being from an unknown primate, by the gentleman who analysed the hair in the famous Dingo baby case; while a primatologist at Cambridge reached the same conclusion over the prints.(see my book Extreme expeditions : Travel Adventures Stalking The World’s Mystery Animals –for more details). Any evidence I do /will find will always be open to independent scientific scrutiny. Otherwise it counts for nothing.

I have spent thousands of pounds of my own money looking for the Orang- Pendek . I have interviewed reams of witnesses, and travelled hundreds of miles through jungle. I have been been sucked by too many leeches to count, and on one memorable occasion realised I had bacillary dysentery, whilst I was on top of a mountain….

Why?

The Lake where we are going on the second part of the expedition, Tujuh is an exceptionally beautiful place. A volcano crater which is shrouded by Primal Jungle. As you approach the camp by canoe, Gibbons warn others of your approach. Beyond that , bears. golden cats and Tigers really do roam only a few yards into that forest. In the diversity of its life, there is nowhere like it on earth.

I know the Orang-Pendek exists. I have travelled with several others in search of it, and I can say that the team we have- Dally and Sahar (Indonesia) and myself Chris Richard and Dave are a strong dedicated team. For the first half of the expedition, we will be staying with the Kubu, and I hope to learn about their oral traditions and legends , as well as utilising their services in the quest………

The Palm Oil plantations are upon us . The work we are doing is for good, so wish us luck!

Let me see it………..



Adam Davies.