BBC NEWS | UK | England | Manchester (original) (raw)

By David Green
BBC News Online, Manchester

Explorer Adam Davies - (c) Andrew Sanderson

Adam Davies plans to write a scientific paper on the discovery

Fresh evidence has been found in the jungles of Sumatra supporting claims that a mythical 'jungle yeti' may exist, claim two UK explorers.

Adam Davies and Andrew Sanderson found footprints which seem to match examples they found three years ago, which were shown to be from a new species of ape.

The orang pendek, as it is known, is said by islanders to walk like a man.

The pair, from Stockport and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, now plan to write a scientific paper on their discoveries.

The new evidence was found in the Bukkantingi area of the island.

The pair found new footprints similar to the one they found in 2001

Mr Davies and Mr Sanderson also claim they tracked the creature to within 500 metres but were unable to follow it into dense jungle.

Three years earlier, they found hairs and prints which were analysed independently by scientists and shown to be from an unknown species.

They have now discovered evidence of the creature's existence in separate parts of the island.

Mr Davies told BBC News Online: "When we arrived in Bukkantingi, we were told by the villagers that they had seen the orang pendek only two days earlier.

"They said they had seen it eating soft fruit in farmland on the edge of their village.

Artists impression of Orang Pendek

The orang pendek is said to have red-brown hair and walk like a man

"We made base camp there and, two days later, one of our Indonesian guides heard it calling.

"We set after it and found new prints which we made casts of and which matched the prints which we discovered on our last trip.

"The prints had been made that day, our guides told us, and we also heard it calling, but were unable to capture it on film as it was in dense jungle.

"But I think we were at least within 500 metres of it."

Mr Davies said the pair now planned to write down their discoveries and send them to a primatologist at Cambridge University who analysed the original prints found in 2001.

But he said the habitat of the creature, if it exists, was under threat from illegal logging which had destroyed large areas of jungle since their previous visit.