Orang Pendek of Kerinci
The 'short person' of Sumatra walks upright like a human but is covered in orange-brown hair. Villagers have reported it for centuries. Western expeditions have found footprints and hair samples. Something undiscovered lives in these jungles.
Orang Pendek may be the world’s best-documented unknown primate.
The Creature
Witnesses report a creature standing 3-5 feet tall, covered in hair ranging from orange to dark brown in color. It walks fully upright like a human and has a distinctly human-like face, setting it apart from known apes.
The History
The creature has long been known through native folklore, colonial-era reports, and Dutch administrative records from Indonesia. Western encounters have been documented since early exploration, and ongoing sightings continue to this day from both locals and visitors.
The Evidence
Physical traces have been collected including footprints found in remote areas, hair samples gathered from bushes and trees, and plaster casts made of tracks. While DNA analysis has been inconclusive so far, the tracks show remarkable consistency across different locations and time periods.
Scientific Interest
Multiple serious expeditions have been mounted including extensive investigations by researcher Debbie Martyr, camera traps deployed throughout the habitat, hair samples sent for laboratory analysis, and ongoing scientific research into this potential undiscovered species.
Possible Explanations
Theories range from an undiscovered species of ape to a surviving population of Homo floresiensis (the “hobbit” human species), an unknown primate species, misidentification of known animals, or the tantalizing possibility that this is a real creature yet to be scientifically documented.
The Location
The Kerinci Seblat region provides ideal habitat with its remote jungle environment, mountainous terrain that limits human access, rich biodiversity supporting a complex ecosystem, and vast areas that remain virtually unexplored by science.