Orang Pendek
The 'short person' of the Sumatran jungle. Bipedal, 3-5 feet tall, covered in gray or ginger hair. Seen by scientists. Hair samples analyzed as unknown primate. Could be an undiscovered ape.
The Orang Pendek may be cryptozoology’s most likely discovery.
The Name
In Indonesian, “Orang” means person and “Pendek” means short. The creature has been known to local populations forever, while Western discovery is relatively recent. This may represent a possible new species waiting to be officially documented.
Description
Reports are remarkably consistent in describing a creature standing 3-5 feet tall with a bipedal walk similar to humans. It has orange or gray hair covering its body, a distinctly human-like face, and a muscular build suggesting strength beyond its size.
Scientific Witnesses
Credible observers include Debbie Martyr, a journalist who spent years tracking the creature, and Jeremy Holden, a wildlife photographer. Both had multiple sightings, and casts have been made of footprints while hair samples have been collected for analysis.
Evidence
Physical traces include footprints found throughout the region and hair samples collected from vegetation. DNA analysis has been inconclusive, but the samples appear to come from an unknown primate that is neither human nor any known ape species.
The Habitat
Kerinci Seblat National Park provides the perfect environment with its dense rainforest that is rarely explored by humans. New species are found regularly in this region, making it an ideal hiding place for an undiscovered primate. Unfortunately, the habitat is shrinking fast due to human encroachment.
Theories
Theories about the creature’s identity include an unknown ape species, a relic hominid that survived extinction elsewhere, a relative of Homo floresiensis, a variant of orangutan, or a completely undiscovered species that science has yet to classify.