SCOTTIE 'RETRIEVERMAN' WESTFALL WRITES...

I sent you something earlier about the ancient form of African ape that was announced today called "Ardi." This sounds something like an orang pendek, though a bit larger.

This is Ardi's foot:

Compare it with the orang pendek track:

Ardi's anatomy suggests that the original African apes from which we, chimps, bonobos and gorillas descend were bipedal but still had the grasping toe. Ardi was the size of a chimp, which is consistent with the description of the orang pendek that the CFZ team saw.

Perhaps the orang pendek represents a relic primitive ape species.

PICTURES FROM AN EXPEDITION

A few days ago some ill informed guttersnipe complained that there had been no pictures released from the Sumatra expedition. This is because they were still in the jungle at the time. However, beginning today, we shall be releasing pictures and/or video each day as we process them. This is the first trenche.

Adam and Chris crammed into a ridiculously over-crowded minibus

from Bangko to Kerinci. The rest of the team are there also, but you

cannot see them for the mass of people.

Richard with a kubu hunter who had witnessed OP about
three years previously. He motioned that it had been about four feet tall,
black and walked upright like a man. Its face was like that
of a macacque. He was adamant that it was not a monkey, a gibbon, or a sun bear.

Sahar Didmus - the guide on three of, and five of Adam's expeditions

The Sumatran rainforest - home of the orang-pendek

A half eaten coconut that the expedition found by the side
of the trail in Gunung Tuju. Teeth marks are clearly visible.
Could it have been nibbled upon by orang-pendek?

More tomorrow....

RICHARD FREEMAN: Notes from the front

Our expedition looms closer: next Sunday we will fly out to Sumatra once again. It will be good to see our guide Sahar once again. I believe Debbie Martyr will be out of the country so unfortunately we will miss her.

A couple of weeks ago I had a dream of seeing a pair of orang-pendek on the outskirts of a village. Adam Davies has had a recurring dream of seeing an orang-pendek, also on the outskirts of a village. My girlfriend Lisa, however, has had a reccuring dream of me being constricted by a huge snake near some water. Make of that what you will! No Comment. Ed.

I'm looking forward to finding out more about the giant horned snakes that are said to live in the jungle, and the cigau - the savage big cat whose description sounds very like a scimitar cat.
I'm also wondering how much deforestation has occured in the five years since I was last there.