ORANG PENDEK QUESTION

RICHARD MUIRHEAD WRITES: I thought orang-pendek had reddish fur? Could what was sighted recently be something completely different or a melanistic orang-pendek? When are the saliva results due? I have read some of the blogs. It's shameful how some people are treating you. Pure jealousy? More power to your elbow, as a friend of mine once used to say.

RICHARD FREEMAN ANSWERS: The orang-pendek is said to have mainly black fur. Some reports refer to 'honey-coloured' hair. Personly all the witnesses I have spoken to have said it had black hair. A Kubu cheif called Nylam said the one he saw had black hair tinted with red, whilst another Kubu cheif, Tarib, said the one he saw was black fading to blond and grey.

Adam Davies currently has the specimens. He will be splitting them up and giving half to us. His are going to Dr Scott Disotell of New York University whereas ours will be going to Dr Lars Thomas at the University of Copenhagen.

As for the vitriol, I expected no less. The people involved have never been on a scientific expedition in their lives; you can tell by the infantile comments they come out with like "a good photo is better than DNA evidence." The main protagonists are known to us. They wantonly attack anything the CFZ does because we have published excellent books by authors that they hate for petty and babyish reasons. This man and his tawdry little organisation have achieved absolutely nothing whereas the CFZ have mounted many expeditions around the world, published over 50 books (not vanity publishing; real publishing) and has successfully run a world renowned conference for ten years. I rest my case.