Sahar Dimus was our chief guide on all four of our expeditions to Sumatra. We first met him back in 2003 in his little village in the shadow of Gunung Tujuh. A smiling, resourceful and energetic little chap, Sahar soon became not only our guide but our good friend. Sahar was a wizard at jungle tracking;: able to pick up the faintest trail and identify animals from the barest of traces.
For fourteen years he tracked the orang-pendek, hearing its call and finding its tracks, but never laying eyes on the beast itself. However, in 2009 he finally managed to get a clear view of the mystery ape, an event that so moved him he wept for 15 minutes.
As well as being a jungle guide, Sahar had been active in tiger conservation. He cared deeply about the jungle and spent much of his time destroying poachers’ snares. When not involved in jungle work he supported his family by subsistence farming.
Sahar had many adventures with us over the years and was a mine of information relating stories from the forest, and accounts of what had happened to both him and his late father. We often stayed in his little, self-built house whilst his wife cooked for us.
Sahar died suddenly at the age of just 42 on Monday, 14th November. He leaves a young wife and four children, ranging from a toddler to a teenager. Sahar’s family are now without support. In Indonesia there is no welfare state. Therefore, we are starting an ongoing appeal for donations to help support his wife and children. Money from this appeal will go straight to Sahar’s family. His eldest son Raffles is currently learning how to become a guide. Without your help the future will be bleak for Lucy and her children. Even a small donation will go a long way in Sumatra.
For fourteen years he tracked the orang-pendek, hearing its call and finding its tracks, but never laying eyes on the beast itself. However, in 2009 he finally managed to get a clear view of the mystery ape, an event that so moved him he wept for 15 minutes.
As well as being a jungle guide, Sahar had been active in tiger conservation. He cared deeply about the jungle and spent much of his time destroying poachers’ snares. When not involved in jungle work he supported his family by subsistence farming.
Sahar had many adventures with us over the years and was a mine of information relating stories from the forest, and accounts of what had happened to both him and his late father. We often stayed in his little, self-built house whilst his wife cooked for us.
Sahar died suddenly at the age of just 42 on Monday, 14th November. He leaves a young wife and four children, ranging from a toddler to a teenager. Sahar’s family are now without support. In Indonesia there is no welfare state. Therefore, we are starting an ongoing appeal for donations to help support his wife and children. Money from this appeal will go straight to Sahar’s family. His eldest son Raffles is currently learning how to become a guide. Without your help the future will be bleak for Lucy and her children. Even a small donation will go a long way in Sumatra.
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Thanksgiving Leftovers on the Frontiers of Zoology. In this case, that means some updates on a couple of blogs posted over the weekend.
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