Experts seek input after trail camera captures mysterious animal deep in the wild: 'Against all odds'

A journey into the Sumatran jungle revealed stunning evidence of two species — one that was thought to be functionally extinct and another that has been rumored for hundreds of years but never recorded.

U.K. wildlife researchers made the finds in the Pariangan region, which is in the western part of the Indonesian island, Higgypop reported. They captured on a trail camera what is thought to be a Sumatran tiger and tracks of what could be the Orang Pendek.

The critically endangered tiger, whose population is just 400, had only been recorded in the area in folklore. The outlet stated the jungle "is largely cut off by deforestation."

"Against all odds, either the Sumatran tiger has persisted unknown in that area the whole time, or somehow they have crossed the deforested areas and urban sprawl to reoccupy this forest enclave without being seen," biologist and researcher Carl Marshall, who led the expedition, said.

In addition to this incredible documentation, the scientists found evidence of a legendary bipedal primate that could be a close relative of humans. 

"The Orang Pendek has been reported for centuries by locals but remains unrecognised by mainstream science," Higgypop wrote.

In 2003, archaeologists discovered fossils of Homo floresiensis on the island of Flores, some 2,300 kilometers (1,429 miles) away. The three-foot hominid was thought by experts to have died out 20,000-50,000 years ago.

The team made plaster casts of the tracks, and David Chivers, a biological anthropologist and expert in veterinary anatomy at the University of Cambridge, said fingers and a thumb were visible. He compared it to a great ape's hand.

Carole Baskin, the CEO of Big Cat Rescue and, yes, of "Tiger King" fame, touted "nature's resilience" and tigers' survival skills. She told Higgypop that "every remnant forest and every unmonitored corridor matters" for the Sumatran tiger.

To protect this breathtaking animal and others from extinction, conservationists can create canopy bridges and similar wildlife corridors, which boost entire ecosystems. Traveling to sustainable tourism spots such as the Sumatra Ecolodge can help, too.

Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely It depends on the species I don't know No — leave nature alone Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Zoologist Chris Moiser added: "One of the great things about this expedition is that it set out to investigate a cryptid — the Orang Pendek — but in doing so, it also documented a wide range of wildlife, including the critically endangered Sumatran tiger. This is what modern exploration should be about, and hopefully, future expeditions will take a similarly open-minded approach."

Marshall wrote about the expedition in a book, The Cryptozoology of Cats, and there is a related documentary called "Expedition Sumatra: In Search of the Orang Pendek."

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