Hobbits, Ebu Gogo, and Orang Pendek

History Channel’s “MonsterQuest” is going to be investigating the socalled “real Hobbits” in their episode premiering on January 16th, 2008, at 10PM ET.

The official summary of the program notes: “A MonsterQuest expedition will deploy researchers and the latest technology into the jungle, searching for evidence of a creature natives describe as half man, half ape.”

adam davies cast

This will be cryptozoologist Adam Davies (author of a forthcoming Anomalist Books title), who will be leading the “MonsterQuest” crew on an investigation of Orang Pendek activities, for one part of the program.

Various cryptids and related hominoids discussed will be the “Hobbits” (i.e. Homo floresiensis), Ebu Gogo, and the Orang Pendek.

The Ebu Gogo are said to have been or are small, hairy, language-poor cave dwellers on the same scale of H. floresiensis. Widely considered to be present at the time of the arrival of the first Portuguese ships during the 16th century, these hairy unknown hominoids were apparently last spotted as recently a little over a hundred years ago, in the late 19th century.

The more well-known Orang Pendek are hairy unknown (more pongid) hominoids, said to still exist on Sumatra.