On this episode of Apes Among Us, hosts Brandon Lentz and Brian Brown take you on a journey to a valley deep in the Ouachita Mountain Ecoregion designated “Area X” by the NAWAC. The men — as part of “November” team and along with two other team mates — spent a week there this past summer. It was a week that was at once extraordinary but also mundane; that is, extraordinary by anyone’s standards, but mundane by Area X standards. You'll hear the details of two likely visual encounters with wood apes as well as the investigation of a possible wood ape photo taken from space(!). Also, Matt Pruitt and NAWAC Director Emeritus Alton Higgins discuss the history and genesis of NAWAC field work in the valley, which, nearly two decades later, led directly to the week spent there by the four-man November team. Just one more week and four more men, in a long line of both.
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Images mentioned in this episode:
Size comparison of Brian Brown (6', 210 lbs) to the animal seen by November team member Rich from his perspective

Google Earth image with possible wood ape (detail)

November Team — A week in Area X

Official podcast of the North American Wood Ape Conservancy

Natural Sciences

Science & Medicine

Science

Nature

In a region that was once the running grounds of the Mongol hordes, khans, and warlords, stretching from the Caucasus to Mongolia and the borders of China, there in remote corners supposedly resides an enigmatic, wild, man-like species, generally known as "Almasty." Join hosts Matt Pruitt and Daryl Colyer as they interview archaeologist Paul Bowman, Jr. for a fascinating discussion about the Almasty, Asia's mystery ape.

Planet of the Mystery Apes, Chapter 2: Asia’s Almasty

Hosts Daryl Colyer and Matt Pruitt have a one-on-one conversation that covers a range of topics related to the NAWAC and its efforts, including: the conclusion of the 2021 summer operation in Area X; applying conventional wildlife photography practices to the pursuit of the wood ape; the value of images; visual acuity in apes; testing the hominoid hypothesis; type I and type II errors; and why the pursuit matters.

Musings: Technology, Science, and the Pursuit

Hosts Matt Pruitt and Daryl Colyer explore various alternatives to specimen collection in this new episode. A few updates regarding the summer operation and Hadrian's Wall are covered in the introduction, followed by a discussion with NAWAC member and professional archaeologist Paul Bowman Jr. about the likelihood of finding the bones of a wood ape. A roundtable segment follows, focused on the tranquilization or sedation of a wood ape. The roundtable features NAWAC members Travis Lawrence, Paul Bowman Jr., and Oklahoma-based veterinarian Jeff Hammond.

Exploring Alternative Paths to Discovery

In this episode, join Matt and Daryl for an update on the North American Wood Ape Conservancy's field work in Area X. Guests include NAWAC Chairman Mike Mayes and Bud Mellicker, who have just returned from deploying an extensive camera-trap array dubbed "Hadrian's Wall" by the NAWAC. Also, Dusty Haithcoat returns, along with his friend Ashlee, to talk about their visual encounter with a big gray sasquatch on the periphery of our base camp at the end of May.

Hadrian's Wall: An Area X Update

In this episode, host Matt Pruitt speaks with acclaimed South African wildlife researcher and author Gareth Patterson about his groundbreaking work with lions, elephants, and his recently revealed years of research into an as-yet-unstudied hominoid called the otang. This is the first installment of a new series on Apes Among Us called “The Planet of the Mystery Apes”.
Gareth’s new book about the otang — Beyond The Secret Elephants — is available in Kindle format at Amazon. Read more about Gareth at his website, garethpatterson.com

November Team — A week in Area X

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