Ngoi rung

For years, a legend has circulated in Vietnam about a mysterious animal known as Nguoi Rung, or "forest man." First mentioned in 1947, the subject has been a subject of interest for scientists and local residents alike. Professor Tran Hong Viet discovered unusual footprints in the Kontum region, which attracted the attention of media and researchers. Although formal expeditions have not yet yielded definitive proof of the Nguoi Rung's existence, witness accounts and numerous legends continue to fuel fascination with this enigmatic creature. Research into its nature and behavior will continue.

One of the first mentions of this animal dates back to 1947, when Jules Harrois, a colonist in Kontum Province, wrote about a "wild man" (French: "L'Homme Sauvage") living among the Jarrai, Banhar, and Sedang people. In 1982, Professor Tran Hong Viet, now at the University of Hanoi, found footprints measuring between 28 and 16 centimeters. These footprints appeared to be as long as those of most ordinary people, but much wider. Similarly, the toes were much longer than those of humans. These footprints were found on the slopes of Chu Mo Ray Mountain. This peak is located near the Cambodian border in Sa Thay District, Kontum Province. Professor Viet returned to his research in March 1996, when Japanese television became interested in the "wild man" case. A conference was even held in Hanoi, during which photographs of the mysterious tracks were presented. Professor Viet, along with several other Vietnamese scientists, claim that this region (called the "Three Frontiers" because it is where the borders of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos converge) is the place where most encounters with the Vietnamese "wild man" occur. These were so frequent that even during the war, in 1974, General Hoang Minh Thao, commander of the northern forces occupying the central mountain range, ordered a scientific mission to the northern Kontum region to find the legendary Nguoi Rung. The expedition included Professors Vo Quay and Le Vu Khoi of Hanoi University and Professor Hoang Xuan Chinh of the Hanoi Archaeological Institute. The "wild man" was not found, returning only with a few new elephants for circuses.Witness accounts describe the monkey in various ways, ranging from large to small, covered in fur ranging from gray to brown or black, and capable of being solitary or moving in groups. But it always walks on two legs. There are many names given to the animal by locals, most of which demonstrate their respect for the creature. The Vietnamese name is Nguoi Rung—"Forest Man." It means the same as the name of the Indonesian ape known to science—Orang Utan. Locals believe that "forest men" have inhabited the forests since ancient times. They distinguish them from forest spirits and jinn, describing them as hairy, bipedal beings. Vu Ngoc Thanh, who explored the area near the Laotian border, discovered another local term: "Khi Trau," which literally means "ox-monkey" or "great ape." Anthropologist Prof. Dang Nghiem Van, dean of the University of Religious Studies in Hanoi, has collected numerous stories about the Nguoi Rung from areas ranging from northern Vietnam to the central mountains. Legends abound of small but very strong creatures who know fire and feed on what the forest provides. There are also tales of other, much larger animals. Professor Van says that at night, the Nguoi Rung come to places where people are building fires. They sit next to people and say nothing, or make inarticulate sounds. There are also stories of several monkeys that move very quickly, easily climb trees, shake bushes to dislodge insects, and sleep in caves or on mountainsides. Research on this extraordinary animal is expected to continue.