The Bigfoot colony had to migrate from their native habitat in the jungles of Gerik, Perak, after the area became a battleground during the communist insurgency, said an environment activist.

The towering ape-like creatures have been making waves since there were reports of sightings in the jungles of Johor.

According to the activist, who claimed to be involved in a research on the creatures, a colony of Bigfoot had to scout for a new habitat when fighting broke out between the army and communist guerillas holed up in the area.

"Our research findings indicated that about 17 of these creatures began to leave the jungles in Gerik after military operations were mounted there.

"We tracked their movement to the south up to the jungles in Pahang before making the jungles in Johor their new home," the activist, who declined to be named, told Bernama .

He claimed that when these creatures, who are now referred to as Orang Lenggor, were traced in the jungles in Johor during the 1970s, but his team only managed to trace 15 while the fate of the other two remains unknown.

"The two could have died or possibly separated themselves from the colony to start their own families or colonies. We found that from the 15 who were traced, the oldest was more than 20 years old," he said.

At present, he expects the creatures to be around 50 to 60 years old.

Population has increased

On the same note, he said the Bigfoot population in Johor had increased to about 40 from three families due to the inbreeding among the original 15.

"Of that 40, not all are adults but (the group) is made up of adults, youths, children, male and female," he said, adding that the construction of the East-West highway was another reason why the creatures left the jungles in Gerik.

Asked why the colony did not migrate to the jungles near Thailand, the activist said those jungles were not conducive for their survival.

According to him, there is a possibility that the creatures would migrate once again since their habitat in Johor is being threatened by logging and development.

Not hairy as portrayed

Recently, a small organisation called the Johor Wildlife Protection Organisation claimed that one of its members had carried out a research on a Bigfoot colony for six years.

At that point, it said, there were about 40 of these creatures from three families living in the interiors of Johor.

The organisation claimed that the Bigfoot appeared 70 percent like human and 30 percent like an ape. The adults are between 10 and 12 feet tall while the younger ones are between six and seven feet.

According to the organisation, the Bigfoot is not covered in hair as portrayed by the media but only its abdomen is blanketed by a thick coat.

Their primary diet consist of fish and fruits from the jungles.

Recently Johor Menteri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman confirmed the existence of the creature based on the information obtained from the natives in the area.