JOHOR BARU: The website set up for discussion on the local Bigfoot has been closed for “maintenance”, and two major players in the search for the creature are making conflicting statements about photos related to the phenomenon.
These dramatic developments came about after www.johorhominid.org released a photo yesterday that it claimed was an actual shot of a female BigfootÂ’s eyes.
The posting of the photo came days after the website had released a sketch of what it claimed were the eyes of a female Bigfoot.
According to the website, the photo had been provided by the Johor Wildlife Protection Association (JWPA).
It also threw a challenge to visitors, offering RM1,200 to anyone who could find a match of the photograph or prove beyond doubt that it was a hoax.
In addition, it said, the successful individual stood to receive free accommodation for two nights and three days at a five-star hotel, plus a guided tour to sites in JohorÂ’s rainforest where the Bigfoot was likely to be seen.
According to the website, the photo had been posted to attract the attention of more serious researchers and to get them to provide views on the issue.
It said biodiversity researcher Vincent Chow, a co-founder of the website, had obtained the JWPAÂ’s permission to use it.
“The photo is a big breakthrough,” it said.
However, at around 6pm, a visitor to the website posted a full-head shot of a creature in the comment page, which showed the same bloodshot eyes featured in the first photo.
“You have no credibility left! Habis! (Finished!),” the visitor wrote, adding that the full-head shot had been obtained from another website.
At close to 7pm, the once-active www.johorhominid.org site was closed, and there was a notice stating that it was down for maintenance.
Meanwhile, it is uncertain what the photo it had posted earlier actually showed.
When contacted, website co-founder Sean Ang said: “We have closed down the site to investigate the matter.”
JWPA secretary Tay Teng Hwa said the association had never released any photos to anyone.
“We will release photos of Bigfoot in a book that will be launched soon. Who said we gave them any photographs?” he said.