RESULTS OF THE EXAMINATION OF HAIR SAMPLES
COLLECTED IN SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA BY
FIELD INVESTIGATORS.
Preface: On July 12, 2009 a group of independent field investigators obtained a single clump of fine, reddish hair from a barb of cattle fencing (barbed wire) along the property line behind a restaurant and another adjoining business in rural Southwestern Oklahoma. The point at which the hair was found was reportedly on the fence behind one of “trash dumpster” located between the edge of a paved parking lot and the barbed wire fence. One of the dumpster containers was reportedly devoted to the disposal of food scraps and debris from the restaurant and its kitchen. The release of further details of the actual investigation will be left to the investigators so that no breach of confidentiality occurs. On the date the hair was found the investigators posted photographs of the hairs, and a few comments about their work at that location, on the forums section of this web site.
Note: The Southwest Oklahoma Field Investigation Report that produced the hair sample, which has been analysed, can be seen HERE.
Background: After the photographs and comments were posted on the forum, there were further discussions about what should be done to identify the hair collected. This writer suggested that the hair be analyzed and identified by a particular forensic lab that the writer had used previously to analyze a sample of purported Sasquatch hair. A suggestion was made that a sample of the hair be first submitted to Dr. Henner Fahrenbach because of his expertise in identifying hair samples and at no cost.
(Some information about Dr. Fahrenbach can be found here: http://squatchopedia.com/index.php/Henner_Fahrenbach
A consensus agreement between the investigators, forum participants, and the writer was reached wherein the writer would submit individual hair samples from the clump collected to both Dr. Fahrenbach and to the Forensic Department of the RJ Lee Group, Inc. in their Monroeville, PA laboratory.
(General information about the lab can be found here: http://www.rjlg.com
On August 15, 2009 a single strand of hair from the clump collected was sent by first class mail to both Dr. Fahrenbach and to the RJ Lee Group, Inc. Forensic Lab.
Note: According to the investigators, the clump of hair was divided in Oklahoma after it had been photographed on the fence barb on which it was found, and after it had been removed from the barb and photographed again. The hair samples the writer received were from two of the investigators who had possession of the divided portions.
Dr. Fahrenbach’s Findings & Opinions:
In an e-mail received from Dr. Fahrenbach on August 19, 2009 he stated:
“The hair {Sample # RFP090K(B)} looks highly suspiciously like real Sasquatch hair. It varies between 58 and 110 mm in diameter with a mwan of 80 mm, a bit thick compared to the ones I have as comparison hairs, but it has the customary reddish cortical coloration and for most of the lengths, no discernible medulla, the seeming hallmark of Sasquatch hair. Near some of the ends, there are some minimal fragments of a amorphous medulla, as I have previously seen in other Sasquatch hair. Pigment is rather finely distributed and there are virtually no pigment condensation, as one might see in comparable bovine hair. The cuticular scales, though not diagnostic in this case, correspond to the pattern of primate hair.”
The Forensic Lab’s Findings & Opinions:
The initial hair sample that was mailed to the forensic lab on August 15th was apparently lost in the mail. When the lab was contacted on September 2nd to determine the status of the analyses, the General Manger stated the hair sample had never arrived. On September 3rd, another sample of the hair was sent to the lab by Priority Mail. That sample was received by the lab on September 5th.
On November 2, 2009 I received a copy of the forensic lab’s report and initial photographs as an e-mail attachment. The formal, hard-copy report was received by mail on November 4th. In the e-mail the Lab Manager stated that he had made additional casts of the hair that would give better images of the imbricate scale pattern. He photographed those casts two days later and sent the images by e-mail the next day.
Note: The analytical report (original copy) can be seen in Microsoft Word format (.doc) HERE
The report and photographs are shown below.
November 2, 2009
Bill White
The RFP Research Project
3000 Hurricane Lake Road
Benton, AR 72019
The RFP Research Project
RE: Hair Examination
RJ Lee Group Project No. CFH1006563
Dear Mr. White,
The following sample was received via US Postal Service on 9/09/2009
RJLG Sample No. 10070957: One hair
RESULTS OF EXAMINATION / ANALYSIS:
RJLG Sample No. 10070957: One hair
This sample contained one hair fragment. The hair fragment was reddish-brown in color measuring approximately 9.3 cm in length. The hair was broken proximally and distally with no root. The hair fragment exhibited an imbricate scale pattern, uniform pigmentation, a translucent amorphous medulla and significant diameter variation along its shaft. The hair fragment was consistent with a human hair fragment. Racial and body origin could not be determined. The hair was not consistent with any animal hair species in the RJ Lee Group animal hair reference collection. Optical micrographs and scanning electron microscopy images are shown in Figures 1-6 for your reference as requested. Sincerely,
David L. Exline, MSFS, D-ABC
General Manager, Commercial and Forensic Services
Figure 1: Optical micrograph of questioned hair (100x magnification).
Figure 2: Optical micrograph of questioned hair (100x magnification)
Figure 3 PLM micrograph of questioned hair (200x magnification).
Figure 4: PLM micrograph of questioned hair (200x magnification)
Figures 5 and 6: Backscattered electron image on questioned hair.
The Scale Cast Images
Discussion & Comments:
The reports clearly state the opinions of the two scientists who examined the hair samples. The lab concluded the hairs are from a human, and Dr. Fahrenbach is of the opinion they are from a Sasquatch. It is imperative that the reader understand that the forensic lab’s Manager is a court-qualified expert in the field of the identification of “typical” (my word, not their’s) animal and human hair. The lab does not have a reference sample of a confirmed Sasquatch hair. On the other hand, Dr. Fahrenbach reportedly has samples of hair which he believes are from Sasquatch, although, as far as is known, none of those reference samples can be scientifically certified as having come from a Sasquatch.
As explained in the July 2000 (Volume 2, Number 3) Forensic Science Communications published by the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation,
“a human hair can be associated with a particular racial group based on established models for each group. Forensic examiners differentiate between hairs of Caucasoid (European ancestry), Mongoloid (Asian ancestry), and Negroid (African ancestry) origin, all of which exhibit microscopic characteristics that distinguish one racial group from another. Head hairs are generally considered best for determining race, although hairs from other body areas can be useful.”
That publication also describes and details how forensic examiners determine the body area from which a hair originated.
After the report was received from the forensic lab, I sent the following e-mail to the Forensic Lab Manager:
“Thanks for the casts. Final question. ( I know this one will be posed by a lot of people.) I understand you could not determine the racial origin of the hair, but were you able to rule out either of the three primary racial groups based on established models for each group, i.e., Caucasoid (European), Mongoloid (Asian), or Negroid (African)?”
The response I received from him on November 5th stated, “Looks mostly Caucasian and most likely not head hair.”
Based on the opinions of both scientists, and assigning them the same degree of professional credibility, a layman might logically conclude that the hair was from a Sasquatch that was actually a human which may have had Caucasian ancestry. But, could that be possible?
I recently posed that question to Dr. Fahrenbach. In his e-mail response he stated:
"The sasquatch could absolutely not be human! It takes more than walking on two legs - penguins do that, too. No tools, language, fire, culture - you name it - not human. The two micrographs of reddish hair do look suspiciously like sasquatch hair - compare them to the hair pictures in the BFRO website. All the other micrographs are mostly to show the effort, but have no diagnostic value, as far as I am concerned. In my days, I looked at hundreds of hairs (their surface only) with the scanning electron microscope - the Primate Center had a Department of Cutaneous Biology - and I couldn't tell one from the other by cuticle pattern over a wide range of animals, if the hair had some reasonably average diameter. One of the other pictures does show some fragmentary medulla, but I have had some sasquatch hair that had also some of that, so I don't let that rule BF hair out. But obviously human and sasquatch hair have considerable similarities, but don't let that seduce you into thinking that it means they are phylogenetically close. There is no reason why hair couldn't evolve in a direction of its own, if that change doesn't impart any reproductive advantage or disadvantage (within the general frame of the mammalian family in question). So I would chalk it up as a possible, but not lose much sleep over it."
The writer is certain there will be much discussion about the findings and opinions contained in this report. He looks forward to that discussion.
The expense of this analytical work was covered by donations from members of the Alabama Bigfoot Research Forum. Researchers working together to find the answers.
