The Flores Man Hobbits: Are They Still Alive?

Thousands of years ago, the Flores Man Hobbits inhabited the Island of Flores. Do they still do so today?

By Monica Cull
Sep 22, 2023 1:00 PM
Homofloresiensis skull (also known as the Flores Man Hobbit)
(Credit:Svet foto/Shutterstock)

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Hobbits are usually found feasting, drinking, gardening and destroying rings in Tolkien's fictional Middle-Earth. But in reality, ancient remains indicate that hobbit-sized humanoids once lived on the Indonesian island of Flores. While researchers found artifacts such as stone tools, there was no evidence of dark lords or broken swords. 

The ancient remains belonged to Homo floresiensis, also known as the Flores Hobbit or simply, hobbit. As more research goes into the Flores Hobbit, it leaves us with a few questions. Mainly, is Hfloresiensis still alive today? 

The Island of Flores

According to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the island of Flores may have never experienced a land bridge that allowed the introduction of new species to the ecosystem.

During the Pleistocene Epoch (Ice Age), the island was home to various creatures, including Komodo dragons, giant tortoises, giant rodents and the Stegodon — a prehistoric elephant ancestor. 

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