You can subscribe to one of two approaches - they both attempt to reach the same goal. In reality, that goal is no different than Ericson who spent over $500,000.00 trying to muster enough evidence to convince people that they exist. What was his purpose -- very simply - to protect them and to make them an endangered people or species. So option 1 - see if you can get as much information out - so that enough people will be convinced that these people are real to provide them protection and do additional research.
Option 2 - of which I subscribe - try to release as little information as possible, have as few people as possible be aware of these people - so that we and they and their families can live in relative peace. Or have a few groups of the misinformed out collecting the occasional footprint as seen on TV.
To me option 2 is the best outcome, however many seem anxious to build a name for themselves by releasing all they know and hope to know about the forest people to stoke their own egos.
Are these ancient people descendants of Cain, descendants of Neanderthals, descendants of Gigantopithecus, or have they come from another planet? I have heard all of these explanations and honestly that is not the focus of my research. Do they possess supernatural abilities ? They have adapted and have developed better skills for surviving in their habitat than we have. We have adapted better skills for surviving in the city and on the farm than they have.
With regard to me, researcher may be too strong a word - as this is a hobby of mine, somewhere way behind golf. Having said that, I probably know a lot more than most and am currently advising people in Illinois, Oregon, Texas, and Tennessee about their sightings and interactions and I am one of 20 "official" field researchers for East Tennessee. I do think that more information will continue to "leak" out and eventually this will be considered more or less a normal topic of conversation.
Finally, I do want to thank those who have provided me with locations both publicly and privately and I hope you will continue to let me know about East Tennessee area sighting and habitats. Thanks,