Yeti
For the Yeti from the television series Doctor Who, see Yeti (Doctor Who).
The Yeti is the western name given to a large primate-like creature reported to live in the Himalayas. Most mainstream scientists and experts consider current evidence of the Yeti's actuality unpersuasive, and the result of hoaxes, legend or misidentification of mundane creatures. Still, the Yeti remains one of the most famous creatures in cryptozoology.
Certain physical evidence, however, such as tracks and nests have suggested to some that Yeti is an unknown primate, a remnant hominid, or a type of bear.
The Yeti is sometimes referred to the "Abominable Snowman", this name was popularized by the mainstream press after a reporter related a mistranslation of a Nepali name for the Yeti. "Migoi" is another name for such a creature.
The term yeti is often used to describe a number of very different reported creatures: 1) A large ape-like biped (that some suggest could be Gigantopithecus); 2)human-sized bipedal apes (the Alma and the chinese wildman); 3) and dwarf-like creatures (such as the Orang Pendek).
The term is also often used to refer to reported ape-like creatures that fits any of these descriptions, e.g. the Scottish yeti with reference to the fear liath.
History
Occasional reports of an ape-like creature in the Himalays began filtering to the west in the 1800's, mainly by British persons. Perhaps the first formal record of reported Yeti footpreints was in 1889's Among the Himalayas, by L.A. Wadell. Waddell reports his native guides described the large apelike creature that left the prints; he concluded the prints were a bear's.
The frequency of reports increased in the early 1900's, when westerners began making determined attempts to climb the many mountains in the area and sometimes reported seeing odd creatures or strange tracks.
In 1942, after escaping from a Siberian prison, Slavomir Rawicz and his compantions reported seeing two large, apelike creatures while crossing the Himalayas. They claim to have observed the creatures for several hours from a distance of about 100 meters.
- 1950's
Western interest in the Abominable Snowman peaked dramatically in the 1950's.
While attempting to scale Mount Everest in 1951, Eric Shipton took photographs of a number of large prints in the snow, at about 6,000 meters above sea level. These photos have been subject to intense study and debate: Some argue they are the best evidence of Yeti's reality; others disagree, and think the prints are a mundane creature's, distorted and englarged by the melting snow.
In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reported seeing large footprints while scaling Mount Everest.
Begining in 1957, Tom Slick, an American who'd made a fortune in oil, funded a few missions to investigate Yeti reports.
In 1959, Actor Jimmy Stewart--visiting India--reportedly smuggled the remains of a supposed Yeti--the so-called Pangboche Hand--by hiding them in his luggage when he flew from India to London.
Yeti accounts have perhaps received less attention in recent decades, but as recently as 1998, Craig Calonica reported seeing two apelike, bipedal creatures on Everest.
Analyses
- Many cryptozoologists, after careful examinations of eye-witness reports and statistical evidence, have concluded that Yeti reports are misidentification of mundane creatures. Well-financed expeditions have failed to turn up any positive evidence of its existence, although a sample of hair retrieved from one expedition was reportedly confirmed as belonging to an unknown ape.
- Enthusiasts speculate that these reported creatures could be present-day specimens of the extinct giant ape Gigantopithecus. However, the Yeti is usually described as a bipedal, hominid-like creature, whereas Gigantopithicus was probably quadrupedal, and so massive that upright walking would have been even more difficult for the now extinct primate than it is for its two extant quadrupedal relatives, the Orangutan and the Gorilla. Without evidence to support it, this suggestion must be regarded as highly speculative.
- Although there is no firm evidence to support Yeti reports, some have noted the Himalayas are remote and sparsely populated, and that there is perhaps more room for Yeti's actuality than with Bigfoot in North America.
Yeti and Popular Culture
With the many Yeti reports in the 1950's the creature crossed-over into popular culture. Mel Blanc lent his talent to voicing a bumbling, lovelorn Abominable Snowman on a few Warner Brothers cartoons from the era.
