| Yeti
- The abominable snowman |
 |
The
Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas. In 1951, an expedition found a track
on the Menlung Glacier between Tibet and Nepal, at an altitude of 6000
meters. |
The
footprints they saw were 33 cm by 45 cm and were made by a foot which has
5 toes of which the inner toes were larger than the others.
The
heel was flat and exceptionally broad. The track itself appeared to be
fresh so the footprints were not enlarged by melting snow. This was clearly
shown by the many photographs they took. Although there were many doubts
about these photographs, if they were believed to be true at all. But those
who did belief were certain that was not made by any known animal.
|
According
to legends, there are three species: the Rimi (some 2,5 m), the Nyalmot
(4,5 m) and the Raksi-Bombo (1,5 m). In spite of differences in size, the
species have a general resemblance. |
The
people of Nepal call it a "rakshasa" which is Sanskrit for "demon". According
to them, stories of its existence date back to the 4th century BCE; references
to the Yeti are found in a poem called 'Rama and Sita'. It has regularly
been sighted since 1832. Yeti means "magical creature". The name 'The Abominable
Snowman' however, was given to it by western newspapers who wanted to give
their readers the feeling of terror which the creature supposedly causes
in the valleys, crevices and glaciers of the Himalayas.
|
The
Yeti has reddish hair (although others claim it is gray), smells terrible
and it is very strong (it throws boulders as if they were pebbles). |
It
makes an ululating or whistling sound, and is sometimes heard roaring like
a lion. The Yeti is rumored to be very fond of strong alcoholic drinks.
There
are many uncertainties about its origin, whether it exists or not. Some
say that the Yeti is a descendant of a race of giant apes, the 'gigantophitecus'
who retreated into the Himalayas some 500.000 years ago. Another theory
is that the Yetis are descendant of the A-o-re, an ancient people that
fled into the mountains to escape their enemies. In the following millennia,
they degraded to a race of monstrous creatures. Skeptics say that the tracks
were made by ordinary animals like a bear or an ape.
| Reinhold
Messner - Yeti hunter |
|
In
1986, the famous Italian mountaineer Reinhold Messner had a close-up sighting
of a Yeti while leading an expedition in Nepal. |
 |
| Reinhold
Messner |
|
|
Of
the many expeditions set out to find it, was also that of Sir Edmund Hillary,
the first ever to climb the Mount Everest. |
He
funded this expedition himself, for he and his guide Tenzing Norgay had
seen footprints of a Yeti on a previous expedition. Unfortunately, his
expedition was as unsuccessful as those who had gone before. However, he
brought back with him a borrowed artifact: the upper half of the skull
of a Yeti. This scalp came from the Khumjung Gompa (monastery) in Nepal
where it is kept as a relic. It is some 300 years old, 20 cm high and has
a circumference of 65 cm. Scientists said it
belonged
to a serow (mountain goat) which lives in eastern Asia.
| The
national symbol in Nepal |
|
There
have been many other expeditions, but on none of those they got so much
as even a glimpse of the creature. However, just like the 1951 expedition,
they found tracks of the Yeti, and made casts of its footprints. |
The
lack of evidence did not keep the government of Nepal from officially declaring
the Yeti to exist in 1961. It became their national symbol, and an important
source of income. There are even stamps of the creature.
| "Mirgu"
or "Migoi" in Bhutan |
|
The
people of Bhutan believe to this day in the existence of the Snowman. Numerous
yak-herders have claimed either to have seen the animal or to have discovered
its tracks crossing high snow-bound mountain passes. |
Fewer
Snowmen, however, have been seen by the present generation, due perhaps
to the fact that these rare beasts are on the verge of becoming extinct.
Snowmen are pictured in old Tibetan and Bhutanese scrolls, manuscripts
and murals.
There
are many theories as to the nature and origin of the Migo (known by the
Nepalese and Tibetans as the Yeti, and to the Chinese and Soviets as the
Alma). According to the 18th century scholar, Jam-dpal-rdo-rje, "The
'wild man' lives in rugged mountains. Its shape is similar to that of a
human. It has extraordinary dexterity and strength." In Bhutan, few people,
not even the Royal family, doubt the existence of the Migo.
Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary was set up as the exclusive habitat of the Mirgo. This
650 sq kms sanctuary, in eastern Bhutan, is unique as the only reserve
in the world created specifically to protect the habitat of the yeti, known
in Bhutan as the migoi (strong man). The migoi differs from yetis found
(or not) in other Himalayan regions. Its body is covered in hair that may
be anything from reddish-brown to black, but it's face is hairless. It
smells pretty bad apparently and has the power to become invisible. |
