The Yeti Lives?

            The Himalayan "cousin" of Bigfoot is making headlines again, and it’s about time. It's been over 50 years since the legendary Yeti made some real news in the North America, after Eric Shipton documented large footprints during his ascent up Mt. Everest in the early 1950’s. A few years later, Sir Edmund Hillary reported seeing similar footsteps during his climb up the mountain. Some skeptics argued that these may have been the tracks of a bear, misidentification due to thawing/unthawing of snow, or a simple hoax. However, believers and researchers took it as the possibility that something was indicating a presence in the mountain region.
            Since that time, there have been relatively few mentions of the Yeti in North America. Occasionally there would be a "Yeti scalp", a hoaxed "snow walker" video, or a footprint found on a popular television show (e.g. Destination Truth). That being said, it appears 2012 will have a new story about the Yeti.

            Dr. Igor Birtsev, a leading researcher on the Yeti, obtained the various hair samples, which he found in a cave during an expedition. Shortly after the discovery, Professor Valentin Sapunov, of the Russian State Hydrometeorological Institute, was testing the alleged hair samples with the Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Science (ZIRAS). Hair samples can be tested for DNA (e.g. mitochondrial DNA), or for physical traits through hair morphology under a microscope. The more samples obtained, the more tests can be done. The quality of the hair also plays a part, since degradation/contamination prior to sample collection may eliminate any possible DNA to be recovered. If DNA is recovered, it can then be amplified with primers, copied, and compared to what’s in the database.

            According to Sapunov, the results of the DNA tests have indicated that the hair samples do not appear to be from a known animal, but an unknown species of primate, with relations closer to a monkey than a homosapien That being said, it should be noted that “unknown species”, simply means that it is a species that has not yet been found, tested, and placed in a DNA database – it doesn’t immediately equate to “Yeti”.

            Despite these recent events, there are still individuals who remain very skeptical on the subject, and for good reason. It wouldn’t be the first time that Cryptozoologists and scientists have been mislead or duped with DNA testing before (a particular episode of the History Channel’s “MonsterQuest” comes to mind). One scientist in particular, Oleg Pugachev, is questioning Sapunov on his bold claims. Pugachez is the Director of the ZIRAS, and wishes to verify the results, the testing methods, and bring to light the fact that Sapunov has already claimed he believes there is a viable population of around 200 Yeti’s in existence today.

            As of right now, it seems reasonable to consider these first tests a “preliminary round”, as these tests will soon be looked at by others, and then corroborated or refuted.

It’s uncertain as to how long it will take, but one can assume that the coming months will tell us if the test results were just wishful thinking of a scientist/enthusiast, or the physical remains of an unknown species of primate – whether that be a pint-sized monkey, or the lumbering and legendary Yeti.