The centuries-old debate over the existence of the mysterious Yeti could be put to bed following genetic analysis of its supposed remains.
Scientists studied nine so-called Yeti specimens including bone, tooth and fecal samples recovered from the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau in the “most rigorous analysis to date.”
Researchers from the University of Buffalo discovered that the remnants, in fact, belonged to a dog, Asian Black Bears, Himalayan Brown Bears and Tibetan Brown Bears.
The findings, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society, suggest the myths behind the Abominable Snowman, a giant ape-like creature which has become synonymous in Himalayan folklore, could be just that.
Dr. Charlotte Lindqvist, who led the study, said: “Our findings strongly suggest that the biological underpinnings of the yeti legend can be found in local bears.”
“Our study demonstrates that genetics should be able to unravel other, similar mysteries.”
It is not the first time scientists have tried to analyze supposed Yeti DNA, nor is it the first time the fabled creature has been linked to bears.
Daniel Taylor, author of “Yeti: The Ecology of a Mystery,” ventured to Barun, a wild valley that sits at the base of Mount Makalu in Nepal to look for answers.
He told National Geographic: “Once I got in that valley I found footprints. I’d seen footprints before but these were fresh and I had no doubt I had found the Yeti.”
“The question was, what made them? A local hunter I worked with said he thought what I’d found was a tree bear.”
“I’d never heard of a tree bear in this region. Suddenly we had an explanation for where the thumb came from. A bear that lives in a tree forces an inner digit down so it can make an opposable grip.”
He said he now believed the Yeti footprints were produced by an Asian black bear who live in trees and do have opposable thumbs and therefore leave human-like footprints.
Despite research being conducted on the Yeti previously, Lindqvist says previous projects have left several unanswered questions.
Her team forensically analysed samples given to them by museums and private owners, as well as sequencing the mitochondrial DNA of 23 Asian bears before comparing it to the genes of other bears worldwide.
She added: “This study represents the most rigorous analysis to date of samples suspected to derive from anomalous or mythical ‘hominid’-like creatures.”
“Bears in this region are either vulnerable or critically endangered from a conservation perspective, but not much is known about their past history.”
“The Himalayan brown bears, for example, are highly endangered. Clarifying population structure and genetic diversity can help in estimating population sizes and crafting management strategies.”