india

Updated: May 07, 2020 14:59 IST

The Indian Army has tweeted to say that one of its mountaineering expedition in eastern Nepal has come across the footprints of the Yeti or the abominable snowman mentioned in Nepalese folklore.

The pictures of the “mysterious footprints” measuring 32x15 inches posted on Twitter by the army late on Monday sparked questions and hilarious memes on Twitter.

“For the first time, an #IndianArmy Moutaineering Expedition Team has sited Mysterious Footprints of mythical beast ‘Yeti’ measuring 32x15 inches close to Makalu Base Camp on 09 April 2019. This elusive snowman has only been sighted at Makalu-Barun National Park in the past,” the army tweeted.

For the first time, an #IndianArmy Moutaineering Expedition Team has sited Mysterious Footprints of mythical beast 'Yeti' measuring 32x15 inches close to Makalu Base Camp on 09 April 2019. This elusive snowman has only been sighted at Makalu-Barun National Park in the past. pic.twitter.com/AMD4MYIgV7 — ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) April 29, 2019

The images, however, showed only the prints of a single foot.

“The story is based on physical proofs of on the spot narration, photos and videos. ..Tweeted as we thought prudent to excite scientific temper and rekindle the interest,” the Indian Army later said in a series of queries from the media.

“Some of us who reject the story surely shall have definitive answers to the evidence. As they say, nature, history, and science never write their final story,” the force said

Watch | Indian Army tweets it found ‘Yeti’ footprints, gets trolled

The Yeti, known as the abominable snowman in popular culture, is said to live in the Himalayan regions of Nepal and is largely regarded by scientists as a mythical creature.

“The Yeti is a mythical figure, the scientific basis of such claims is lacking,” Dr SP Singh, a renowned ecologist and former vice-chancellor of the HNB Garhwal University said.

According to a genetic research on purported specimens of the legendary apelike beast said to dwell in the Himalayan region, the analysis of nine bone, tooth, skin, hair and faecal samples from museum and private collections attributed to the Yeti found that eight came from Asian black bears, Himalayan brown bears or Tibetan brown bears and one came from a dog.

“This strongly suggests that the Yeti legend has a root in biological facts and that it has to do with bears that are living in the region today,” Charlotte Lindqvist, the biologist who led the study published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, had said in 2017.

Lindqvist of the University at Buffalo in New York and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore had called the study the most rigorous analysis to date of purported Yeti specimens.

The researchers sequenced mitochondrial DNA, the genetic material in structures within cells that was passed down from mothers, of purported Yeti samples from Tibet, India and Nepal as well as from black, brown and polar bear populations.

People on Twitter weren’t as impressed as they pointed to the missing foot and cracked jokes.

“the great khali was in India for campaigning..may be he walked over the snow (sic),” tweeted Pradeep.

Ok, but why only one footstep? — Chowkidar Mritunjay Sharma (@mritunjay2106) April 29, 2019

“Ok, but why only one footstep?” Chowkidar Mritunjay Sharma also asked.

“Don’t want to sound anti-national, but i do think the Yeti might be accustomed to walking on a ramp. I see one feet right infront of the other, just as a model would walk on ramp, unless it is a one-legged Yeti :P,” Hemant Chandak tweeted.

“Yeti was practicing cat-walk for upcoming winter collection,” wrote another Twitter user.

Yeti was practicing cat-walk for upcoming winter collection. — Nagakarthik Mp (@horn_ok_peace) April 30, 2019

Kushal Prajapati talked about the research which has proven the creature doesn’t exist.

“With all due respect, institutions such as yours should be more responsible and careful before going ahead and declaring the sighting of any footprints as ‘Yeti’s’! There’s been lots of research done on Bigfoot/Yeti (including sighting/footprints) with none proving its existence,” Prajapati posted.

With all due respect, institutions such as yours should be more responsible and careful before going ahead and declaring the sighting of any footprints as 'Yeti's'! There's been lots of research done on Bigfoot/Yeti (including sighting/footprints) with none proving its existence. — Kushal Prajapati, PhD (@KushalPrajapati) April 30, 2019

“Sir, Yeti is a myth and it’s existence never proved. It’s a folklore. Those footprints you found most likely belong to some type of Monkey or Bear. Never expected such post by verified Army Acc. Sorry sir (sic),” Gaddappa also said.