Yeti footprint? In this picture tweeted by the Indian Army, the “mysterious footprints” of the Yeti is seen. (Twitter/@adgpi) Yeti footprint? In this picture tweeted by the Indian Army, the “mysterious footprints” of the Yeti is seen. (Twitter/@adgpi)

The Indian Army Monday claimed it had discovered “mysterious footprints” of a Yeti, a mythical creature of folklore in Nepal. Taking to Twitter, the Army said its Mountaineering Expedition Team had found its footprints, measuring 32.15 inches, near the Makalu base camp in Nepal on April 9, 2019. It posted pictures of its sighting too. Read in Tamil

“For the first time, an #IndianArmy Mountaineering Expedition Team has sited Mysterious Footprints of mythical beast ‘Yeti’ measuring 32×15 inches close to Makalu Base Camp on 09 April 2019,” the Army tweeted. “This elusive snowman has only been sighted at Makalu-Barun National Park in the past.”

Also read | What is this creature? What is the legend behind its existence?

For the first time, an #IndianArmy Moutaineering Expedition Team has sited Mysterious Footprints of mythical beast ‘Yeti’ measuring 32×15 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 legend of the Yeti, or ‘Abominable Snowman’, dates back to the 1920s. According to the fable, the ape-like creature roams in the Himalayan region but has never been spotted, and there is no evidence of it. The name was coined by a British explorer who first documented similar footprints in the Lhakpa La of Tibet. It is also commonly referred to as Meh-Teh (man-bear) and Kang-mi (snowman).

The legend of the Yeti lives on in popular culture, with several references to it in literature, movies, music and games. Scientists regularly debunk the theory, attributing “sightings” and “evidence” to other species inhabiting the mountains like bears.

The Army’s tweet Monday garnered a lot of social media attention, with Yeti being among the top trending topics. While several users trolled the Army for its claims, some have congratulated it.

Former BJP MP Tarun Vijay responded to the Army saying, “Congratulations, we are always proud of you. salutes to the #IndianArmy Moutaineering Expedition Team. But please, you are Indian, dont call Yeti as beast. Show respect for them. If you say he is a ‘snowman’.”

However, Wildlife Institute of India Director V B Mathur told The Indian Express: “Theoretically we don’t believe that such creatures (like Yeti) exist. However, more evidence is needed to conclude which creature’s footprints they might be (in the photographs shared by the Army on Twitter). More evidence is also needed to completely debunk the idea that they could be the footprints of a Yeti.”

Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) spokesperson PS Negi, who is a scientist at the institute, said that WIHG does not specialise in wildlife issues so no statement in the matter can be made by WIHG.

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