NEW DELHI: Photos of “Yeti footprints” posted online by the Indian armytriggered a social media storm on Tuesday, with users ridiculing themilitary for propagating theories debunked by science.
The army tweeted three images late on Monday showing a series offoot-shaped impressions, each almost a metre (yard) long in the snow in theHimalayas near the Nepal-China frontier.
“For the first time, an #IndianArmy Moutaineering Expedition Team has sitedMysterious Footprints of mythical beast ‘Yeti’,” the apparently serioustweet on the army’s official account said.
It added the “elusive snowman has only been sighted at Makalu-BarunNational Park in the past”, referring to footprints reported by Britishexplorer Eric Shipton in 1951 on the west side of Mount Everest.
Legend has it the “Yeti” or “Abominable Snowman” lives in the Himalayas —but no proof of the large creature has ever been produced.
Social media users were quick to jump on the Indian military for its tweet,while scientists said the prints were probably made by a bear and elongatedand misshapen by the elements.
[image: Yeti]
“With all due respect, institutions such as yours should be moreresponsible and careful before going ahead and declaring the sighting ofany footprints as ‘Yeti’s’!”, said Kushal Prajapati.
“There’s been lots of research done on Bigfoot/Yeti (includingsighting/footprints) with none proving its existence,” he added.
“Seriously disappointing to see Army propagating such foolish myths intoreality. Expected better from you guys,” said another comment.
Several Twitter users asked why there was a series of only one footprintwhen the beast would probably have had two feet.
Read Top Stories
Others, were apparently more forgiving, though still tongue-in-cheek.
“Congratulations, we are always proud of you. salutes to the #IndianArmyMountaineering Expedition Team,” wrote Tarun Vijay, a member of the rulingBharatiya Janata Party.
The army said the footprints measured 32 inches by 15 inches (81centimetres by 38) and were spotted by a team on April 9 close to theMakalu Base Camp.
An army official said pictures were released to “excite a bit of ascientific temper”.
“We will share whatever we get with the domain experts to analyse. We willbe contacting the team on the satphone in the evening for more detailsabout it. The idea is to find out more, to look for an answer,” theofficial said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Yeti is traditionally described as an ape-like creature, taller than ahuman, that lives variously in the Himalayas, Siberia and parts of Centraland East Asia. The North American version is known as Bigfoot.
Most scientists have written the creature off as a centuries-old mythoriginating in Tibet.
Forensic results of previous samples have proved to be from prehistoricbears and one purported piece of evidence turned out to be a gorilla suitmade of rubber.
“This is probably a footprint of a brown bear,” Sathyakumar Sambandam, aprofessor at the Wildlife Institute of India, said. “The footmarks getenlarged due to strong sun and winds in the heights and the overlapping ofhind and front legs gives an impression of single giant mark,” he said.-APP/AFP
