Yetis and other ape-like creatures

The Yeti, perhaps one of the most infamous folklore monsters is said to reside in the Himalayan mountain range with the first official sighting dating back to 1832. Although the Yeti is native to the Himalayan mountains, there are other creatures that fit the same general description of a large bipedal ape-like creature whose existence has never been scientifically proven. Some of these creatures you might have already heard of, including Bigfoot (or Sasquatch) from North America, Orang Pendek from Indonesia, and Mapinguari in the Amazon Rainforest. Although these creatures share some similarities, there are distinct differences based on where their folklore originated. The Yeti is the only creature sometimes said to be white, likely because of the snow on top of the mountains which is unique in the Yeti folklore. The Orang Pendek is said to be much smaller than Bigfoot, possibly because of a phenomenon known as insular dwarfism which causes species which are usually large to gradually decrease in size due to lack of resources and space. However, the creature that differs the most is the Mapinguari which is said to have backwards feet, one eye, and a second mouth on its stomach. The Mapinguari is arguably the most dangerous of the ape-like species, which makes sense as the Mapinguari is considered the “guardian of the rainforest” and displays aggressive behaviour toward those who harm the forest. 

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Growing up in British Columbia with an outdoorsy family, it was common to debate the existence of Bigfoot (or in my family Sasquatch), often going on long off-trail hikes with my father to try and see him in person. As I've grown up and realized my father never really believed in Sasquatches, instead he wanted to let my childhood imagination run wild. However, it makes me wonder, why do these folktales that have seemingly no evidence gain such popularity? My personal favourite ape-like species is the Yeti, as I find the idea of a large unknown creature roaming the mountains and being virtually undetected for centuries to be fascinating and terrifying at the same time. The myth of the Yeti likely dates back centuries as it has reportedly been a topic of discussion among the indigenous communities surrounding the Himalayas for hundreds of years. Many locals have claimed to have seen evidence of Yetis including fur, footprints, and loud howling noises not caused by any animals currently known to man. Although many people doubt the existence of the Yeti, there are still believers out there who claim the reason there has not yet been any scientific evidence is because of the harsh environment of the Himalayas making it impossible for humans to reach Yeti settlement. Some maintain that the vast mountain range has too much uncharted terrain to accurately debunk the myth of the Yeti.

 

Although I enjoy hearing about theories of the Yeti and other ape-like creatures, I believe that their existence is very unlikely and is instead a fictional creature(s) which was created to explain the unknown mysteries of the extensive wilderness. My thoughts are shared among many who believe that the “Yeti” is an already known animal (possibly a bear) which has been misidentified and misconstrued due to bad lighting and centuries-old folklore (McGovern, 2007).