Is the Yeti Real?

The Yeti — also known as the Abominable Snowman — is a large, ape-like creature said to inhabit the Himalayan mountains of Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan. Like its North American cousin Bigfoot, the Yeti occupies a central place in cryptozoology.

The Evidence

Key pieces of alleged Yeti evidence include:

• Footprints: In 1951, mountaineer Eric Shipton photographed large footprints in the snow on Everest. These remain the most compelling — but could have been made by a bear, with prints enlarged by melting snow
• Scalps and relics: Several Himalayan monasteries display alleged "Yeti scalps." When tested, they've been identified as serow (a goat-like animal) or other known species
• Sightings: Mountaineer Reinhold Messner, after years of Yeti research, concluded that most sightings were of Himalayan brown bears or black bears walking upright

The DNA Evidence

In 2017, a comprehensive study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B analyzed nine alleged Yeti specimens (hair, bone, skin, feces) collected from across the Himalayas. The results were definitive: eight were from bears (Himalayan brown bear, Asian black bear, and Tibetan brown bear) and one was from a dog.

Our Verdict

The Yeti is not real. DNA analysis has conclusively shown that alleged Yeti specimens come from known bear species. The legend likely originated from encounters with Himalayan bears in remote, misty mountain conditions where misidentification is easy.