'Really hope it's a joke!': Indian army roasted for posting PHOTOS of ‘Yeti’ tracks
The Indian Army is under fire, on Twitter at least, for sharing photos purportedly of ‘Yeti’ tracks seen by an 18-strong unit undertaking a grueling mission through the Himalayas earlier this month.
The army’s mountaineering expedition to Mount Makalu lasts between March and May with the objective of reaching all peaks above 8,000 meters, but nothing could have prepared the troops for a possible sighting of the “abominable” snowman.
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
Really hope this is a joke. This is supposed to be a smart and intelligent force.
— Deven_Sailor (@deven_sailor) April 30, 2019
Also sighted: a delighted Yeti after being tweeted by the Indian Army pic.twitter.com/YzKSWpLDbV
— Sachin Kalbag (@SachinKalbag) April 30, 2019
The prints, which allegedly measured 32 inches by 15 inches (81cm by 38cm), were spotted on April 9 at Makalu Base Camp in the Nepalese Himalayas.
Also on rt.com Well done, Comrade Belugov! Did ‘Russian Navy whale’ trick Norwegians into seizing spy harness?The army account boasts some six million followers and the post has generated thousands of likes and responses, mostly ranging between the credulous, the mischievous and the skeptical.
He entered in city for voting pic.twitter.com/8QQRr5NBIR
— Asif Karjikar (@asif_karjikar) April 29, 2019
And I spotted Bigfoot's footprints in Singapore last Sunday. What a coincidence! pic.twitter.com/eMzC0rrOuh
— Kanishk Samota (@KanishkSamota) April 29, 2019
Seriously disappointing to see Army propagating such foolish myths into reality. Expected better from you guys
— Harit (@theharit) April 30, 2019
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'.
— Chowkidar Tarun Vijay (@Tarunvijay) April 29, 2019
Sir one temple needs to be constructed
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) April 29, 2019
Can there possibly be a simpler explanation? pic.twitter.com/fqIuV0Q9Ri
— Siddharth Singh (@siddharth3) April 29, 2019
Wun Wun? pic.twitter.com/qYbFJyxQwr
— Chowkidar Ankur Singh (@iAnkurSingh) April 29, 2019
+about tracking and following the creatures. Heavy to big creatures, on the bipedal mode walk very slow while observing the surroundings, while watching that no one is tracking them. This image is from Laeloti footprints of Australopithecus afrensis. See the single line! pic.twitter.com/o45nXjZBMV
— Rao Tejas (@TejasOmkara) April 30, 2019
The army responded to some of the criticism by saying it was “prudent to excite scientific temper and rekindle the interest.” The tracks were “photographed and handed over to subject matter experts” for examination, it added.
The Yeti also features in traditional Nepalese folklore. In 1950, the Nepalese government reportedly even issued a hunting license for the Yeti.
With all due respect to everyone, what we call Yeti is with all probability either the Himalayan Brown Bear or Tibetean Blue Bear. Both are endangered, can grow over 7 feet and are bipedal. The single foot print forms when the bear walks on 4 feet.
— Kunal 🇮🇳 (@RunMUFC) April 30, 2019
Many have attempted to debunk various reports of the Yeti in the Himalayas, which often turn out to be sightings of one of three kinds of bear known to inhabit the area. In 2013, Oxford University genetics professor Bryan Sykes found that hair samples believed to belong to the Yeti were actually from an ancient polar bear.
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