The Yeti or Abominable
Snowman (Nepali: lit. "mountain man") is an ape-like cryptic
taller than an average human that is said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal
and Tibet. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh
are commonly used by the people indigenous to the region, and are part of their
history and mythology. Stories of the Yeti first emerged as a facet of Western
popular culture in the 19th century.
The scientific community
generally regards the Yeti as a legend, given the lack of conclusive evidence, but
it remains one of the most famous creatures of crypto zoology. Analysis of
samples associated with claimed yetis found a sequence of mitochondrial DNA
that matched a sample from an ancient polar bear jawbone found in Norway, that
dates back to between 40,000 and 120,000 years ago.