ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN

A mythical creature suspected of inhabiting the land of continous snow in the mountains of the Himalaya range of Asia. According to legendary descriptions, the abominable snowman, or yeti, is a large, apelike beast about 7 ft (2.1 m) tall, covered with long, dark hair. It has facial features similiar to those of man, can walk upright, and has long arms that reach to its knees. The Yeti is unknown except for alleged attacks on inhabitants of villages in the area, and through snow tracks ascribed to it. in the 1950's several expedition were sent to the Himalayas to search for the yeti. The findings reported were generally unclear. However, Sir Edmund Hillary's expedition of 1960 revealed that the footprints in questions belonged to mountain animals such as bears and wild dogs. Scientific studies have shown that specimens of hair and skin alleged to have come from the yeti belonged to other mountain animals. The Sherpa tribesmen of Nepal are primarily reponsible for keeping the legend of the abominable snowman alive. The name yeti was given it by Sherpa.