Siberia Govt Wants to Study Yeti; Academia says, "No"

Click to read our entire coverage of the Siberian Yeti.

Its official, Siberian Officials are getting push-back from academia in their pursuit to establish an institute to study yetis.

We have two great articles from two great sources.

First, from Singapore of all places:

Mar 23, 2011
Siberia plans 'institute to study yetis'
MOSCOW - OFFICIALS in a Siberian region on Wednesday announced plans to open a scientific institute for researchers to study yetis, despite opposition from academics.

'Organising an institute or a scientific centre would be a logical continuation of research into the yeti,' the administration of the Russian coal-mining region of Kemerovo in western Siberia said.

The region will announce its final decision after hosting an international conference on yetis later this year, the statement said, citing the regional government's education and science department. 'The town of Tashtagol will host an international conference with leading experts into hominids. Based on its results, we will take a decision on opening a scientific research institute to study the yeti.' Yetis, or Abominable Snowmen, are hairy ape-like creatures of popular myth, that are generally held to inhabit the Himalayas.

But some believe Russia also holds a population of yetis, which it calls Snow Men, in remote areas of Siberia such as the mountains in the southern part of Kemerovo around Tashtagol.

Kemerovo officials cited yeti researcher Igor Burtsev as saying that around 30 Russian scientists are studying yetis and could work together at the planned institute. 'We think that the yeti is a separate branch of human evolution. It lives in harmony with nature,' Mr Burtsev was quoted as saying.

Mr Burtsev earlier told the ITAR-TASS news agency that the institute was planned to open as part of the region's state university. The university swiftly denied the claim in a statement, saying that 'studying yetis is not among the research interests of the scientific teams at Kemerovo State University'. -- AFP

Second, from Wired Magazine:

Science May Start Tracking the Yeti
By Kevin Makice March 23, 2011 | 1:35 pm | Categories: Science and Education
As geeks, we are encouraged to suspend our disbelief while simultaneously challenging everything we see and hear. In the words of Agent Mulder, we want to believe, but our geek roots are firmly planted in the scientific method.

That tension is possibly being resolved on one front. The Russians are establishing a scientific institute on the study of yetis, hairy ape-like creatures rumored to inhabit the Himalayas.
Yes. Yetis.

Officials in coal-mining region of Kemerovo Oblast announced plans today to open a Yeti Institute at the Kemerovo State University, a 38-year-old higher education entity in western Siberia. KSU boasts 31,000 students and is best known for reviving regional languages, like Shor. Yeti researcher Igor Burtsev reportedly claimed that 30 Russian scientists are currently studying yetis, or Abominable Snowmen, and the Institute could allow them to better collaborate.

“We think that the yeti is a separate branch of human evolution. It lives in harmony with nature,” Burtsev was quoted as saying. Burtsev believes there may be a local community of these creatures that are Neandertals who survived extinction.

The Yeti Institute is not a lock, though. The university denied Burtsev’s claim that it would be part of KSU, saying that “studying yetis is not among the research interests of the scientific teams at Kemerovo State University.” A final decision will be made after the town of Tashtagol hosts an international conference on yetis later in 2011. Leading experts of hominids will discuss the idea of whether it is worthwhile to pursue the yeti with formal science.

The belief in a population of “Snow Men” in remote areas of Siberia is significant enough to celebrate Yeti Day on November 11. Cynics will note that it also marks the start of the ski season at nearby resort, Sheregesh. A 2009 photo revived local tourism and led to tours at the “Yeti’s Cave” where a large footprint was found. I don’t think it helps that this was first reported in the Daily Mail, a UK publication with a tendency toward sensational stories.

Still …

EXTERNAL LINKS
Singapores Strait Times Article
Wired Magazine's Take

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We should add, for the record, Igor Burtsev said he was misquoted regarding the wars with bears.