Dr. Ketchum's Bigfoot DNA Study, Peer-Rejected

Dr. Melba Ketchum as Lucy; Charlie brown as the general public

"The problem is that some people absolutize the science. Unfortunately science now is too conservative." --Igor Burtsev on why Dr. Melba Ketchum's Bigfoot DNA research was peer-rejected

This is not the outcome we had hoped for, but one we had hinted at. Dr. Melba Ketchum's Bigfoot DNA study has been rejected for publication. It may not have even made it to the peer review process, meaning it could have been rejected by journal editors before they even assigned a peer-review team.

Igor Burtsev, head of the International Centre of Hominology, is the man who initiated the media frenzy by prematurely "leaking" the study to the public. Dr. Burtsev is also the same man who announced the non-publication of Dr. Melba Ketchum's Bigfoot DNA study.

"Re the paper: the reviewed journals in the US refused to publish the paper. That is why Dr Ketchum has sent it to me to arrange publishing in any Russian reviewd journal. And I showed to our genetisits and understood that it was a serious work. I gave it up to the journal, now it's under reviewing." --Igor Burtsev

UPDATE: Robin Lynn. Dr. Melba Ketchum's spokesperson reacted to Dr. Burtsev's remarks and seems to slightly contradict them:

The REVISIONS HAVE BEEN DONE AND THE JOURNAL HAS THEM NOW. They are now reading the paper. I have read the paper myself it is very indepth. and long. Extremely scientific. This is why it is talking so long...Also this is a topic never been done before. All this adds up to taking alot longer to approve." 

This has been, at least, the fifth time the targeted time line has been pushed back. In fact, in a Yakima Herald article, Dr. Ketchum is quoted on Nov 26th 2012, "(the study might become public in) weeks instead of many months, that’s for sure.”

Lucy and the football comes to mind.

We knew getting a Bigfoot DNA paper published would be a challenge. According to Katrina Kelner, a Science magazine editor, "At Science, we have to reject more than 90% of the papers submitted to us." 

This is why Dr. Melba Ketchum's execution and communication had to be flawless, it had to be held to a higher standard--there were too many expectations and too many personal efforts on the line. In our opinion, if Dr. Melba Ketchum had realized this project was bigger than herself, the outcome would have closer to the one we had hoped for.

Unfortunately it is Not Over.
Like a bad breakup, where on side rejects the other and then the rejected one says they were never interested in the first place. We see a similar analog here. It seems Dr. Burtsev, is almost saying, "Science doesn't like us, we don't think science is worthy." We are paraphrasing so let's use Dr. Burtsev's own words from his Facebook post.

The problem is that some people absolutize the science. Unfortunately science now is too conservative. One third of the population of the USA believes in BFs existing, but academic science even does not want to recognize the problem of their existing or not, just rejecting to dicuss [sic] this question. In such a condition this subject is under discussion of the broad public. We can't wait decades when scientists start to study this problem, forest people need to be protect now, not after half a sentury [sic], when science wakes up. 

Fortunately it is Not Over

There is another camp that is trying to do Bigfoot DNA research. It is the Oxford-Lausanne Collateral Hominid Project headed by Bryan Sykes (read: Everything You Didn't Know About the Bryan Sykes' Bigfoot DNA Research ). 

The Oxford-Lausanne/Sykes project is taking a different approach, instead of hinging the research on a peer-reviewed paper, the results will be distributed in multiple formats. According to Rhettman Mullis, founder of Bigfootology, "do not forget that Sykes is also turning this project into a book and the BBC have stated they are going to film a three hour documentary (one hour segments) on the Sykes' project."

Yeti Expedition to Cover New Ground North of Kemerovo

Igor Burtsev in Kemerovo 2011

Like clockwork, every Fall the Russian newspapers start to cover Kemerovo Yeti sightings. Stories of sightings  expeditions, and government officials culminate to Yeti Day celebrated on November 11th.

We don't say this to diminish the great research happening in the region, we just know to expect to hear about it around this time of year. In September 2010 Itar-Tash mentioned four Yeti expeditions. In November of same year RIA Novosti metioned the Yeti caves of  Mount Shoriya. In October 2011 they invited Ron Morehead and Dr Jeff Meldrum to Kemerovo Siberia Yeti Expedition.

This October is no different. The Siberian Times has an article titled, "Three separate 'sightings of yetis' in Siberia ahead of new expedition to find the 'abominable snowman'

You can read it below.

By The Siberian Times reporter
24 September 2012

Yetis have been 'sighted' recently in three different remote areas in Kemerovo region, according to local reports.

A bear, a dog, a Yeti or an old woman's hair - will there finally be a DNA test of last year's finding in Azasskaya Cave? Picture: The Siberian TImes

One was spotted this month by an unnamed state inspector in the Shorsky National Park, says local government official Sergei Adlyakov.

'The creature did not look like a bear and quickly disappeared after breaking some branches of the bushes,' he was quoted as saying.

This case was in Tashtagolski district, close to the border with Khakassia, it was claimed. 

It was highlighted by Trud newspaper but when The Siberian Times asked Adlyakov for more details, he said the sighting was 'private information' and he had not intended that the 'sighting' was made public. 

The same official has claimed to be aware of yeti sightings in previous years. 

Earlier in August, fisherman Vitaly Vershinin saw two creatures near Myski village, according to a local Siberian newspaper. 

'Sailing up the river I saw on the bank what I thought were two bears,' he said. 'They were drinking water. 

'When they noticed me, they easily stood straight upright and went away... I did not wish to chase them.'

Fisherman Vitaly Vershinin shows Russian Vesti TV crew where he saw the 'creature'; below - GV of the river by Myski village 

In common with other sightings of supposed yetis, they are distinguished from bears - which are common in these areas - by running upright on two legs.

In a separate account, the fisherman took a Vesti TV crew back to the spot where he allegedly saw the yetis.

'We shouted to them - do you need help?', he said, initially thinking the creatures were humans. And they just rushed away, all in fur, walking on two legs, making way through the bushes with two other limbs, straight up the hill, right there,' he added, pointing.

'What did we think? It could not be bears, as the bear walks on all-fours, and they ran on two.... so then they were gone.'

It was reported that several days after this sighting 'local people saw a strange creature one more time'.

Finding a footprint and a hair - Russian TV shows footage from 2011 expedition to Azasskaya Cave in Kemerovo region

Officials in Kuzbass, Kemerovo region, told of another alleged sighting.'We were sailing in a boat without an engine. On the rock above the Mras-Su River we saw some tall animals looking like people,' said locals who have not been named. 

'Our binoculars were broken and did not let us see them sharply. We waved at the animals but they did not respond, then quickly ran back into the forest, walking on two legs.'

He stressed: 'We realised that they were not in dark clothes but covered by dark fur. They did walk like people.'

Russia's leading 'yeti expert' Igor Burtsev, head of the International Centre of Hominology, said he believes the supposed Myski sighting to be 'significant' though was unaware of the later National Shorsky Park case. 

Russia is to host a conference and expedition in search of the yeti next month, he said. In a similar hunt last year, Burtsev claimed that a team of international experts discovered samples of yeti hair. No DNA analysis has been released of the hair though it is understood tests are being undertaken.

'We plan a scientific conference on the yeti in October,' Burtsev said.  

'We shall explore new areas, to the north from the usual places yetis have been seen previously. The conference will start in Moscow and then we will travel with our guests to Kemerovo region.'

The exact location of the yeti-hunt in Kemerovo region is not known. 

'The conference and a following expedition is organised by the administration of Kemerovo region. We are glad that local authorities support our work', he said. 'Yetis are seen in many places of Russia but here in Kuzbass we are given a chance to explore this properly'. 

Burtsev claims the creature - also known as Bigfoot and Sasquatch - is a missing link between Neanderthal man and modern human beings. 

Mainstream scientists say the creatures are entirely mythical and point out no remains have been found of them despite alleged 'sightings'.

Footage of yetis often turns out to be fake, they add. Burtsev has previously claimed  a population of around 30 yetis are living in Kemerovo region. 

'We have good evidence of the yeti living in our region, and we have heard convincing details from experts elsewhere in Russia and in the US and Canada,' he said. 'The description of the habits of the Abominable Snowmen are similar from all over the world'.

Three separate 'sightings of yetis' in Siberia ahead of new expedition to find the 'abominable snowman' (Src: Siberian Times)

UPDATE!! Igor Burtsev, who is currently getting over pneumonia, has reported to us that the expedition has been canceled. His own words below.

The conference and the expedition failed... Because a couple days ago it became clear that almost all invited and supposed attendants from the USA, Canada, Australia, England, Mongolia, Finland met various obstacles and can't leave for Russia. Only France, Ukraine and Sweden remained, but it would not be enough. We also hoped to mark 45th Anniversary of PG film together with Bob Gimlin. But unfortunately in last moment received the info that his feeling was not so good to fly so long to reach Moscow and after to Siberia - just to opposite side of the Globe. That is why decision was adopted to conduct the conference and the expedition in Spring time... By the way, I'm writing this comment being in a hospital with pneumonia. Thus - all in one, as we say... It's a pity, sorry.
--Igor Burtsev

Kemerovo's Association with the Yeti Continues: Meet the Coal Miners Mascot

Competition-winning illustration of Shorya coal miners mascot 

"The scientific community has no trust in such studies and has not even bothered to take a look at the materials collected."  -- Igor Burtsev 

"According to Burtsev, Shorya, which is a part of the Altai coalmining system is where the snowman reproduces..." -- Voice of Russia

You can read about the Kemerovo region's association with the yeti in our previous Kemerovo Posts. We also have a few post on Igor Burtsev.

While we have speculated that the association to Yeti is due to an effort to increase tourism in the Kemerovo region, Igor Burtsev's is convinced the area is rich in evidence and continues his 40-year research. Burtsev even believes he has a good indication where the Yeti reproduce.

The article below begins with the mascot story and then continues with a few gems from Igor Burtsev. 

The Shorya coal pit in the Kemerovo region, which the locals say has the largest number of "Yeti"-the strange species known as“Big Foot” now has its own mascot, in the shape of a blue-eyed smiling yeti with a miner’s helmet on his head and a miner’s pick on his shoulders. A sketch depicting the image of a  snowman won the open  competition titled "Yeti Talisman". The entry of a 19-year old student, Roman Zhilian was chosen as the best among the more than 600  entries in  the  online contest. 

The imaginary creature, which has evoked heated debates and hypotheses in the world has variously been known as “Bigfoot, Snowman, Forest-Dweller and many more”. It is more correct to talk about a snowman who lives alongside us, says Igor Burtsev, Director of the Moscow International Center for the study of the snowman. 

"They live in squalid conditions, live like animals, don’t use work instruments, don’t wear clothes or use fire, and don’t compete with people. But they have sufficient intellect and rely on the paranormal ability They live in a different orbit, not in the other world, but nocturnal. They avoid contact with people and live in inaccessible places."

The scientific study of the yeti is still unrecognized in the world, but people of different professions are studying them on a voluntary basis, said Igor Burtsev.

"I have been studying the so-called snowman for  over 40 years now and  I have gathered enough material about their existence within that period of time. Enthusiasts have been studying the snowman for more than 50 years, but the scientific community has no trust in such studies and has not even bothered   to take a look at the materials collected.  There had been great scientists who spent a great deal of energy and time studying the snowman phenomenon. They included the French zoologist, Evelmans, founder of the crypto zoology, which in1968 studied the corpse of a creature found in the U.S. together with another zoologist, Ivan Sanderson. They concluded that it was the corpse of a Neanderthal who died from a gunshot. But the corpse disappeared as soon as the information was published in the press. The frozen corpse of a  real snowman, 2.60 meters tall was displayed in France in 1997. It also disappeared mysteriously after the news appeared in the press."

The Yeti is a tourist brand of the Shorya mines since February 2009, when the local hunters saw in the taiga a human like creature covered in furs, for the first  time. According to Burtsev, Shorya, which is a part of the Altai coalmining system is where the  snowman reproduces.. Every two years, the  Day of  the snowman is marked, there is  a yeti museum and  souvenirs showing their pictures can be  bought everywhere. An International Scientific  and Applied Conference, devoted to ther problems of the snowman was held in Kuzbass last October. After exchanging information, experts from the U.S. Canada, China, Mongolia, Sweden, Spain and  other countries visited the Azassky cave  in the clay field, where fresh footprints of the bigfoot can be found.
Source: Voice of Russia.

More Pictures from the Kemerovo Siberian Yeti Conference

Igor Burtsev (center standing) at the kick-off press conference. The 7ft. tall boxing champ Nikolai "beast from the east" Valuev is sitting on the panel (far right.)

As promised here are more pictures from the Kemerovo Yeti Conference provided by Ron Morehead. Morehead is best known for his audio recordings of Sasquatch vocalization, known as The Sierra Sounds. The Sierra Sounds Volume #1 "Bigfoot Recordings" is self-described as a selection of audio clips captured by Morehead, that reveal very clear Bigfoot vocalizations captured on a crisp night at a remote wilderness camp.

Ron Morehead was specifically tapped by Igor Burtsev, director of the International Centre of Hominology in Tashtagol and head of the 'Yeti institute' at Kemerovo State University, to join the expedition. Along with Igor Burtsev and Ron Moreheead, attendees included scientist from 7 different countries gathering in Kemerovo region 3,000 miles – and four time zones – east of Moscow.

The conference took place earlier this month (October, 2011)and produced several headlines that included the words "95% Certainty and Indisputable Proof" of the existence of Yeti.

Below are pictures from the expedition including a picture of the "nest" that was reported as one of the indisputable proofs.

Interesting ten foot tree branch formations on the way to the Kemerovo cave.

A closer look of the tree branch formations suggest these braches became intertwined early on and continued to become woven by nature.

Directly out side the Kemerovo cave

Inside the cave looking out.

Dr. Jeff Meldrum taking a closer look at the Yeti nest, reported as evidence from the expedition.

A cropped version of the above photo with the brightness adjusted for easier viewing (click to enlarge)

This is the size of the crew that was on the expedition taking a lunch break.

Siberian Yeti in Kemerovo Attention is in Time for Yeti Day Nov 11th

For you fans that have been with us for a while, you will remember our post last year about the Kemerovo Yeti Day on November 11th. This day marks the beginning of Kemerovo's ski season.

Click the following link to read our entire Kemerovo Siberian Yeti Coverage.

On Nov 4, 2010, we referenced a Russian publication with the following quotes:

"...Several advertising and PR experts said that Bigfoot reports were probably teasers for attracting tourists to the region. Three months after the sensational news tourism agencies had introduced excursions to 'Yeti's Cave.'

'Every year Yeti Day celebrations will mark the start of the ski season with thousands of ski lovers from all over Russia gathering on Mount Shoriya,' Zauervayn said, adding that Kemerovo Governor Aman Tuleyev is likely to take part in the Yeti-dedicated festivities..."

When the sensation in Kemerovo started this year we had added the caveat that this may be similar to last years ramp up towards the tourism and ski season in Kemerovo, but we were still excited about the group of people involved including Dr. Jeff Meldrum and Igor Burtsev.

While the tourism angle has eluded most of the media, it is refreshing to see a St. Louis Paper seems to have gone beyond the press release and talks about the economic motivation of the Kemerovo local government.

...The government of Russia's Kemerovo region said a two-day expedition last weekend by yeti experts had "collected irrefutable evidence" of the yeti's existence. Among the "irrefutable evidence": a couple of hairs, what was presumed to be a den and indistinct footprints.

Exciting though this news might be, it's important to remember that Kemerovo — in remote southwestern Siberia — has endured tough economic times since the collapse of the Soviet Union two decades ago. Yeti-based tourism and a government research center are among the Kemerovo government's goals...

SRC: STLToday.com

Do we care that tourism is the impetus of the sensational claims from Kemerovo? No. We think the mainstream attention towards the phenomena of Bigfoot, Sasquatch and Yeti is a good thing. If the attention peaks the interest of one smart person willing to do research and dig deeper, its worth any number of ignorant ones whose minds would not have been changed otherwise.

Yeti Institute Director, Igor Burtsev: Around 30 Yetis live in area of Kemerovo

Click to read our entire coverage of the Siberian Yeti.

Yesterday we posted the story "Scientists from Seven Countries Gather in Russia to Discuss Yeti"

Today we have a follow up with the director of the International Centre of Hominology in Tashtagol, Igor Burtsev. Igor is also the head of the 'Yeti institute' at Kemerovo State University.

Below is the full article from the Daily Mail, where Igor estimates the number of Yeti's. He also proposes the Yeti's may be Neanderthals that have survived to this day.

Russian and American Yeti hunters join forces to track down '30-strong Siberian tribe'

International team of scientists to share secret Cold War evidence
By WILL STEWART

Its legend has long haunted the icy wastes of the Himalayas and Siberia.

Yet for all the mysterious sightings and strange footprints in the snow, the Yeti has proved remarkably elusive to those seeking solid evidence of its existence.

Now, however, the Abominable Snowman has an international team of scientists on its trail in a Russian region which one expert claims is home to around 30 of the creatures.

An expedition and conference – the largest of its kind since 1958 – will this week bring together scientists from Russia and the U.S. who have even agreed to share secret Cold War evidence in the effort to prove the humanoid beasts exist.

It follows a rise in apparent Yeti sightings in the Kemerovo region 3,000 miles – and four time zones – east of Moscow.

One of the most recent was reported by 82-year-old Raisa Sudochakova, who claims her dogs howled in fear and ran when they saw the Yeti.

She said: ‘It was still a tall creature, but not giant. It was covered with long brown-grey hair, like a bear. It wasn’t a bear – I have lived all my life in Siberia and wouldn’t make that mistake. This creature walked like a human, or almost like a human.’

Experts speculated she may have seen a young Yeti, as other sightings have suggested the creatures are about 7ft.

This week’s expedition will begin with experts from six nations gathering at the International Centre of Hominology in Tashtagol.

Igor Burtsev, the centre’s director, believes around 30 Yetis live in the Kuzbass coal mining area of Kemerovo, where villagers say they steal sheep and hens. He claims they are Neanderthals who have survived to this day.

The event comes after the most recent expedition to find the Yeti failed, despite the efforts of Russian heavyweight boxing champion Nikolai Valuyev, known as the ‘Beast from the East’.

‘Valuyev did not manage to meet the Yeti itself but on the way he discovered traces such as broken tree branches,’ said a local government spokesman.

‘By the time they reached the Azass cave, the expedition saw gigantic footprints.’

Not surprisingly, there has been a degree of scepticism over the latest hunt – not least from those who reckon it’s just an attempt to boost tourism in Kemerovo.

SRC: www.dailymail.co.uk

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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Siberia to celebrate Yeti Day November 11
Igor Burtsev to head another Bigfoot Expedition in Siberia
Russian yetis start a war with bears

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

Russian yetis start a war with bears

I swear we did not make this headline up. Its lifted directly off an English language Russian news website. We have reprinted the article in full. The translation is theirs.

We should also mention, this is somewhat of an update to our previous post Igor Burtsev to head another Bigfoot Expedition in Siberia

Russian yetis start a war with bears
Andrei Smirnov
Oct 11, 2010 17:15 Moscow Time


Bigfoot. Photo: RIA Novosti
(The Voice of Russia) -- An expedition that was looking for the mysterious yeti in Mountain Shoria – a faraway region in the Siberian taiga - has recently returned home. The expedition’s members claim that the forest fires of this extremely hot summer made Altai yetis move to the Kuzbass region, where they have started a “war” with local bears.

Searches for this mysterious creature, also known as “bigfoot” or “snowman”, started several decades ago. People look for yetis – or, at least, their traces – elsewhere: in Canada, Europe, Mongolia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Russia. Several times, yetis’ traces have been found – footsteps that resemble that of humans but are too big for a man, flocks of hair or gigantic branch shelters in forests. In 1967, a certain Roger Patterson even filmed a yeti in northern California, but experts still argue whether this shooting is real or fake.

This year’s expedition to Mountain Shoria is already the third. One of its participants, the director of the International Center for Hominology Igor Burtsev assures that yetis leave traces of their stay in the taiga and fight with local bears.

“They make strange pyramidal constructions of trunks and branches in the wood – sometimes 3 or 4 meters, sometimes only 30 cm high. Sometimes they bend huge trees and twist their trunks like wheels. A human being is just not strong enough for that, and there seems to be no need for bears to do this. At first, we thought that yetis do this to make shelters, but then we came to the conclusion that this is a sort of landmark for them. Or, maybe, this is a way for a yeti to say something to its congeners.”

Igor Burtsev has talked with local residents who claim that they have seen yetis with their own eyes. Sometimes, farmers take them for wood goblins.

“Folk beliefs say that the wood goblin is the master of the woods. All animals, even bears, submit to him. The wood goblin has a strong hypnotic power, thus he is not afraid of any animal.”

Scientists think that these ancient beliefs do have some grounding – it seems that today yetis in Siberia are competing with bears, and the yetis are winning – they are obviously stronger and have rudimentary intellect. If this “war” between yetis and bears continues, there is a risk that bears will not sleep this winter because of a shortage of food, instead going to villages in search of something to eat. To prevent this, the region’s authorities plan to organize bear feeding. However, it seems that local residents have already found a common language with the yetis – they leave candies for them and communicate with them mentally – yetis are believed to be telepathic. Igor Burtsev even claims that to a certain extent, yetis can imitate the human language. “I would, without doubt, call the yeti another species of man,” he says.

SRC: The Voice of Russia

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Igor Burtsev's New Adventure

EXTERNAL LINKS
International Center of Hominology

Igor Burtsev to head another Bigfoot Expedition in Siberia

Siberia? Don't you mean Yeti or Almas? Yes astute readers you are ever so clever, but if Igor wants to call it Bigfoot, we wont split hairs (unless those hairs are Sasquatch with potential DNA evidence).

Igor, director of the International Center of Hominology, was responsible for discovering a possible skull of the Almasty. In 1996 he sent the skull to the US to have DNA testing done. Despite a possible DNA relationship to Neanderthals, the morphology seemed too different to corroborate such a conclusion.

This has not stopped Russian news agencies to continue to report Igor Burtsev's ongoing expeditions. Most recently Itar-Tass News Agency files this report below:

KEMEROVO, September 22 (Itar-Tass) -- A fourth science expedition has left for Mountain Shoria (a territory in Southern Siberia, east of the Altai Mountains) earlier on Wednesday in search of any traces of the abominable snowman. Taking part in the expedition will be the director of the International Center for Hominology, Igor Burtsev, deputy president of the public association Kosmopoisk, Vasily Dovgoshei, History Doctor Valery Kimeyev and other experts.

As Igor Burtsev, a participant in several previous expeditions, has told Itar-Tass, the search will last for about ten days. The experts are determined to find irrefutable evidence the Bigfoot (also known by the names of Sasquatch and Yeti) does exist.

“During the previous expedition a year ago I saw markers (half-broken branches) the creature uses to mark the controlled territory,” Burtsev said.

“Mountain Shoria is a perfect place for yetis. It is a sparsely populated, mountainous area, where there are many caves, it is relatively warm and there are sources of pure fresh water. In the mountain rivers fish is in abundance and hunting in the forests must be really good. I reckon the Bigfoot likes to go fowling. In the woods I have found several artifacts to confirm my theory of mine. This time I plan to find the Bigfoot’s shelter and even try to contact the creature."

The head of the Tashtagol District, Vladimir Makuta, says that the first mention of Bigfoot’s presence in Mountain Shoria dates back to 1980. The creatures seem to have gone especially active over the past three years.

EXTERNAL LINKS
Itarr Tass Original Article
International Center for Hominology
Cryptomundo's Take on the Skull evidence