Even in Russia controversy over cryptids abounds.
I brought the story last week of DNA results from presumed Yeti hair found in a cave in Russia, and even then questioned the methods by which that hair was recovered.
“Unfortunately, at least the hair sample in the video was clearly contaminated as it was being handled bare handed by a human, so there will be traces of human DNA in the sample.”
And as the claimed results reported in equally questionable sources were a 98.5-99% match for human DNA, it seems likely either contamination was evident or no such results were reliably reported.
As well, one of our commentors, Roy, posted a link to a discussion forum at Bigfoot Forums.com where more questions were raised about the results.
Now an article in The Daily Mail tells of the controversy in Russia over the methods and results of the DNA testing and subsequent comments by Professor Valentin Sapunov who recovered the samples.
A row has erupted in Russia over a biological scientist’s claim that some 200 Yeti live in a large area of southern Siberia.
Professor Valentin Sapunov has infuriated academics with his assertion that scientific tests, including DNA checks, found that hair samples from a remote cave belonged to a human-like mammal unknown to man.
Now he has gone further by claiming a population of 200 Yeti exist in the forested Kemerovo, Khakassia and Altai regions of Siberia.
This number allows them to successfully reproduce, said the academic from the Russian State HydroMeteorological University.
‘He claims there have been no confirmed sightings of the Yeti because they have an acute sense of danger,’ reported the Siberian Times.
But other Russian experts are deeply unimpressed by Professor Sapunov’s theories, saying he has put his Big Foot in it with claims that there is DNA backing for the existence of the Yeti.
Far from finding the Abonimable Snowman, his scientific claims on the subject amount to abominable lies, Oleg Pugachev, director of the Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Science, told state-run newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
This institute was one of three where Professor Sapunov claimed the ‘Yeti hair’ – found a year ago – was tested.
Mr Pugachev said: ‘Let me make it clear – Sapunov is blatantly lying.
‘He came with some bits of hair to the Institute, and spent a lot of time in my office complaining that official science want nothing to do with it and no-one wants to test them.
‘He asked me to help. I took a pity on him and ordered our DNA specialists to carry out a test.
‘They did not manage to extract any genealogical material because there were no hair bulbs.
‘The structure of the hair showed that they could have belonged to a goat, and a bear, and to other animals.
A commentor at Bigfoot Lunch Club who posted as Anonymous, but signed off their post as Igor Burtsev, claims to be involved in the study and had this to say:
Anonymous Nov 3, 2012 6:38:00 AM
In this article there is mix of true and untrue info.
1/ This photo is not of Dr Sapunov, but somebody else
2/ That info about DNA analysis was made up by a journalist yet in December of 2011 and repeated now. Sapunov didn’t tell that/
3/ Only untrue is his saying about the structure of the hair/ No hair specialists looked at the sample, just Sapunov himself. But he is not a hair-specialist, though his speciality is biology/ I believe it was necessary to compare the structure of that sample with other animals’ hairs, and it was not done.
4/ But the academician Oleg Pugachyov from very beginning haughty refused to study the sample named it with upsetting word. that is why Sapunov started to studiy it by himself
5/ I have sent the hairs from Azass cave, Siberia, to DNA labs of four countries including the Dr Sykes project in UK and am waiting for results. We need just a little patiency to make conclusion, if those hairs are of Bigfoot or other animals.
Igor Burtsev
Igor Burtsev is director of the Yeti Institute, as has been reported right here on GT and it is his assertion that only a population of around 30 Yeti live in the region that Sapunov claims supports 200 of the creatures. Census taking is always so tricky in rural regions.
Apparently decadent Americans are not the only gullible ones when it comes to fuzzy science and broad assumptions.
Doing my best to spur on another Cold War…
[email protected]
