The Himalayan yeti — or some version of that mythical creature — may be a relative of an ancient polar bear, according to new research by a University of Oxford geneticist.

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Scientists have refuted a recent claim that an unknown type of bear exists in the Himalayas and that it may be, at least in part, the source of yeti legends. Himalayan Brown Bear in Perm Zoo, Russia.

The Yeti is tied to the Himalayan region—Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet—while Bigfoot is rooted in North American folklore, especially in the Pacific Northwest.

In many parts of the Himalayas, the yeti’s existence is an accepted fact and one country, Bhutan, has even created a national park specifically to protect its natural habitat. 2.