Page 55 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #02

AGENDA NEWS

BE
Conditions both here
and on the Continent BEYOND
brought an influx
of hawfinches.
THE
h
headlines

SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION

THE TRUTH IS OUT
– DNA ANALYSIS
OF 'YETI' PELTS
HAS SHOWN THEY
REALLY BELONG TO
BROWN BEARS AND
ASIAN BLACK BEARS,
SAYS CHARLOTTE
NATIONAL TRUST DETECTS LINDQVIST.
-
ALL-YEAR SILLY SEASONS What did you do?
A paper published in 2014
Weird weather impacting Bluefin tuna were spotted analysed two samples
species in both positive and off Cornwall, drawn back to purported to be from Sorry, but yetis
negative ways, Trust says. UK shores after an absence of yetis and claimed they aren't real – and now
more than 50 years by returning actually came from a we have the proof.
Freak weather conditions and herring and mackerel, while brown-polar bear hybrid,
strange seasonal episodes purple emperors were discovered while the mountaineer to live on in the Himalayan
contributed to some bizarre at the Trust’s Sheringham Park, Reinhold Messner, who was region and local folklore, as
wildlife events in 2017, the the first time they’ve been seen in obsessed with unravelling similar myths do in many
National Trust has said. Norfolk in 40 years. the identity of the yeti, had other cultures. Besides,
On the plus side, the autumnal On the minus side, a dry previously suggested that even if there is no proof
crop of berries, nuts and seeds winter led to a lack of breeding yetis were really bears. We for the existence of these
(and a correspondingly poor pools for natterjack toads at looked at 24 samples from creatures, it is impossible
return in mainland Europe) saw Sandscale Haws, and autumnal both bears and creatures to completely rule out that
a huge influx of hawfinches to storms contributed to a high claimed to be yetis. they live or have ever lived.
Britain, with flocks as large as mortality rate of grey seal pups in And, of course, people
50 reported in some areas. Wales and the south-west. What did find? love mysteries!
We concluded that all the
samples were indeed from Did your research reveal
ursids, but none of them anything else?
The proportion of voters who say
pesticides that harm bees and other were polar bear hybrids. Yes, we showed that
80% pollinators should be completely banned, We found they belonged Himalayan brown bears
to Himalayan, Tibetan and
appear to be from an
according to a new poll. Environment
secretary Michael Gove has recently committed the UK Eurasian brown bears and ancient lineage that
Government to further restrictions on the use of neonicotinoids. Asian black bears. may have been isolated
from other brown bear
So, the yeti is a myth? populations – including the
Our results from this relatively close ones living
research strongly suggest in the Tibetan Plateau – for
that the belief in yetis has more than 600,000 years.
its roots in biological facts So the Himalayan bears
and is closely connected have special significance,
GLAND TO MEET YOU
to bears that still live in the and since their population
Otters in Britain have different
region today. Personally, is dwindling, this suggests
odour dialects, according to new
I have no doubt that the they should be of high
research carried out at Cardiff
existence of a primate- conservation priority.
University’s School of Biosciences.
like cryptic species in the
Otters use scent glands to
communicate with each other, and Himalayan-Tibetan region is DR CHARLOTTE LINDQVIST
is an associate professor of
the study suggests that individuals indeed a myth. biological sciences in the
with different odour profiles might University at Buffalo College of
Arts and Sciences. Chronicle/Alamy
struggle to understand each other. Is that it for yetis?
O Want to comment? Email
I’m sure they will continue wildlifeletters@immediate.co.uk
February 2018 BBC Wildlife 55