The Natural Stuff

Centre for Fortean Zoology Expedition to Meghalaya, India

Meghalaya is a state in the North East of India, sandwiched between Assam to the North, Burma to the east and Bangladesh to the south and west. It is a stone's throw away from the Himalayan kingdom of Butan, but it lies south of the huge Brahmaputra River. A hilly region of jungle and evergreen forest. Most of the area is comprised of tropical type jungle, but higher up in areas such as shilong, the Meghalayan capital, the climate is milder and pine forest prevail.

Unknown animals can only be found if willing folk search for them. It is all too easy for westernized people to scoff at ideas of so called mythical monsters existing, but unless they have been out to these remote areas and seen the evidence and spoken to witnesses they really can't have much to say on such subjects.

This expedition was to search for an unknown great ape; the Mande Burung (Indian Yeti). Before I went on the trip, I was open minded to the existence of the species, and fascinated with the possible existence. The yeti I believed to exist, but was not too sure, until I went out to help search for evidence. I am now convinced that the yeti does exist despite all the seemingly impossibilities.

 


Mande Burong

The People

Wildlife

Meghalaya

Wangala Festival