Alma

Alma, known as the Mongolian equivalent of the Yeti, has fascinated researchers and cryptozoology enthusiasts for centuries. The first mention of this mysterious creature dates back to 1430, when Bavarian explorer Hans Schiltberger described strange, furry creatures in the Tian Shan Mountains. Over time, Alma became the subject of numerous studies and accounts, suggesting its human-like characteristics and unpredictable behavior. Alma's story, as well as the case of Zana, who had children with local men, continues to raise many questions about the boundaries between species and the secrets that lie hidden in the undiscovered corners of the Earth.

The Alma may be considered the Mongolian equivalent of the Yeti, but this ape-man is certainly not of the same species. The first mention of this creature to reach the Western world dates back to 1430, when the Bavarian traveler Hans Schiltberger wrote about the Alma. During one of the wars, it was captured by the Turks and later gifted to the Mongol prince, Egid. In his diary, he describes the creatures he encountered in the Tian Shan Mountains:

"In the mountains live wild people, completely different from us. Their bodies are covered with fur, but their hands and faces are devoid of it. These creatures run across the hills like animals, feeding on leaves, grass, and whatever they can find in the forest. The ruler of this land gave Aegis a pair of forest people, a man and a woman. They were caught in the forest along with three wild horses the size of donkeys."

It should be noted here that several centuries later, the Russian scientist M. Przewalski discovered and described the species of small horses mentioned by the traveler, later called Przewalski's horses. During his expedition, Przewalski also heard about the "forest man" many times. The Alma was sighted in many parts of Asia, even in the Caucasus. In each case, the descriptions bring to mind Neanderthals.

The ape-man is the height of an adult man, with a receding forehead, an underdeveloped chin, and prominent eyebrows. His body is covered with thick, brown or reddish fur, and he moves upright, with his legs slightly bent. His arms are strong, equipped with long fingers, reaching down to the knees

Russian zoologist VA Khaklov recounted an encounter with Alma, where a Kazakh shepherd observed the creature for several weeks. On another occasion, peasants managed to capture a female and chain her to a mill wall, releasing her only after several weeks. Alma was reportedly calm, becoming aggressive only when approached. She ate raw meat, some vegetables, grains, and insects she caught.

At the end of the 19th century in the Caucasus, locals achieved a similar feat: they captured and "domesticated" a female Alma, naming her Zana. At first, she behaved very unpredictably and had to be kept in a cage. However, she later acclimated to captivity and was allowed to leave her cage after a few years. Zana was covered in reddish fur, had very strong jaws and a flattened nose, was large and very strong. She never learned to speak, only making incomprehensible sounds. Instead, she learned to obey the commands of her master, Edga Genab. Most astonishingly, she became pregnant by the men of the village. She tried to wash her children in a stream immediately after birth, resulting in their death. However, the natives then took her children away, thanks to which two boys and two girls survived.

This story intrigued Russian historian Boris Porshnev, who arrived in 1964 in the village where Zana lived. He learned that one of her sons, Khvit, had been a "very strong, violent, and exceptionally unsociable" farm laborer for years. He also managed to locate Alma's grandchildren. "I noticed immediately," he wrote, "that they had exceptionally dark skin and Negroid features. Szalikula, Zana's grandson, had very powerful jaw muscles: he could lift a chair with his teeth on which a grown man was sitting."