The Almas are one of the most enduring “wild human” legends of Central Asia and the Caucasus Mountains especially in Russia, Mongolia, and the former Soviet regions. Unlike the North American Bigfoot, Almas are usually described as more humanlike, shorter, and more primitive, often thought of as a remnant hominid rather than a giant ape.
What Are the Almas?
Witnesses describe the Almas as 5 to 6 feet tall, covered in reddish-brown or dark hair, with flat noses, wide mouths, and distinctly humanlike proportions. They’re said to have long arms, though not the exaggerated arm length often attributed to Bigfoot. Most sightings report the creatures walking upright, fully bipedal, yet also capable of dropping to all fours when moving quickly or navigating rough terrain.
Encounters are concentrated in the Altai Mountains, the Caucasus, Kabardino-Balkaria, Dagestan, and across Mongolia. Many Soviet-era researchers believed the Almas might represent a surviving hominid species possibly something similar to Homo erectus or a relict Neanderthal-type population that persisted far longer than science currently acknowledges.
The Zana Case (Abkhazia, 19th Century)
Perhaps the most well-known Almasty account centers on Zana, a wild, hair-covered woman said to have been captured in the late 1800s near the village of Tkhina in Abkhazia. Witnesses described her as immensely strong, unable to speak, and covered head-to-toe in reddish hair. According to local accounts, Zana lived among the villagers for decades and even bore several children with local men. Her children appeared fully human but were noted for their unusual strength and hardiness.
In the 20th century, Soviet researchers interviewed Zana’s descendants and examined graves believed to be connected to her story. Whether the tale is rooted in fact or folklore, the Zana case remains one of the most iconic and debated pieces of the Almas legend.
The 1941 Red Army Soldier Encounter – Russian Caucasus
According to C. G. Koffmann’s paper The Almasty – Yeti of the Caucasus, a report exists of an unusual sighting during the winter of 1941 in Daghestan. A military patrol reportedly intercepted a male creature of human appearance, covered in thick hair. At first, they assumed it was an escaped prisoner, but the closer they looked, the stranger it became, the figure was barefoot, naked, and completely covered in long hair, with arms that swung noticeably low as it ran.
Examination by a Soviet Military Doctor
The report further states that Lieutenant Colonel V. S. Karapetian, a medical officer, was summoned to examine the creature. The examination reportedly took place in a shed, as it “could not be kept in a warm room… He had sweated… so profusely” that a cooler environment was necessary. The creature was described as approximately 5’9″ tall, with a human-like build, bare feet, and dark brown hair around 2–3 inches long covering its chest, back, and shoulders, while its palms and soles remained hairless. Karapetian allegedly remarked that the creature’s eyes “were dull and empty, the eyes of an animal,” giving it an appearance that was “like an animal and nothing more.”
It was said that the creature was eventually shot, though the circumstances and details remain unverified. Soviet-era documents note that this incident wasn’t isolated; border guards throughout the region reported similar sightings during the war.
The 1950s–1960s Kabardino-Balkaria Sightings
During the 1950s and 60s, Kabardino-Balkaria in the Caucasus emerged as a hotspot for Almasty reports. Locals and shepherds described humanlike creatures standing 5–6 feet tall, covered in thick hair “like a bear, but shaped like a person.” Witnesses often saw them watching from rocky outcrops, quietly observing herders, or foraging collecting berries or digging for roots.
One notable 1963 report recounts two Almasty walking along a ridge at dusk. The witness later commented that they appeared “too upright and too human to be bears,” leaving a lasting impression of a creature both wild and eerily human.
The 1965 Mongolian Expedition (Kozlov & Porshnev)
In 1965, Soviet scientists Pyotr Kozlov and Boris Porshnev set out to investigate numerous Almasty reports across Mongolia. One of the most striking accounts came from a nomadic herder:
One night, something reportedly shook his yurt, startling him awake. Stepping outside, he saw a hairy, bipedal figure crouched near his horses. The creature fled on two legs, leaving behind humanlike footprints that were shorter and wider than a typical man’s.
Despite collecting detailed testimonies, the expedition found no physical evidence, leaving the sighting as mysterious as it was chilling.
1980s Kavkaz Border Guard Incidents
During the 1980s, Soviet border posts along the Georgian–Russian border reported a series of unsettling encounters. Guards described tall, naked, hair-covered figures approaching outbuildings under the cover of night, sometimes raiding gardens or livestock feed.
On one occasion, soldiers using spotlights observed a large male Almasty shielding a smaller one before both vanished up a steep slope at remarkable speed. Witnesses consistently described them as “hairy people, not animals.”
These reports were considered credible enough to be recorded in official military logs, underscoring the seriousness with which the Soviets treated these mysterious sightings.
The 1990 Lagodekhi National Park Encounter (Georgia)
While conducting fieldwork in Lagodekhi National Park, a biologist reportedly observed a female Almasty with a young offspring. Both creatures were quietly foraging for insects under stones when the mother suddenly noticed him. She let out a short, sharp warning call, and both vanished silently into the dense brush.
The witness was adamant that the creatures were not bears, emphasizing their humanlike faces and body proportions, making the encounter both eerie and unforgettable.
In 2013, a hunter reported a close-range encounter with a brown-haired, humanlike figure standing quietly by a river before slipping silently into the forest. Unlike the towering 8–10 foot North American Sasquatch, Almas are generally:
- Much more humanlike in appearance
- Smaller, typically 5–6 feet tall
- Occasionally observed in family groups
- Reportedly capable of primitive tool use, according to local accounts
- Often seen not as monsters, but as a rough, ancient people
Because of these traits, many researchers consider the Almas the most hominid-like wildman legend in the world.