African Cryptids: Mokele-Mbembe · 3:27pm Jul 5th, 2019
In cryptozoology, there is always the big famous beast in a place. Bigfoot is the big one in North America, Nessie being the big one in Scotland, well, you get the idea. In Africa, the most famous cryptid is none other than Mokele-Mbembe, which in the Lingala language literally means "One who stops the flow of rivers".
In description, the Mokele-mbembe is said to be as big as an elephant, has smooth, grayish-brown skin, a long flexible neck and long tail, large three clawed feet with four sturdy legs, and is sometimes said to have a horn, but this could be due to some confusion with the Emela-Ntouka.
The animal is said to be a herbivore, feeding on the Malombo plant, despite that however, it's said to be very territorial, and will attack canoes and kill humans and hippos. However, they do not eat what they kill, suggesting they do that out of territorial instinct. The cryptozooloical community believes that the Mokele-mbembe is a late surviving sauropod dinosaur. This of course is highly unlikely, although I'd want this animal to be a dinosaur, but there's just way too much evidence against it being a sauropod dinosaur. So what could it be? Some suggest a huge type of monitor lizard.
There have been many expeditions into the Congolese jungles, including the Likouala swamp to find Mokele-mbembe, led mostly by creationists. Though some have been led by experts, including Roy P Mackal, who went to write the book "A Living Dinosaur? In Search of Mokele Mbembe" . As for the sightings, some are rather interesting. One story revolving around the Mokele-mbembe is when a tribe of pygmies built a barrier of stakes to keep Mokele-mbembes from entering Lake Tele, that way they could fish there in peace. Two Mokele-mbembe's were said to try to break through the barrier, but the pygmies managed to spear one to death. After the animal was killed, the tribe cooked and ate the meat, and it's said that all those who ate the meat died from either natural causes or food poisoning. According to those who study Mokele-mbembe, it's very difficult to get information from the people in the Congo because they believe that misfortune will happen to those who speak of Mokele-mbembe to strangers. One hunter who helped some cryptozoologists was hospitalized, and if I remember correcty, died, and the locals claim it was because he spoke to outsiders about the Mokele-mbembe. In Cameroon on the other hand, the natives don't have those beliefs, but they fear Mokele-mbembe's more than hippos and elephants.
As for evidence, mostly eyewitness testimony, the weakest form of evidence there is, and for very good reason. We need physical evidence. However, there is this intriguing photo from the congo.
A large footprint with three toes, here is an elephant track.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiPx9qqi57jAhVCCc0KHbdyCmwQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.davidwallphoto.com%2Fdetail%2F49330-Muddy-elephant-footprints-on-road%2C-Kruger-National-Park%2C-South-Africa.html&psig=AOvVaw0fFt7B4nDXErN5C6IypwsH&ust=1562426717723997
Quite intriguing, would you say so?
