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Mokele-mbembe
A living dinosaur in the Congo. Pygmy tribes describe a long-necked, elephant-sized creature that kills hippos. Missionaries, explorers, and scientists have hunted it. The jungle keeps its secrets.
1776 - Present
Congo Basin, Africa
200+ witnesses
Mokele-mbembe is Africa’s living dinosaur.
The Legend
“One who stops rivers”:
- Likouala region
- Congo Basin
- Known to locals
- For generations
- Feared creature
Description
Sauropod appearance:
- Long neck
- Small head
- Elephant-sized body
- Brownish-gray
- Semi-aquatic
Western Discovery
1776 onwards:
- French missionaries
- Footprints found
- Likouala swamp
- Multiple expeditions
- No capture
Expeditions
Many searches:
- Roy Mackal (1980s)
- Japanese teams
- Operation Congo
- Nothing conclusive
- Remote terrain
Native Encounters
Pygmy testimony:
- Identified from pictures
- Kill hippos
- Eat certain plants
- Very dangerous
- Best avoided
Scientific Interest
Could it exist:
- Unexplored jungle
- Coelacanth precedent
- Unknown species possible
- Evidence lacking
- But tantalizing