Mokele-Mbembe: A Living Dinosaur?

Cryptoids are animals that are unknown to zoologists, such as Bigfoot, or animals seen in areas they are not native to or animals that are believed to be extinct. These animals have been sighted, heard, photographed or left paw prints or other signs that they exist. Until a specimen is captured alive or killed, the animal is referred to as a cryptoid.

Conflicting Witnesses’ Accounts

According to witnesses, it is about the size of a hippopotamus or larger than an elephant. They agree it has a long neck and tail. Its hairless body is reddish brown, gray or brown. Some say it has frills. Others say it does not. There are conflicting reports that the animal is soundless or that it make growling, snorting or howling sounds. It is an underwater dweller, but surfaces to eat or go to another area of the river or lake and it has three claws.

While it is an herbivore, it is said to kill hippos and to kill and eat humans. Hippos are not seen or rarely spotted in the area Mokele-Mbembe dwells and people try to avoid its habitat.

There is an account of natives telling Pastor Thomas, a missionary, about killing a Mokele-Mbembe with spears in the late 1950s. Two witnesses mimicked the beast’s cries as it was speared. Later, some cooked and ate parts of the animal, but those who ingested its meat died mysteriously.

The first reports of this cryptoid were in the late 1700s. The sightings continue into this century.

There have been numerous expeditions in quest of gathering hard evidence or sightings of Mokele-Mbembe, also with conflicting results. Several claimed to have had near encounters with the beast and others have offered indirect proof.

Expeditions

Herpetologist James H.Powell made three expeditions in search of Mokele-Mbembe. He showed natives pictures of extinct and non-extinct animals. During all of his excursions, the witnesses agreed that the diplodocus most closely looked like what they had seen. Some natives reported the beast eats plants. It was also said the cryptoids attacked boats that come too close.

In 1981, biologist Roy F. Mackel visited the region and had a near encounter. While he and his team were going around a bend in the Likouala River, they heard a loud splash, then saw a large wake that evidenced a very large animal had jumped into the water. They watched for the animal to surface, but it did not, although they waited for a significant amount of time. The only large animal that can stay submerged for a length of time is the hippo. Mackel was told none were in the area.