Mokele-mbembe

Dinosaur believed to live in Central Africa, which has appeared under different names in the folklores of different tribes and has sent more than one big game hunter on a wild goose chase. Most authoritatively in the Congo, compared at times to a hippopotamus and whose legend include such fanciful additions such as the rumour that in 1959 one was caught and butchered and all the hunters who ate its meat died.

One of the earliest eyewitness accounts comes from Firman Mosomele, who claimed to have seen it when 14 years of age.

He described the creature as being reddish brown in colour, with its snake-like head and neck sticking 6-8 feet above water.

When Mosomele was shown a book of animals, he instantly pointed to a picture of a sauropod dinosaur, identifying that as the Mokele-Mbembe.

Sceptics believe the most likely explanation for sigtings is the mis-identification of large pythons.

As early as 1901, the Smithsonian institute bore interest in and knowledge of Mokele-Mbembe. The institute went so far as to offer a bounty of three million dollars for an example of the animal, dead or alive.

The N'Gournie river, Ubangi river, Northern Likauala-aux-Herbes river, Lake Tebeki and Lake Tele are suspected habitats, as they are home to many large caves, some stretching as long as sixty miles.

Locals report an herbivorous diet, consisting of only two plants, Landolphia owariensis and Landolphia mannii. Both are varieties of the Malombo plant.

Mokele-Mbembe is Lingala, meaning "One that stops the flow of rivers." The term is also used generically for other animals such as: Emila-ntouka, Mbielu-mbielu-mbielu and Nguma-monene.

More adventurous reports state that Mokele-Mbembe will overturn boats and kill the occupants by biting them and hitting them with its tail. This also seems to be its behavior towards hippopotami, and no hippopotami are found in the areas where Mokele-Mbembe sightings are reported.

Expeditions seem to occur in pairs, with an average interval of three years. Bill Gibbons and Roy Mackal are regular offenders, suggesting that climate patterns or finances might have some connection to the exercise of this fantasic insanity.