Ever wonder what happened to the dinosaurs that had roamed the earth, and are they extinct as we were told? There are parts of the earth that are still largely unexplored, and scientists and explorers are still discovering. In the deep lakes of the Alps, the African rivers, the deep caves within our earth or in the dark secrets of our oceans, many creatures big and small are possibly hidden from our eyes. Here is the discovery of a creature that had long claimed their existence with sightings by the locals and only spread to the world when Western expedition teams gained interests.

Described with a resemblance to the Sauropod, a dinosaur which mainly lives in water, it does not seem to have evolved due to the safety of its living environment, hidden within the deep waters of the Congo River, where the depths are measured at 722 ft (220 m) and length at 2,900 mi (4,700 km).

Mokele-Mbembe, in Lingala (mókɛlɛ ᵐbɛ́ᵐbɛ), means “one who stops the flow of rivers.” Mokele-Mbembe is the legend in the Congo River Basin, described as a water living creature and sometimes as a spirit.

Since the 20^th Century, with the increased public interest in dinosaurs, Mokele-Mbembe soon became a creature described to be similar to that of certain dinosaur species that lived in Africa, which was dispelled by scientists. However, Mokele-Mbembe continues to be a creature of interest to the pseudoscience of cryptozoology and the Young Earth creationist groups. These groups held many fact-finding expeditions, which according to Paleontologist, Donald Prothero, “quest for Mokele-Mbembe is part of the effort by creationists to overthrow the theory of evolution and teaching of science by any means possible and that wildlife biologists are not the one looking for Mokele-Mbembe.” So is there any truth in his words?

In 1776, it first started with a set of claw marks spotted in the African Congo River Basin. A Western settler by the name of Abbot Proyart then reported the sighting of the Mokele-Mbembe in the Congolese jungle, around the Likouala swamp area. It is from the language, Lingala, of the indigenous people living in the Congo basin that the creature got its name.

Described as large as an elephant with three-clawed feet, a long flexible neck, a long tail, greyish brown skin and sometimes with a horn or ivory tooth, the Mokele-Mbembe has been discounted to resemble another animal of equal mystic, the Chipekwe, as named by the African Pygmies.

Based on the descriptions by the locals, it was concluded by the early seekers that Mokele-Mbembe is most probably a dinosaur family that was supposed to have extinct for millions of years (the Sauropod).

Some brave explorers made their way to the Congo River Basin, in search of this elusive beast. A well-known American Cryptozoologist, Ivan T. Sanderson, led a search expedition in 1932, to the Congo River Basin, where there had been repeated sightings of the creature. Initially, his team came across a set of tracks similar to that of a large hippopotamus, however, that particular area in Central Africa has no known existing hippopotamus population. Sanderson, while on a boat near his base camp, claimed to have seen a huge creature which he believed to be Mokele-Mbembe, went into the water without resurfacing. He was later told by his local guides who had for generations shared the water with these creatures, that he was extremely fortunate to have survived the experience.

Presumed to be herbivores, eating mostly the Molombo plants along the shores of the waterways, Mokele-Mbembe is not to be disturbed as often encountering one will end in disaster, with boats destroyed and at times, lives were lost. The expedition team was told stories of how fishers or hunters who entered into the territory of the Mokele-Mbembe, were held under the river waters by its powerful tail after capsizing their boats. The corpses of these unfortunate tribesmen were washed up on the riverbanks, and there was normally no sign of any missing part of their body but only broken ribs and bones. However, this also fits into the theory that the Mokele-Mbembe is strictly vegetarian.

Description of Mokele-Mbembe

The description of Mokele-Mbembe is surprisingly similar among witnesses from different regions such as Cameroon, Congo and Gabon. Generally, Mokele-Mbembe is described to be a huge animal that is around 10–30 ft (3-9 m) in length, with a long neck and a long tail. The tail is very muscular, just like a crocodile’s tail and it is used to keep its victim under the water to drown them.

Mokele-Mbembe’s diet consists of vegetation along the riverbanks and it is extremely territorial. It will attack humans who are unfortunate to wander into its territory and it hates hippopotamus. Hence, there is no hippopotamus seen in a Mokele-Mbembe’s territory. It usually comes out from the water at night to feed on the vegetation and that is the time when a lot of sightings of Mokele-Mbembe occur.

The autobiography of notable hunter Carl Hagenbeck, “Beasts and Men“, was the first to mention the Mokele-Mbembe as similar to a brontosaurus in 1909. Two unrelated sources were said to share of a creature described by natives as “half-dragon, half-elephant” living in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe in modern times). Having been told similar stories of the same from naturalist, Joseph Menges, Hagenbeck was led to believe that “it can only be some kind of dinosaur, seemingly akin to the brontosaurus”. From his account in 1911, German explorer, Lt. Paul Gratz found some skin strips of the swamp creature on the island of Mbawala. Known by natives as nsanga, Gratz said the creature had no scales and had clawed toes likening it to a degenerate saurian.

In 1913, a German Captain Ludwig Freiherr von Stein zu Lausnitz was sent to conduct a survey in the German colonies in what is now Cameroon. He heard stories of an enormous reptile, called Mokele-Mbembe living in the jungle in this area. Even though the stories of this creature seemed to be unbelievable but von Stein thought the tales were credible because the stories were told to him by a trusted native guide and a few independent sources. All of them provided the same details related to this creature. Thus, he decided to include the description of Mokele-Mbembe in his official report though it was never formally published. Writer Willy Ley quoted von Stein’s report in his book “Exotic Zoology (1959)” as writing, describing Mokele-Mbembe with the following characteristics:

• It has a size of an elephant or similar to a hippopotamus
• Its skin is smooth and brownish-grey in colour
• It has a very long and flexible neck
• Its tail is long and muscular, similar to the tail of an alligator

Mokele-Mbembe’s Habitat

Different tribes of African Pygmies have reported the sightings of Mokele-Mbembe. All of them gave very similar descriptions of Mokele-Mbembe and agreed that the animal lives in the rivers, streams, and swampy lakes in the 800,000 square miles (2,071,990 square kilometres) Congo Basin located in Central Africa including countries such as Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo (RPC), Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia. Most of the sightings of Mokele-Mbembe were reported in countries known today as Zaire, Gabon, Cameroon, Uganda and the Congo (RPC).

Location of Forbidden Zone. Click on image to enlarge.

Mokele-Mbembes are semi-aquatic animals, and they are very territorial creatures. They don’t like to be disturbed or have other animals or humans to be around where they live. They will attack and kill humans and animals they come across, even though Mokele-Mbembe are herbivores. Hence, there are no hippopotamuses in the areas where Mokele-Mbembes were sighted, and it is very dangerous for people who go into the territory of Mokele-Mbembe. There is an area where the locals called the Forbidden Zone near Dja River which they refuse to enter, fearing attacks by Mokele-Mbembe. The area is known as Forbidden Zone due to the frequent sightings of the animal there. Many Pygmies who ventured into the area were found dead with crushed ribs, and many others went missing.

The Congo River in Congo Basin is the second-longest river in Africa, with measured depths of over 720 ft (220 m). The Congo-Lualaba-Chambeshi River system is about 2,920 mi (4,700 km) in length with its many tributaries flowing through the Congolese rainforest. The countless branching tributaries, waterways and canals criss-cross Central Africa, creating a dendritic network totalling 15,500 mi (25,000 km).

Congo River

In the Likouala region where Lake Tele is located, there had been many sightings of Mokele-Mbembe. Lake Tele is round in shape with lobes occurring only along the western shore. It is very remote and hard to reach as no river flows in or out of it. To reach Lake Tele, one has to walk through 40 mi (65 km) of forest and swamp that is infested with serpents, crocodiles and insects. Surrounding the lake is a lush forest area with dense vegetation. Within the forest, a thick canopy overhead was formed, there are giant woody vines, lianas suspended from the tall trees. With dense thickets of shrubs and smaller vines, the forest is almost inaccessible.

Lake Tele

Malombo plant and fruit. Click on image to enlarge.

The visibility of Lake Tele is only about 4-6 in (10-15 cm) due to heavy particulate matter. The bottom of the lake is covered by decomposed vegetation falling from the trees along the shore. With such high nutrient content in the water, Lake Tele becomes the haven for an astonishing population of aquatic life which supports an equally abundant variety of fauna. Many unknown species of animals and plants were discovered in this very much unexplored area.

With a large and extensive river system, Congo Basin becomes an ideal living and hiding place for Mokele-Mbembe so it can stay undiscovered by humans. The thick and dense forest or shrubs along the riverbanks gives an abundant supply of food to Mokele-Mbembe whose diet consists of primarily the Malombo plant which is also known as Saba senegalensis.

The Existence of Mokele-Mbembe

For over 200 years, reports have been in circulation about this dinosaur-like animal inhibiting Africa’s Congo River Basin. The first footprints of the animal were spotted in 1776 when a French missionary passed through the forest in Congo. The huge footprints were three feet in circumference and were seven feet apart with three claws. The French missionary first suggested that the animal that made the prints have to be as big as an elephant, but it does not belong to the elephant family because of the claw marks. Throughout the years, similar footprints were once again found in the unexplored jungle of Africa.

Suspected Mokele-Mbembe’s footprint. Click on image to enlarge.

During one of the expeditions in 2004, a team consisting of Brian Sass, Peter Beach, and local guide/hunter Pierre Sima were travelling down the Dja River, which is a river that forms part of the Congo-Cameroon border. So they came across what is known locally as “Swamp Island” which is the Forbidden Zone of Mokele-Mbembe and they noticed that the normally dense shroud of overhanging vines that was about eighteen feet away from the ground had been stripped away by an animal. Large tracks were found on the ground, and they were about the size of an elephant yet with prominent claw marks. According to the local guide they hired, the footprints came from two adult animals and one juvenile and they were moving side to side to graze on the foliage hanging above the bank. It is impossible for elephants to feast on the foliage due to the height and there was no giraffe population around that area. Hence, the only explanation will be that the vegetation was eaten by an unclassified species that is very tall and large such as the Mokele-Mbembe.

Near the area of stripped vegetations, the team also found several large caves in the ground at the riverbank. Those caves appeared to be dug out by large animals, large claw marks were seen on the wall. It was said that it is common for some animals to dig out caves along the riverbank when water is scarce during summer, and then they will hibernate in them after sealing the caves from within with mud. Normally, the animal will leave an air vent for air exchange. Biologist Peter Beach tried to dig into one of the caves, and he heard scratching sounds from the other side of the wall. Then as the scratching sound became louder, which is an indication that whatever was inside the cave was trying to get out, the team left hastily because it is extremely dangerous to encounter an adult Mokele-Mbembe at close range.

In 1960, it was reported that the forest-dwelling Pygmies of Lake Tele region fished daily in the lake near the Molibos which serves as water channels located at the north end of the lake. These channels merge with the swamps, and the locals believe that the channels were used by Mokele-Mbembe to enter the lake. Due to the extremely territorial nature of the animal, it was unsafe for fishermen to enter the lake when Mokele-Mbembe is around, and that disrupted the Pygmies’ fishing activities. Eventually, the Pygmies erected a stake barrier across the Molibo to prevent the animal from entering the lake.

Eventually, this angered the animals, and two of them were seen attempting to break through the barrier. The Pygmies retaliated by attacking back with spears and successfully killed one of the animals after days of effort. Later, they cooked the animal and feasted on it during a victory feast. However, something tragic happened as those who ate the flesh of the animal died either from food poisoning or natural causes.

Mokele-Mbembe’s drawing by one of the locals. Click on image to enlarge.

For Mokele-Mbembe to exist, there must be a whole population of the animal for it to produce offsprings and survive through the ages. The huge rivers and swamps system in Africa is mostly unexplored up until today due to its lack of accessibility. Scientists have been discovering new species of animals in those areas, and it is believed that it is possible for a whole population of Mokele-Mbembe to live in those unexplored areas that have an abundance of living places, areas to hibernate and food source. On top of that, there have been a huge amount of witness reports from the Pygmies about the animal with similar characteristic, which also adds to the evidence backing the existence of Mokele-Mbembe. It is impossible for the Pygmies to have lied about the animal because many of them have no contact with the outside world, and they do not know about dinosaurs. However, most of them drew or chose the picture of a sauropod during the identification process.

African Pygmies

The African Pygmies got their names because of their height, 5’3 ft (1.6 m) is said to be the tallest they can grow up to. They refer to themselves as the “Forest People” due to their habitat and culture. It is due to the lack of a better word that we refer to them using the term “Pygmies”. According to some scientific studies, their shortness in physical appearance is an advantage so that they can move around easily and freely in the jungle. In addition, their short appearance can also help them to reduce the harm caused by ultraviolet light.

The African Pygmies can be found in the deep rainforests of Western, Central and Eastern Africa. They are nomads and usually live in a group of 15-70 people. According to a statistic conducted in 2016, there are about 900,000 African Pygmies living in the Central African Forests. Out of the 900,000 Pygmies, about 60% of them live in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

African Pygmies hut

Traditionally, the African Pygmies are hunter-gatherers and also, live foraging for food. Nowadays, African Pygmies do trade with neighbouring farmers for cultivated foods and other necessities. In general, the African Pygmies can be grouped by geographical area into 3 groups, even though there are at least 12 different Pygmy groups.

• The Western Bambenga (Mbenga) of Cameroon and Gabon, the Bayaka (Aka and Baka), the Bakola or Bakoya (Gyele and Kola), and the Bongo. They speak Bantu and Ubangian languages.
• The Eastern Bambuti (Mbuti) of the Congo Basin. They speak Bantu and Central Sudanic languages.
• The Central and Southern Batwa (Twa). They can be found in Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Angola and Namibia. They speak Bantu Rundi and Kiga languages.

The African Pygmies are discriminated against by other local people and they suffer from enslavement by another group of people called Bantu. Very often, the African Pygmies, including women and children work under the Bantu people as slaves from birth. They are not paid by money but in cigarettes, used clothing or sometimes nothing at all.

The natives who have witnessed the appearance of Mokele-Mbembe are most likely to be the Bambenga, the Bayaka, the Bonga and the Bambuti who live in Cameroon, Gabon and Congo Basin.

Expeditions

American Expedition 1909

Naturalist Carl Hagenbeck mentioned in his autobiography that two individuals, a German named Hans Schomburgh and an English hunter who told him about a huge monster which looks like a half elephant and half dragon that lived in the Congo swamps. Later, naturalist Joseph Menges, related to Hagenbeck that “some kind of dinosaur that is akin to the brontosaurus inhabited the swamps as well”. Hagenbeck then sent an expedition to the Congo in search of the monster, but it was cancelled due to disease outbreak and hostile natives in Congo at that time.

German Expedition 1913

Captain Freiherr von Stein zu Lausnitz was sent by the German Government to explore Cameroon, otherwise known as the Republic of Cameroon now. He wrote about a unique animal called Mokele-Mbembe, which got its name from the locals. The animal inhabits areas near Ubangi, Sangha and Ikelemba rivers. He further described the animal as follows: brownish-grey colour with smooth skin with the size of approximately an elephant or a least a hippopotamus. Some also said that the animal has long and muscular tails like that of an alligator and it will come to the shore to look for food even in the daytime. Its diet only consists of vegetables.

Click on image to enlarge

American Expedition 1920

The Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. sent out a 32-men expedition, unexplained tracks along the banks of the river were found after six days. The team later heard mysterious roars which resembled no known animals, coming from an unexplored swamp. Unfortunately, the expedition ended in tragedy. When the team was travelling through a flooded area where the monster was seen, the vehicle that the team was riding on overturned, resulting in four deaths and half a dozen injured.

American Expedition 1932

American cryptozoologist Ivan Sanderson was travelling in Africa and came across large hippo-like tracks in an area where there were no hippos. He was then told by the natives that the tracks were from a creature named “Mokele-Mbembe.” He also saw something under the water that was too large to be a hippopotamus, but it disappeared before any investigation can be carried out.

American Expedition 1972

Herpetologist James H. Powell Jr. organised an expedition to the Congo, but unfortunately, it was fraught with problems due to the poor relations between the US and the Congo at that time. Many months of hardships such as snake-bites, near-drownings, and tropical diseases only led to more testimonies from witnesses about Mokele-Mbembe and another lizard-like creature called “n’yamala”.

American Expedition 1976

James Powell decided to go to Gabon, inspired by the book called “Trader Horn“. The book, a memoir of the author’s time in Gabon specifically along the Ogooue River, was written by Englishman Alfred Aloysius Smith. He recorded hearing of a creature called the “hago-nini” and identified it with the “Amali”, a creature whose tracks he had seen. He realised they were probably identical to Mokele-Mbembe. Furthermore, Powell heard local legends of the n’yamala, and the natives identified pictures of a sauropod dinosaur as bearing most resemblance to the animal.

Click on image to enlarge

German Expedition 1980

An expedition mounted by engineer Herman Regusters and his wife, Kia successfully made its way to Lake Tele, where the growls and roars of an unknown animal were heard. They claimed to have photographed Mokele-Mbembe and also watched it walked on land through the bush. The animal they saw was 30-35 ft (9-10 m) long, according to Regusters.

American Expedition 1980

Powell launched another expedition, and cryptozoologist Roy P. Mackal went along. Powell and Mackal found that the majority of reported sightings came from the banks of the Likouala River near Lake Tele. Witnesses of the animal said the animal is 15-30 ft (4-9 m) long with a long neck that accounted for much of its length. It is in the colour of rust, and some have seen a frill or a crest on it.

Likouala River

American Expedition 1981

This expedition composed of Mackal, J. Richard Greenwell, M. Justin Wilkinson, and the Congolese zoologist Marcellin Agnagna. They encountered what they believed to be the Congo “dinosaur” along the Likouala River when they heard a large animal leaping into the water near Epena. They also discovered a path of broken branches supposedly made by the animal and also several footprints.

African Expedition 1983

Powell and Mackal found that the majority of reported sightings came from the banks of the Likouala River near Lake Tele. According to him, the animal had a reddish head with crocodile-looking oval eyes and a thin nose. It looked from side to side 3 ft (1 m) above the water level as if it was watching him. Agnagna said the animal was a reptile but not a crocodile, python or freshwater turtle.

Click on image to enlarge

British Expedition 1985-86

Englishman William J. Gibbons talked to several eye-witnesses who gave him information about Mokele-Mbembe. He is convinced that the dinosaur exists but was unable to prove its existence. However, when he returned to the United Kingdom, he brought with him the remains of an unidentified monkey which was later classified as a new subspecies of mangabey monkey.

Japanese Expedition 1987

A piece of blurry video footage filmed by a Japanese film crew supposedly shows the creature in Lake Tele remains disputable evidence of the animal’s existence. The film is indistinct and grainy. It might be just two men in a boat with one of them standing upright in the front part of the boat, which is very common in Africa. This scene can be interpreted as the head and neck of the animal. However, this interpretation of the film is purely speculative.

British Expedition 1990

Author and explorer Redmond O’Hanlon returned from his failed expedition convinced that witnesses of Mokele-Mbembe must have mistaken wild elephants crossing rivers with their trunk in the air as the animal.

British Expedition 1992

After six years, William Gibbons decided to try again, and this time he is accompanied by an American explorer Rory Nugent. Their search covered almost two-thirds of the unexplored Bai River, and also two small lakes located in the northwest of Lake Tele. These are Lake Fouloukuo and Lake Tibeke which are absent from most maps, and both are said to be haunted by Mokele-Mbembe. Rory Nugent also took two interesting photographs of something unusual in Lake Tele which may show the head of a Mokele-Mbembe.

Suspected head of Mokele-Mbembe at Lake Tele

American Expedition 2006

As reported by Cryptomundo, Milt Marcy, Peter Beach, and Rob Mullin left Portland, Oregon for Cameroon on January 10, 2006. They teamed up with Pierre Sima to conduct the next phase of the cryptozoological research on the border of Congo and Cameroon to search for the legendary Mokele-Mbembe. However, no evidence was collected from this expedition.

The Benefit of the Existence of Mokele-Mbembe

Until now, there is no physical evidence of the existence of Mokele-Mbembe other than some footprints and reports from eyewitnesses. If the Mokele-Mbembe exists, it will be an exciting opportunity for scientists and evolutionists to branch into a new area of science, Paleozoologist. If the Mokele-Mbembe was found to be in existence, then it opens up to the possibilities of the existence of other prehistorical creatures thought to be extinct. Could the famous Loch Ness monster, fondly known as Nessie, in Scotland, be a relative of the Mokele-Mbembe?

Cryptids That Are Commonly Mistaken as Mokele-Mbembe

Emela-Ntouka

Emela-Ntouka is another cryptid that lives in Congo and possible Cameroon, the same area where the sighting of Mokele-Mbembe occurred. It is an elephant-sized cryptid that is known as “The Elephant Killer”. As it is ferocious and will kill anything that it encounters, the natives are terrified of it. It is usually around 10.5 ft (3.2 m) tall, brownish to grey in colour. It has a heavy tail and a body that is similar to a rhinoceros, including a long horn on its snout. There is no-frills or ridges along the neck and the legs are short and stump-like. This animal is semi-aquatic and feeds on plants but is extremely territorial, just like Mokele-Mbembe.

Loch Ness Monster (Nessie)

The Loch Ness monster is often described to be an animal with sleek, rubbery blackish-grey skin which is about 20 ft (6 m) long. It usually has a serpentine body which is typical for sea serpents and lake monsters. It has humps along its length with one or more sets of paddles which sometimes turn out to be stumpy legs. Its head has the shape of a horse’s head and may have a straggly mane running down its neck. This animal is believed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands.

Documentaries About Mokele-Mbembe

In Search of the Congo Dinosaur Mokele-Mbembe

The Mokele-Mbembe: A Real Life Living Dinosaur Living in the Congo

My Mokele-Mbembe Expedition 2010

Living Dinosaurs: Mokele-Mbembe Sound Recording

African Swamp Monster: Mokele-Mbembe Witness

African Swamp Monster: Encounter

Additional Pictures of Mokele-Mbembe

Suspected footprint of Mokele-Mbembe

A possible carving of the Mokele-Mbembe, believed to have originated in West Africa, currently housed at Glencomeragh House in Tipperary County, Ireland.

Click on image to enlarge

你有没有想过曾经在地球到处走动的恐龙到底怎么了？它们是否真的已经绝迹不存在了？地球上还有许多地方还没有被发掘，科学家和探险家们也还再继续探索。

在阿尔卑斯山的深湖、非洲的河流、地球深处的洞穴或黑暗神秘的海洋中，还有许多大大小小的生物有待我们发掘。在这篇文章里，我们要探讨的是一个长期以来当地人声称存在的一种生物。这个生物的传说引起了西方探险队的兴趣，有关它的讯息也因此传了开来。这种生物被描述为与蜥脚类恐龙（一种主要生活在水中的恐龙）相似。因为其生活环境完全没有受到威胁，因此它也似乎没有进化过。它的栖身之地就隐藏在深度为海拔722英尺（ 220米）、长度为2,900英里（4,700公里）的刚果河的深水区域。

魔克拉-姆边贝或称摩克拉姆贝贝， 在林加拉语（Lingala language）的意思为「可以阻断水流的生物」。据说它是一种栖息在刚果河流域沼泽的巨大神秘生物。摩克拉姆贝贝是刚果河流域的一个传说，它被描述为一种水栖生物，有时则被描述为生灵。

自20世纪以来，随着公众对恐龙的兴趣日益增加，摩克拉姆贝贝很快就变成了一种被描述为类似于生活在非洲的某些恐龙物种的生物，但是科学家们对这个说法并不认同。然而，摩克拉姆贝贝仍然是神秘生物学中的伪科学家和年轻的地球创造论者团体大感兴趣的生物。根据古生物学家唐纳德·普罗瑟罗的说法，这些团体进行了许多事实调查，他也说：“寻求摩克拉姆贝贝是创造论者努力通过任何可能的方式推翻科学进化论和科学教学方式。会去寻找摩克拉姆贝贝的绝对不会是野生动物生物学家“。他的话有道理吗？

1776年，人们首先在非洲刚果河流域发现了一系列爪痕。据说一位名叫艾博普罗雅的西方人在刚果的森林靠近力库拉的沼泽地看到了摩克拉姆贝贝。摩克拉姆贝贝一词来自刚果盆地原住民的语言-林加拉语。

据目击者称摩克拉姆贝贝的体积有如大象、脚趾长有三支爪。它长长的脖子伸缩自如，它有一条长尾巴，灰褐色的皮肤，有时带有角或长有象牙，摩克拉姆贝贝也比喻为类似于另一种非洲矮人传说中神秘的动物-赤培威。

根据当地人的描述，最早期的探险家所得出的结论是，摩克拉姆贝贝有很大的可能性是属于已经灭绝了数百万年的蜥脚类恐龙。不久后，一些勇敢的探险家们决定前往刚果河流域，想要寻找这个神秘生物。 1932年，著名的美国神秘生物学家艾文桑德森（Ivan T. Sanderson）率领了一支搜索探险队前往刚果河流域，在那里曾有多次目击摩克拉姆贝贝的报道。探险最初，他的团队发现了一组类似河马的足迹，但是这个区域并没有河马的踪影。桑德森在他的大本营附近的一艘船上声称看到了一个巨大的生物，他认为这是莫克尔姆姆贝正潜入水里。后来他的当地导游告诉他，他们几代人都与这些生物分享水源，他觉得能够目击莫克尔姆姆贝是一件非常幸运的事。

人们推断摩克拉姆贝贝是食草动物，它主要的食物是长在水道岸边的莫伦波植物。摩克拉姆贝贝并不喜欢被人打扰，遇见了摩克拉姆贝贝将会是一个灾难。要不是船只被毁坏，就是丧失生命。探险小组被告知有关进入摩克拉姆贝贝居住地的渔民或猎人，如何在船只被摩克拉姆贝贝倾覆之后被摩克拉姆贝贝强大的尾巴制服于水中。这些不幸死去的部落成员的尸体被冲上河岸上后，人们发现他们的死因不是因为被吃掉，而是因为肋骨被压碎了。这正符合了摩克拉姆贝贝是草食动物的理论。

当地人描绘的摩克拉姆贝贝。点击放大

最近的20世纪30年代，非洲矮人讲述了他们的祖先如何为了安全捕鱼，而将泰莱湖围起来以提防摩克拉姆贝贝袭击。有一回，一对摩克拉姆贝贝破坏了湖里的围墙，而引起了非洲矮人的愤怒感。为了报复，非洲矮人将其中一只摩克拉姆贝贝给杀死。在庆祝活动中，村民们食用了摩克拉姆贝贝的肉。吃过摩克拉姆贝贝的肉的人不是食物中毒而死或是不久之后死于自然因素。自此，摩克拉姆贝贝就被神秘化而且常与神秘力量扯上关系。

摩克拉姆贝贝的描述

在喀麦隆，刚果和加蓬等不同地区的摩克拉姆贝贝目击者对摩克拉姆贝贝的描述极为相似。他们都说摩克拉姆贝贝是一种巨大的动物，身长约10-30尺 （3-9米），有很长的脖子和尾巴。其尾巴的肌肉有如鳄鱼尾巴的肌肉，非常发达。摩克拉姆贝贝会用它的尾巴将受害者制服于水中，让受害者溺毙。

摩克拉姆贝贝以沿河岸的植被为主食。它们不喜欢自己活动的范围被他人侵入。它们会攻击那些不幸徘徊在其活动范围内的人，它们也厌恶河马。因此，在摩克拉姆贝贝出没的地方都不会有河马的出现。摩克拉姆贝贝通常会在晚上从水中出来觅食沿河岸的植被，许多摩克拉姆贝贝的目击报告都是在这段时间内。一些摩克拉姆贝贝足迹可以在高于地面18英尺（6米）的高植被下找到，这清楚的显示有动物就在这里觅食。当地人非常害怕摩克拉姆贝贝，他们会想方设法避免与其相遇。

1909年，著名猎人卡尔哈根贝克，在他的“野兽和人类”的自传里首次提到类似雷龙的摩克拉姆贝贝。根据两个独立消息来源，它们都说在罗得西亚（现今的津巴布韦）居住着当“半龙，半象”的动物。自然主义者约瑟夫门格斯（Joseph Menges）也向哈根贝克讲述了同样的故事，卡尔哈根贝克因此相信“它肯定是某种恐龙，看起来与雷龙很相似”。1911年，德国探险家保罗格拉茨中尉在玛瓦拉（Mbawala）岛上发现了一些沼泽动物的皮。 当地人称这种动物为桑佳（nsanga），他说这种生物没有鳞片但脚趾长有爪子，它或许是退化了的蜥类。

1913年，一名德国队长冯斯坦（Ludwig Freiherr von Stein zu Lausnitz）被派往现今称为喀麦隆的德国殖民地进行调查。他听说了有关摩克拉姆贝贝，一种居住在此区域的巨大爬行动物的故事。虽然有关这个动物的陈述令人难以置信，但冯斯坦认为这些故事是可信的，因为这些故事是由值得信赖的本地向导和一些独立消息来源告诉他的。这些消息来源都提供了与此动物相关的相同细节。因此，他决定在他的官方报告中加入对摩克拉姆贝贝的描述。尽管这份报告从未正式发表过，但作家威利莱（Willy Ley）在1959年他的书“异国动物学”（Exotic Zoology）中引用了冯斯坦的报告，对摩克拉姆贝贝的特征进行描述：

• 它的体积与大象或河马相似
• 它的皮肤光滑，呈棕灰色
• 它有一个非常长且灵活的脖子
• 它尾巴的肌肉发达而且很长，类似鳄鱼的尾巴

摩克拉姆贝贝栖息地

不同的非洲矮人族都有目击摩克拉姆贝贝的报道。所有摩克拉姆贝贝目击者对摩克拉姆贝贝的描述都非常相似，他们都相信摩克拉姆贝贝就居住在中非刚果盆地的河流和沼泽湖泊。刚果盆地的面积为80万平方哩（2百万平方公里），中非国家如安哥拉、布隆迪、喀麦隆、中非、刚果民主共和国、刚果共和国、卢旺达、南苏丹、坦桑尼亚和赞比亚。大部分目击摩克拉姆贝贝的报道都来自现今的扎伊尔、加蓬、喀麦隆、乌干达还有刚果民主共和国。

“禁区”的位置。点击放大

摩克拉姆贝贝是半水栖动物，也有很强的区域占有欲。它们不喜欢被干扰，也不喜欢有人类或其它动物出现在它们的活动范围内。虽然摩克拉姆贝贝是草食动物，但是当它们会攻击和杀害所看到其他动物或人类。因此，目击摩克拉姆贝贝之处都不会有河马的出现，对于乘舟进入摩克拉姆贝贝出没区域的人也很危险。在靠近迪加（Dja）河附近有一个当地人叫做“禁区”的地带，当地人完全不进入这个禁区，因为这里常有摩克拉姆贝贝出没的报道。不少进入此区的非洲矮人都被发现因为肋骨被压碎而死亡，一些则不知所踪。

刚果盆地的刚果河是非洲第二长河，深度超过720英尺（220米）。刚果 – 卢阿拉 – 尚贝什河系统长约2,920英里（4700公里），其中有许多支流流经刚果雨林。无数的支流、水道和运河纵横交错，形成了一个总长达15,500英里（25,000公里）的树枝状网络。

刚果河

在泰莱湖所在的力库拉地区，有许多目击摩克拉姆贝贝的报道。 1960年，据说居住在该地区的巴贡贝（Bagombe）矮人杀死过至少一只摩克拉姆贝贝。 泰莱湖呈圆形，它处在一个偏僻的地区，由于没有河流流进或流出湖泊，要抵达泰莱湖其实并不容易。要去到泰莱湖，人们必须走过40英里（65公里），充满蛇、鳄鱼和昆虫的森林和沼泽地。泰莱湖周围茂密的森林和茂盛的植被，形成了一个密集的树冠顶部，并有巨大的藤蔓和藤本植物悬挂在高大的树上。茂密的灌木丛和较小的藤蔓，让森林几乎无法进入。

泰莱湖

玛隆波树和其果子。点击放大

由于河里的颗粒物质很重，泰莱湖的能见度仅为4-6英寸（10-15厘米）。泰莱湖底被沿岸树木掉下的腐烂树叶和树枝覆盖着因此水中含有非常高的营养成分。泰莱湖成为了许多水生生物群的天堂，这些水生生物群也辅助着这里丰富的植物生态环境。许多未知的动植物物种也在这个未被开发的地区被人们发现。

刚果盆地如此庞大且广泛的河流系统，让它成为摩克拉姆贝贝的理想居住和藏身之地，而且不容易让人类发现。沿着河岸茂密的森林和灌木则为摩克拉姆贝贝提供了丰富的食物。

摩克拉姆贝贝的存在

这200多年来，相传在非洲刚果盆地一种类似恐龙并居住此的动物。第一个发现该动物足迹的人为一名法国传教士。他是在1776年，穿过刚果的森林时，发现了该动物足迹。该足迹甚为巨大，足迹的周长为3尺 （1米）长有3个爪子，足与足相距7尺（2米）。造成此足迹的动物必定有如大象一般大小，但是它不是大象因为大象足并没有爪子。这些年来，人们都曾在尚未开发的非洲森林中发现类似的足迹。

疑是摩克拉姆贝贝的足迹。点击放大

2004年，布莱恩萨斯，彼得毕治还有导游兼猎人-比尔斯玛一同到位于非洲刚果和喀麦隆边界的迪加河（Dja）进行探险。他们发现了当地人叫做沼泽岛的摩克拉姆贝贝禁区。再这个禁区里，他们发现了密集的悬垂藤蔓大概在离地18 尺以下的部分有被动物嚼食的迹象。他们也在地面上发现了有如大象般大型的动物运动轨迹，但这些轨迹有很明显的爪印。根据他们雇用的当地导游，这些足迹来自两只成年动物和一只幼年动物，它们正在一边移动，一边吃着悬挂在岸边的树叶。以叶子被嚼食的高度看来，这绝对不是大象或犀牛可能到达的高度，该地区周围也没有长颈鹿。因此，唯一的解释是这些植被是被非常高大且不知名的物种例如摩克拉姆贝贝给吃掉的。

在树叶被嚼食掉的地区附近，探险团在河岸的地下发现了几个大洞穴。这些洞穴似乎是被大型动物挖出来的，在洞穴的壁上可以看到大的爪痕。据说，有些动物在夏天缺水的时候会沿着河岸挖洞，然后再用泥土从里边将洞穴密封，并在洞穴中冬眠。通常情况下，动物会留下一个通风口进行换气。生物学家彼得毕治试图挖掘其中一个洞穴。在挖掘时，他听到了洞穴另一侧有刮擦的声音。当刮擦的声音越来越大，好像是里面的动物要尝试从洞穴里出来，探险队急忙离开，避免和成年的摩克拉姆贝贝碰面。因为近距离和成年的摩克拉姆贝贝碰面是非常危险的。

据报道，在1960年，居住在泰莱湖森林地区的非洲矮人每天在摩里波斯（Molibos）附近的的湖泊以北的水道捕鱼。这些水道最后都流入泰莱湖，当地人认为摩克拉姆贝贝就是通过这些水道进入泰莱湖。由于摩克拉姆贝贝不喜欢其他的动物和人类进入它的活动范围，渔民如果进入它所在之处，是极至危险的。因此摩克拉姆贝贝的出现扰乱了非洲矮人的捕鱼活动。最后，渔民们就在摩里波斯竖立了一个防护栏，以防止摩克拉姆贝贝进入湖中。

这个举动激怒了摩克拉姆贝贝，其中有两只试图破坏防护栏。非洲矮人以矛反击，并在经过数天努力后成功杀死了其中一只摩克拉姆贝贝。之后他们办了庆功宴，烹煮并食用摩克拉姆贝贝的肉。那些吃了摩克拉姆贝贝肉的人最终不是死于食物中毒就是因为自然因素而亡。

摩克拉姆贝贝的存在意味着它们必须要有一定的数量才能不停的繁殖后代，在经历了不同的年代后还能生存下来。非洲许多大河流和沼泽系统到今天为止由于缺乏公路而至今无人探访。科学家们在这些地区发现过新的动物品种，因此人们也相信摩克拉姆贝贝是有可能居住在此。这些无人探访的地区非常适合动物居住、蛰伏，也是丰富的食物来源。除此之外，许多摩克拉姆贝贝的目击报道都对摩克拉姆贝贝做出相似的描述，这也加强了摩克拉姆贝贝存在的可能性。非洲矮人们没有必制造摩克拉姆贝贝存在的谎言尤其是他们根本就和外界没有联系，也不知道恐龙的存在。然而，他们大多数人在识别过程中不是画了就是选择了蜥类恐龙的照片。

非洲矮人

非洲矮人因其身高而得名，他们最高可长到5.3尺 (1.6米）。由于他们的栖息地和文化，他们自称森林人。以非洲矮人来称呼他们其实带有砭义，但是由于缺乏更好的形容词，所以只好继续以之相称。根据一些科学研究，非洲矮人的体格如此矮小是因为方便他们在森林中轻松自如地活动。此外，他们的矮小身型也可以帮助减少紫外线对他们造成的伤害。

非洲矮人主要居住在西非，中非和东非的深雨林中。他们过着游牧民族的群体生活，一般上他们的群体大约有15-70人。根据2016年的统计，中非森林居住着大约90万名非洲矮人。在90万名非洲矮人中，约有60％生活在刚果民主共和国。

非洲矮人的茅屋

传统上，非洲矮人过着觅食和狩猎的生活。但是现在，非洲矮人会与邻近的农民进行交易，以获得种植食品和其他必需品。

一般来说，非洲矮人有至少12个不同的族群，但可按地理区域分为3组：

• 属于西部喀麦隆和加蓬的邦蓬噶族（Bambenga）、巴雅喀族（Bayaka）、巴寇拉族（Bakola）以及蓬苟族（Bongo）。他们所说的语言是班图语（Bantu）和乌班加语（Ubangian)
• 属于东部刚果盆地的班布提族（Mbuti）。他们所说的语言为班图语（Bantu）和苏丹中部语系（Central Sudanic language）
• 属于中部和南部的巴图雅族。他们主要居住在卢旺达，布隆迪，刚果民主共和国，坦桑尼亚，乌干达，赞比亚，安哥拉和纳米比亚。他们所说的语言为班图伦迪语（ Bantu）和基加语 （Kiga languages）

非洲矮人备受其他当地人的歧视，同时也被一个叫班图（Bantu）的族群奴役。所有非洲矮人包括女性和小孩一出生就成为班图人的奴隶。班图人并不以金钱支付非洲矮人，他们的酬劳往往是香烟或旧衣服。有时班图人根本就没有犒赏非洲矮人任何东西。

亲眼目睹摩克拉姆贝贝出现的当地人极可能是住在喀麦隆、加蓬和刚果盆地的邦蓬噶族（Bambenga）、巴雅喀族（Bayaka）、巴寇拉族（Bakola）、蓬苟族（Bongo）和班布提族（Mbuti）。

摩克拉姆贝贝探险记

1909 – 美国探险队

自然历史学家卡尔哈根贝克在他的自传中提到了两个人，一个是名叫汉斯施姆布鲁的德国人和一个英国猎人。两人都告诉他有关一个巨大看起来、半象半龙、生活在刚果沼泽中的怪物。后来自然学家约瑟夫门格斯对哈根贝克说，“某种类似于雷龙的恐龙也栖息在沼泽地。“ 于是哈根贝克就派遣一支探险队前往刚果寻找这个怪物，但由于受到当时刚果疾病的袭击和当地人的敌对态度探险使命因此而被取消。

1913 – 德国探险队

德国政府派遣队长路威费赫冯斯坦劳斯尼兹到现今名为喀麦隆或喀麦隆共和国去进行探险。他写到了有关当地人叫做摩克拉姆贝贝的动物。这种动物居住在乌邦义、桑佳和伊克乐巴河附近的地区。他是这样形容这个动物的：这个动物的身型有一只大象或河马的大小，它的皮肤光滑、呈褐灰色。它有很长且伸缩自辱的脖子，它只有一个长齿但有人说这是一个角。有些人还说这种动物有像鳄鱼一样长且强壮的尾巴，它在白天也会来到岸边寻找食物，它只吃植物。

点击放大

1920 – 美国探险队

华盛顿特区的史密森尼学会的32人探险队在探险使命6天后，在沿河岸发现了无法解释的轨迹。探险团队后来在一个未经开发的沼泽地听到了一种不知名动物的神秘咆哮声。不幸的是，当团队经过一个被洪水淹没、据说是摩克拉姆贝贝出没的地方时，探险队的船只翻覆造成4人死亡，6 人受伤，探险使命以悲剧告终。

1932 – 美国探险队

美国神秘生物学家艾文桑德森（Ivan Sanderson）在非洲旅行时，看到了类似河马的轨迹，但是这个地方并没有河马的存在。后来当地人告诉他，这些是摩克拉姆贝贝的轨迹。他也在河水下看到比河马大许多的生物，但在他要进行任何调查之前此生物就消失了。

1972 – 美国探险队

爬行动物学家詹姆斯鲍威尔（James H.Powell Jr.）组织了一次对刚果的远征，但不幸的是，由于当时美国和刚果关系不佳，过程中遇到了许多问题。经过许多个月的艰辛，例如面对被蛇咬伤、近乎溺水和热带疾病，詹姆斯鲍威尔获取了更多对摩克拉姆贝贝的描述和另一个叫尼亚马拉（n’yamala），类似蜥蜴的生物描述。

1976 – 美国探险队

詹姆斯鲍威尔在阅读了一本名为”Trader Horn“的书之后，有感而发，决定前往加蓬。这本书是英国作家艾菲尔阿罗斯斯密斯在加蓬，特别是沿着乌古尔（Ogooue）河的回忆录。他在书里记录了听说过一种叫哈果尼尼（hago-nini）的动物，他本身曾经见过一个叫做阿马里（amali）的动物的轨迹，他认为哈果尼尼就是阿马里。他也意识到这两种动物可能与摩克拉姆贝贝完全相同。此外，鲍威尔还听到了当地有关尼亚马拉（n’ymala）的传说。当地人在众多恐龙的图片中都指出蜥脚类恐龙的图片和这动物最为相似。

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1980 – 德国探险队

由工程师赫曼雷格斯特斯（Herman Regusters）和他的妻子琪雅（Kia）组成的探险队成功地前往泰莱（Tele）湖，据说在那里人们曾经听到未知名的动物的咆哮声。他们声称拍摄到摩克拉姆贝贝的照片，并且还目击着它在陆地上行走。根据雷格斯特斯的说法，他们看到的动物长30-35英尺。

1980 – 美国探险队

鲍威尔和神秘生物学家雷马克（Roy P. Mackal）发起了另一次的远征。 鲍威尔和雷马克发现大量来自泰莱（Tele）湖附近利寇拉（Likouala -aux-herbes）河沿岸对于神秘动物的报告。动物的目击者称这些动物，身长15-30英尺、有很长的脖子。它的身体呈锈色，有些人看到它的身上有鳍。

利寇拉河

1981 – 美国探险队

这个探险队是由马克（Mackal），里查格林威尔（J.Richard Greenwell），加斯丁威金逊（M.Justin Willkinson)和刚果动物学家马泽林雅纳纳（Marcellin Agnagna）所组成。他们在利寇拉河一带听到一只大型动物跳入伊比纳（Epena）附近的水中时，他们认为他们遇到的就是刚果“恐龙”。他们还发现了一条布满破碎树枝的小径和许多足迹，这些破碎的树枝据说是由动物造成的。

1983 – 非洲探险队

来自布拉柴维尔动物园的动物学家马泽林雅纳纳（Marcellin Agnagna）领导了一支刚果探险队，他声称在湖中275米处看到了神秘动物浮出水面。根据他的说法，这只动物的头部呈红色，有鳄鱼般的椭圆形眼睛和薄鼻子。它从浮出水面大概90厘米左，左右探望，看起来就像在看着他一样。 雅纳纳说这是一种爬行动物，但不是鳄鱼、蟒蛇或淡水龟。

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1985-86 英国探险队

英国人威廉吉本斯（William J. Gibbons）与几位目击者交谈后获取了一些有关摩克拉姆贝贝的讯息。因此，他确信恐龙的存在，但却无法证明。然而，当他回到英国时，他带回来了一只不知名猴子的遗骸，这原来是一只新的灵长目类，后来也被归类了。

1987 – 日本探险队

日本摄制组拍摄到了一些模糊的视频片段，据说视频里正是摩克拉姆贝贝，但由于视频模糊不清，它的可信度还是有争议性的。视频中拍摄到的可能只是船上的两个人，其中一个人直立在船的前部，这个场景在非洲是非常普遍的。这样的场景可以被诠释为动物的头部和颈部。因此，这部日本摄影队拍摄到的视频内容纯属猜测。

1990 – 英国探险队

作家兼探险家雷蒙德·奥汉隆从他失败的探险队回来后，确信摩克拉姆贝贝的目击者把野象渡河时伸出水面的象鼻误以为是摩克拉姆贝贝。

1992 – 英国探险队

威廉吉本斯在第一次远征六年后，决定再次进行探险。这次他的探险由一位美国探险家罗里纽金特（Rory Nugent）陪同。他们搜查了白河的近三分之二未开发的区域，同时还检查了两个位于泰萊湖（Lake Tele）西北部的小湖泊。这两个小湖泊，富罗口（Fouloukuo）湖和提贝克（Lake Tibeke）湖都没有贝标记在地图上，据说摩克拉姆贝贝在这两个地方都有出没。罗里纽金特（Rory Nugent）还拍摄了两张有趣的照片，显示了泰萊湖（Lake Tele）中不同寻常的东西，这很有可能是摩克拉姆贝贝的头部。

摄于泰莱湖，疑是摩克拉姆贝贝的头部

2006 – 美国探险队

据刊物Cryptomundo报道，米特玛尔西（Milt Marcy），彼特毕治（Peter Beach）和罗伯姆林（Rob Mullin）于2006年1月10日离开俄勒冈州波特兰市前往喀麦隆。他们与比尔斯马（Pierre Sima）合作，对刚果和喀麦隆边境进行神秘生物学研究以寻找传说中的摩克拉姆贝贝。但是，这次的征讨并没有收集到什么证据。

摩克拉姆贝贝的存在

到目前为止，除了目击证人的报告和发现一些足迹之外，实际上是没有任何物证可证明摩克拉姆贝贝的存在。如果摩克拉姆贝贝真的存在，这对于科学家和进化论者来说，将是一个振奋人心的机会，能够让古生物学家开发一个新的科学分支。假如摩克拉姆贝贝真的存在，那么许多被认为已经绝灭的史前动物也很有可能还存在着。而苏格拉尼斯湖的著名尼斯湖水怪又是否是摩克拉姆贝贝的亲戚呢？

其他常被误认为是摩克拉姆贝贝的神秘生物

艾美拉-度喀

艾美拉-度喀是另外一种居住在刚果和喀麦隆的神秘生物，它出没的地点也是目击摩克拉姆贝贝的地方。艾美拉-度喀体积有如大象，常被称为“大象杀手”。由于它非常凶猛并且会厮杀所遇到的任何东西，因此当地人都非常害怕它。艾美拉-度喀身高约10.5尺（3.2米），皮肤呈褐色或灰色。它有一条看起来沉重的尾巴和类似犀牛的身体，它的鼻子上也长有角。它的脖子没有鳍，它的腿有如树墩般短。艾美拉-度喀是半水生动物，以植物为食，但与摩克拉姆贝贝一样不喜欢他人入侵自己活动的地方。

尼斯湖水怪

尼斯湖水怪具有光滑、如橡皮般的黑灰色皮肤，它身长约20尺（6米）。它有典型的海蛇和湖怪的蛇形身体，背上有峰。它有一组或多组桨状肢体，但有些人说是如树墩一般的腿。它的头部呈马头形状，极可能也有鬃毛从脖子垂下。据信这种动物就栖息在苏格兰高地的尼斯湖。

摩克拉姆贝贝的记录片

In Search of the Congo Dinosaur Mokele-Mbembe

The Mokele-Mbembe A Real Life Living Dinosaur Living In The Congo

My Mokele-mbembe Expedition 2010

Living dinosaurs: Mokele-Mbembe Sound Recording

African Swamp Monster: Mokele-Mbembe Witness

African Swamp Monster: Encounter

更多摩克拉姆贝贝的照片

疑是摩克拉姆贝贝的足迹

这个雕像可能是摩克拉姆贝贝，相信是来自西非，目前收藏在爱尔兰蒂珀雷里县的格兰可美拉宅（Glencomeragh House）

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Sources:

• Mokele-Mbembe, http://www.unknownexplorers.com/mokelembembe.php (accessed 6 July 2019)
• Mokele-Mbembe, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mokele-mbembeu (accessed 6 July 2019)
• Gibbons, William J., “In Search Of the Congo Dinosaur”, July 01, 2002, https://www.icr.org/article/306/ (accessed: 17 July 2019)
• Ofosusah Johnson, Elizabeth, “Meet the forgotten African Pygmies who are living ancient lifestyles in the 21st century”, July 19, 2018, https://face2faceafrica.com/article/meet-the-forgotten-african-pygmies-who-are-living-ancient-lifestyles-in-the-21st-century (accessed: 11 July 2019)
• “African Pygmies”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Pygmies#Group (accessed: 11 July 2019)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congo_River (accessed: 17 July 2019)
• Regusters, Herman A., “Mokele-Mbembe An Investigation into Rumors Concerning a Strange Animal in the Republic of the Congo, 1981” (accessed: 18 July 2019)

For more interesting information:

• Bizarre Cryptids
• The study of cryptozoology
• Searching For the Yeti
• Creepy Tales of the Lizard Man
• 10 Japanese Folklore Creatures

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