In some Bantu traditions, mokele-mbembe (also spelled "mokèlé-mbèmbé") is a mythical creature believed to live in the Congo River Basin. It is described in different ways as a reptile-like animal, a spirit, or a member of an ancient group of large dinosaurs called sauropods.
During the early to mid-1900s, people who study hidden animals (cryptozoologists) and followers of young Earth creationism became interested in mokele-mbembe. They organized many expeditions, often funded by young Earth creationists, to find proof that might challenge the scientific idea of evolution. Paleontologist Donald Prothero stated, "The search for mokele-mbembe is part of an effort by creationists to challenge the theory of evolution and science education." He also noted, "The only people searching for mokele-mbembe are creationist leaders, not scientists who study wildlife."
In the 1940s, Roy Mackal, a scientist from the University of Chicago, led several trips to find the creature. People who saw it described it as having a snake-like head, a long thin tail, and a body about the size of an elephant or hippopotamus. It had short legs with three claws on the back legs, and its skin was reddish brown. A frill, like a rooster’s comb, ran from the top of its head down its neck. However, no physical evidence of the creature has been found, only eyewitness accounts.
Most scientists believe the stories of mokele-mbembe, as told by people in the Congo, may have been inspired by the black rhinoceros, which once lived in the area. Historian Edward Guimont suggested the myth may have developed from earlier false claims about Great Zimbabwe and later influenced ideas about reptile-like creatures. Some reports describe mokele-mbembe as a creature that is "half elephant, half dragon."
History
The first written record of the mokele-mbembe comes from German Captain Ludwig Freiherr von Stein zu Lausnitz, as described by Willy Ley in his 1941 book The Lungfish and the Unicorn. In 1913, von Stein was sent to survey German colonies in what is now Cameroon. He heard stories about a large reptile called "mokele-mbembe" said to live in the jungle. He included a description of the creature in his official report. According to Ley, von Stein wrote his report carefully, knowing it might be seen as unbelievable. However, von Stein believed the stories were true because they were shared by trusted local guides and multiple independent sources, all describing similar details. Though von Stein’s report was never officially published, Ley quoted him as writing:
The animal is described as brownish-gray with smooth skin, about the size of an elephant or hippopotamus. It has a long, flexible neck and one very long tooth or horn. Some say it has a long, muscular tail like an alligator. Boats that come near it are said to be attacked, and the crew members are killed but not eaten. The creature is said to live in caves formed by rivers in clay near sharp river bends. It climbs the shore during the day to eat plants, which are described as a type of vine with white flowers and apple-like fruits. At the Ssombo River, a path was shown to von Stein, said to have been made by the animal to reach its food. The path was fresh, and the plants were nearby. However, because there were many tracks from elephants, hippos, and other large animals, it was hard to confirm if the path was made by the mokele-mbembe.
In a 1929 book by Wilhelm Bölsche titled Dragons: Legend and Science, it was written that von Stein did not believe the creature was real but thought it was part of local folklore.
In 1911, German adventurer Lt. Paul Gratz reported that crocodiles are rarely found in Lake Bangweulu except near river mouths. He described a creature called the nsanga, feared by locals, which has no scales and clawed toes. Gratz did not shoot a nsanga, but he saw strips of its skin on the island of Mbawala.
Stories about creatures like the mokele-mbembe, large reptiles, or unknown animals in African rainforests are common. Many tales describe smooth-skinned, four-legged animals with long necks that eat large prey. After the mokele-mbembe was described, the world began to imagine these legends as having dinosaur-like features. For example, the emela-ntouka is a creature similar in size to an elephant, with smooth skin, a strong tail, and a "horn" or "tooth." Another creature, the jago-nini, was briefly mentioned by Alfred Aloysius Smith, who worked for a British trading company in Gabon in the late 1800s.
News about these creatures caused some interest in Europe and North America during the early 1910s. Some people believed the reports, while others were doubtful. At the time, Western culture was fascinated by dinosaurs, including the Brontosaurus, which may have influenced how people interpreted these stories.
Many expeditions were made in the 20th century to search for the mokele-mbembe or talk to people who claimed to have seen it. In 1980 and 1981, explorer Henry Powell and biologist Roy Mackal visited the Congo region and spoke with local residents. They found no physical evidence but said that many people gave similar descriptions of the creature. Mackal wrote a book about his journey in 1987. He admitted his work had some romantic ideas but claimed he had serious scientific goals. However, some scientists, like Prothero, said Mackal’s expedition was flawed because he lacked training in searching for large animals and did not question whether people might exaggerate or lie. Mackal also dismissed people who said the creature did not exist.
In 1981, explorer Herman Regusters claimed to have taken a photo and recorded a sound of the creature at Lake Tele. Roy Mackal doubted these claims. Zoologist Marcellin Agnagna said he filmed the mokele-mbembe in 1983, but the film did not work. Prothero called this story suspicious, as details changed and no other witnesses supported it. Scottish explorer William "Billy" Gibbons led two expeditions in 1985 and 1992, but Prothero questioned his motives, saying he was a creationist and did not follow scientific methods. Journalist Rory Nugent wrote a book in 1993 that included a photo he claimed might be the mokele-mbembe, but Prothero said it was likely a floating log.
In 2001, a BBC documentary interviewed the Biaka people, who identified the mokele-mbembe as a rhinoceros in a wildlife manual. However, rhinoceroses are not common in the Congo Basin, so the creature may be a mix of myth and old memories of rhinos that once lived there.
In 2016, a South African documentary team searched for the mokele-mbembe in the Likuoala swamp region. They spoke with people who believed in the creature and others who said it had died at least a decade ago.
In 2018, Adam Christoffer Knuth of Knuthenborg, along with a Danish radio crew and a DNA scientist, searched Lake Tele for the mokele-mbembe. They did not find the creature but discovered a new species of green algae.
Theories
The lack of physical proof and different witness accounts have led most scientists and historians to question whether the entity exists. The most widely accepted explanation is that the mokele-mbembe is a legend based on the black rhinoceros, a species that was once common in central Africa, where the stories of the mokele-mbembe began. Skeptic Ben Radford says the idea of the creature started with a 1909 book by zoologist Carl Hagenbeck titled Beasts and Men. In this book, Hagenbeck suggested that sauropods, a type of large dinosaur, might still live in Africa. However, he provided no evidence other than legends, and these claims were shared by the press, including The Washington Post. Daniel Loxton and Donald Prothero stated that these reports began what is now known as the modern legend of the mokele-mbembe. They concluded that the stories of the creature were not based on solid evidence or real encounters with the animal, but rather a mix of different stories from various regions. Despite centuries of Western contact with the area, many expeditions, and repeated aerial and satellite searches that have found elephants and other large animals but no sauropods, there is still no proof that the mokele-mbembe exists. In his 1909 book Beasts and Men, Hagenbeck connected the legend to a rumor of a creature described as "half elephant, half dragon."