Ever since I was a little girl, cryptids [creatures seen, photographed and purported to exist, though without mainstream recognition] have fascinated me with their otherworldly place in the shadows.

By far one of the most intriguing to me is the “mokele m’bembe” of the African Congo; a sauropod-like creature reported by many tribes in the area for hundreds of years until at least the mid-2000s. This beast, whose name means “he stops the flow of rivers”, is said to be elephant-sized, with a long neck, a slender neck and serpentine head. This creature is both respected and greatly feared, and while reported to be a vegetarian consuming largely the same blossoms from certain trees, it also has a vicious temper and will kill other animals, and also sink human canoes, if they venture too closely.

Even missionaries to the area reported having seen the mokele m’bembe and heard its terrifying bellows, and in my opinion the Congo would be the perfect habitat for a creature of such size from prehistoric times to still be living there. It has never been captured, and its true identity will likely never be known.