Mokele Mbembe
Mokele Mbembe
The Congo Dinosaur
This chapter examines the Mokele Mbembe. Although not as well publicized as those of Bigfoot, Nessie, and the Yeti, the legends of Mokele Mbembe, the alleged dinosaur of the Congo, have a long history. The name is said to come from the Lingala language, and is usually translated as “one who stops the flow of rivers.” The Mokele Mbembe is envisioned as a sauropod the size of an elephant, with a long neck, no hair, and a long tail. Its skin is reddish brown, brown, or gray, depending on the report. It is said to live in the deeper water of the lakes in the Congo Basin and in the deep channels in the cut banks of the rivers. Some descriptions suggest that it has pillar-like legs, and leaves tracks with a three-clawed foot impression, although other accounts differ about its trackways.
Keywords: Mokele Mbembe, dinosaur, Congo, sauropod, Congo Basin
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