Mulilo, Supposedly an Unsightly Slugly Snake

Raheel Mughal's list of lesser-known African cryptids comes to entry number six, which to me was always a transparently obvious category, although apparently not to Karl Shuker, George Eberhart or the majority of other Cryptozoologists:

"(6) Mulilo: The Mighty Mollusc! The Mulilo is described as a giant slug purported to live in the dense forests of the Congo, Zaire and Zambia. Not much is known about this mighty mollusc except that it is herbivorous, greyish-white to brown in colouration and tends to climb trees albeit at a slow pace. Nevertheless, it could be possible that such a creature does indeed exist. For example, one species of land snail, the Giant African Snail, can grow to be 15 inches (38 cm). So it is not that much of a stretch of the imagine to suggest that other land-dwelling molluscs can grow to be much larger than the Giant African Snail."

To which I replied:

"6) Mulilo is at base probably nothing more (and nothing less) than a melanistic form of Gaboon viper: the size and shape matches otherwise. Gaboon vipers are highly venomous and have enormous fangs, but they are stout and sluggish snakes otherwise."

The first mention of Mulilo that I was aware of was printed in Karl Shuker's 1997 book From Flying Toads to Snakes With Wings, Chapter 18. Therein it was stated that the rainbow in parts of Zaire and Zambia heralds the appearance of the Mulilo, a coal-black poisonous slug almost six feet long and a foot wide, which is caught in spine-lined cages baited with roosters so that its flesh can be used by the natives as fetishes (=material devices containing magical power)
Shuker gives his source as an 1940 article in Empire Review by W. L. Speight

The dimensions are easily recognised as approximating the Gaboon viper, Bitis gabonica, even though slightly exaggerated, and the gaboon viper is easily the ONLY poisonous animal anywhere near those dimensions native to the area. The confusing part is the extremely dark colouration, which is not typical for the species. It is to be understood as a rare and freakish variation wherein all of the colours of a normal viper are darkened to the point of appearing black (or to the point of being described as such by a casual observer)

Here is the information from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaboon_viper

Bitis gabonica
Common names: Gaboon viper, butterfly adder, forest puff adder, swampjack,[2] (more).
Bitis gabonica is a venomous viper species found in the rainforests and savannas of Sub-Saharan Africa.[1] This is not only the largest member of the genus Bitis,[3] but also the world's heaviest viperid[2] and it has the longest fangs (up to 2 inches),and the highest venom yield of any venomous snake.[2] Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate race described here.[4]

DescriptionAdults average 122–152 cm (4 to 5 feet) in length with a maximum of 205 cm (81 in) for a specimen collected in Sierra Leone. The sexes may be distinguished by the length of the tail in relation to the total length of the body: approximately 12% for males and 6% for females. Adults, especially females, are very heavy and stout. One female had the following dimensions:[2]


Total length 174 cm (69 in)
Head width 12 cm (4.7 in)
Girth 37 cm (14.65 in)
Weight (empty stomach) 8.5 kg (19 lbs)



B. gabonica. Note the tiny horns between the nostrils and the two stripes below the eye.In their description of B. gabonica, Spawls et al.. (2004) give an average length of 80–130 cm (32 to 51.5 in), with a maximum size of 175 cm (69.3 in), saying the species may possibly grow larger still. They acknowledge reports of specimens over 6 feet (1.8 m), or even over 2 m (6.5 ft) in length, but claim there is no evidence to support this.[5]

The head is large and triangular, while the neck is greatly narrowed: almost one-third the width of the head.[2] A pair of horns is present between the raised nostrils — tiny in B. g. gabonica, but much larger in B. g. rhinoceros.[5] The eyes are large and moveable,[2] set well forward,[5] and surrounded by 15–21 circumorbital scales.[2] There are 12–16 interocular scales across the top of the head. 4–5 scale rows separate the suboculars and the supralabials. There are 13–18 supralabials and 16–22 sublabials.[2] The fangs may reach a length of 55 millimetres (2.2 in) :[3] the longest of any venomous snake.[2]

Midbody, there are 28–46 dorsal scale rows, all of which are strongly keeled except for the outer rows on each side. The lateral scales are slightly oblique. The ventral scales number 124–140: rarely more than 132 in males, rarely less than 132 in females. There are 17–33 paired subcaudal scales: males have no fewer than 25, females no more than 23. The anal scale is single.[2]

The color pattern consists of a series of pale, sub-rectangular blotches running down the center of the back, interspaced with dark, yellow-edged hourglass markings. The flanks have a series of fawn of brown rhomboidal shapes, with light vertical central bars. The belly is pale with irregular brown or black blotches. The head is white or cream with a fine, dark central line, black spots on the rear corners, and a dark blue-black triangle behind and below each eye.[5] The iris color is cream, yellow-white, orange[5] or silvery.[6]

Common names
Gaboon viper, butterfly adder, forest puff adder, swampjack,[2] Gaboon adder,[3] Gabon viper.[7]

Originally a name given by the Portuguese, Gabon (Gabão) refers to the estuary on which the town of Libreville was built, in Gabon, and to a narrow strip of territory on either bank of this arm of the sea. As of 1909, Gaboon referred to the northern portion of French Congo, south of the Equator and lying between the Atlantic Ocean and 12° east longitude.[8]

Geographic range


Distribution of B. gabonica (in black)[3]This species can be found in Guinea, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo, Central African Republic, southern Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, eastern Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, eastern Zimbabwe, Mozambique, northeast KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa. Mallow et al. (2003) also list Sierra Leone and Liberia in West Africa.[2] The type locality is given as "Gabon" (Africa).[1]

Habitat
The Gaboon viper is usually found in rainforests and nearby woodlands, mainly at low altitudes,[6] but sometimes as high as 1500 m.[2] Spawls et al. (2004) mention a maximum altitude of 2100 m.[5] According to Broadley and Cook (1975), it is generally found in environments that are parallel to those occupied by its close relative, B. arietans, which is normally found in more open country.[9]

In Tanzania, this species is found in secondary thickets, cashew plantations, and in agricultural land under bushes and in thickets. In Uganda, they are found in forests and nearby grasslands. They also do well in reclaimed forest areas: cacao plantations in West Africa and coffee plantations in East Africa. They have been found in evergreen forests in Zambia. In Zimbabwe, they only occur in areas of high rainfall along the forested escarpment in the east of the country. In general they may also be found in swamps, as well as in still and moving waters. They are commonly found in agricultural areas near forests and on roads at night.[2]

Behavior
Primarily nocturnal, Gaboon vipers have a reputation for being slow-moving and placid. They usually hunt by ambush, often spending long periods motionless, waiting for suitable prey to happen by. On the other hand, they have been known to hunt actively, mostly during the first six hours of the night. In Kumasi, Ghana, they were regularly killed around some stables in an open area with the forest some 500 meters away — a sign that they were hunting rats in the grassland. They are usually very tolerant snakes, even when handled, and rarely bite or hiss, unlike most vipers. However, bites by bad-tempered individuals do occur.[5]


An ambush predator, its color pattern gives it excellent camouflage. Locomotion is mostly rectilinear, in a sluggish "walking" motion of the ventral scales. They may writhe from side to side when alarmed, but only for short distances.[2] Ditmars (1933) even described them as being capable of sidewinding.[10]

If threatened, they may hiss loudly as a warning, doing so in a deep and steady rhythm, slightly flattening the head at the expiration of each breath.[2][5][10] Despite this, they are unlikely to strike unless severely provoked.[2]

There have been numerous descriptions of their generally unaggressive nature. Sweeney (1961) wrote that they are so docile that they "can be handled as freely as any non-venomous species", although this is absolutely not recommended. In Lane (1963), Ionides explains that he would capture specimens by first touching them lightly on the top of the head with a pair of tongs to test its reaction. Anger was rarely displayed, so the tongs were usually set aside and the snake firmly grasped by the neck with one hand and the body supported with the other as he picked it up and carried it to a box for containment. He said the snakes hardly ever struggled.[2]

Parry (1975) describes how this species has a wider range of eye movement than other snakes. Along a horizontal plane, eye movement can be maintained even if the head is rotated up or down to an angle of up to 45°. If the head is rotated 360°, one eye will tilt up and the other down, depending on the direction of rotation. Also, if one eye looks forwards the other looks back, as if both are connected to a fixed position on an axis between them. In general, the eyes often flick back and forth in a rapid and jerky manner. When asleep, there is no eye movement and the pupils are strongly contracted. The pupils dilate suddenly and eye movement resumes when the animal wakes up.[2]

Feeding
Because of their large heavyset size, the adults have no trouble eating prey as large as fully-grown rabbits. When prey happens by them, they strike with fast precision and then usually hold onto their prey like a constrictor until the venom takes effect and the prey dies which can take a few minutes depending on the size of the prey. These snakes feed on a variety of birds and mammals, such as doves, many different species of rodents, including field mice and rats, as well as hares and rabbits. There are also reports of more unlikely prey items, such as tree monkeys, the brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus) and even the small royal antelope (Neotragus).[2]

Reproduction
During peak sexual activity, males engage in combat. This starts with one male rubbing its chin along the back of the other. The second male will then raise its head as high as possible. As they both do the same, the necks intertwine. When the heads are level, they turn towards each other and push. Their bodies intertwine as they switch positions. They become oblivious to everything else, continuing even after they fall off a surface or into water. Sometimes they intertwine and squeeze so tightly that their scales stand out from the pressure. They have also been observed to strike at each other with mouths closed. Occasionally, the combatants will tire and break off the fight by "mutual consent", resting for a while before resuming once more. The event is settled when one of the two succeeds in pushing the other's head to the ground and raising its own by 20–30 cm. In captivity, combat may occur 4–5 times a week until courtship and copulation ends.[2]

Gestation takes about a year, which suggests a breeding cycle of 2–3 years. A 5-year breeding cycle may also be possible. Usually, they give birth in late summer. B. g. gabonica produces 8–43 live young. B. g. rhinoceros may produce as many as 60. However, the actual number of offspring rarely exceeds 24.[2] Neonates are 25–32 cm in length and weigh 25–45 g.[3]

Venom



Bites are relatively rare, due to their docile nature and the fact that their range is mainly limited to rainforest areas.[3] Due to their sluggishness and unwillingness to move even when approached, people are often bitten after they accidentally step on them, but even then in some cases they may not bite.[11] However, when a bite does occur it should always be considered a serious medical emergency. Even an average bite from an average sized specimen is potentially fatal.[3] Antivenom should be administered as soon as possible to save the victim's life if not the affected limb.[9]

The snake's hemotoxic venom itself is not considered particularly toxic. In mice, the LD50 is 0.8–5.0 mg/kg IV, 2.0 mg/kg IP and 5.0–6.0 mg/kg SC.[12] However, the venom glands are enormous and produce the largest quantities of any venomous snake. Yield is apparently related to body weight, as opposed to milking interval.[2] Brown (1973) gives a venom yield range of 200–1000 mg (of dried venom),[12] A range of 200–600 mg for specimens 125–155 cm in length has also been reported.[2] Spawls and Branch (1995) state that from 5–7 ml (450–600 mg) of venom may be injected in a single bite.[3]

A study by Marsh and Whaler (1984) reported a maximum yield of 9.7 ml of wet venom, which translated to 2400 mg of dried venom. They attached "alligator" clip electrodes to the angle of the open jaw of anesthetized specimens (length 133–136 cm, girth 23–25 cm, weight 1.3–3.4 kg), yielding 1.3–7.6 ml (mean 4.4 ml) of venom. Two to three electrical bursts of five seconds each were enough to empty the glands. The snakes used for the study were milked 7–11 times over a 12-month period, during which they remained in good health and the potency of their venom remained the same.[2]

Based on how sensitive monkeys were to the venom, Whaler (1971) estimated that 14 mg of venom would be enough to kill a human being: equivalent to 0.06 ml of venom, or 1/50–1/1000 of what can be obtained in a single milking. Marsh and Whaler (1984) wrote that 35 mg (1/30 of the average venom yield) would be enough to kill a man of 70 kilograms (150 lb).[2] Branch (1992) suggested that 90–100 mg would be fatal in humans. Further investigation is needed.

In humans, a bite causes rapid and conspicuous swelling, intense pain, severe shock and local blistering. Other symptoms may include uncoordinated movements, defecation, urination, swelling of the tongue and eyelids, convulsions and unconsciousness.[2] Blistering, bruising and necrosis may be extensive. There may be sudden hypotension, heart damage and dyspnoea.[5] The blood may become incoagulable with internal bleeding that may lead to haematuria and haematemesis.[3][5] Local tissue damage may require surgical excision and possibly amputation.[3] Healing may be slow and fatalities are not uncommon.[5]

Subspecies
Subspecies[4] Taxon author[4] Common name[2] Geographic range[3]
B. g. gabonica (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) East African Gaboon viper Central, eastern and southern Africa.
B. g. rhinoceros (Schlegel, 1855) West African Gaboon viper West Africa.

Taxonomy
Lenk et al. (1999) discovered considerable differences between the two conventionally recognized subspecies of B. gabonica described above. According to their research, these two subspecies are as different from each other as they are from B. nasicornis. Consequently, Lenk et al. (1999) regard the western form as a separate species, B. rhinoceros.[13]

See also
List of viperine species and subspecies
Viperinae by common name
Viperinae by taxonomic synonyms
Snakebite
References
1.^ a b c McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
2.^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. 359 pp. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
3.^ a b c d e f g h i j k Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
4.^ a b c "Bitis gabonica". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=634953. Retrieved 6 August 2006.
5.^ a b c d e f g h i j k Spawls S, Howell K, Drewes R, Ashe J. 2004. A Field Guide To The Reptiles Of East Africa. London: A & C Black Publishers Ltd. 543 pp. ISBN 0-7136-6817-2.
6.^ a b Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
7.^ Gotch AF. 1986. Reptiles -- Their Latin Names Explained. Poole, UK: Blandford Press. 176 pp. ISBN 0-7137-1704-1.
8.^ Gaboon at New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia. Accessed 8 July 2007.
9.^ a b Broadley, G.; Cock, E.V. (1975). Snakes of Rhodesia. Longman Africa, Salisbury. OCLC 249318277
10.^ a b Ditmars RL. 1933. Reptiles of the World. The MacMillan Company. Revised Edition. 329 pp. 89 plates.
11.^ Marais J. 2004. A Complete guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa. Struik, Cape Town. 214 pp. ISBN 9781868729326.
12.^ a b Brown JH. 1973. Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. 184 pp. LCCCN 73-229. ISBN 0-398-02808-7.
13.^ Venomous Snake Systematics Alert - 1999 Publications at Homepage of Dr. Wolfgang Wüster of the University of Wales, Bangor. Accessed 3 September 2006.
[edit] Further readingBowler JK. 1975. Longevity of reptiles and amphibians in N. American collections as of 1 November 1975. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Miscellaneous Publications, Herpetological Circular, 6:1–32.
Brown JH. 1973. Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes. Published by Charles C. Thomas.
Forbes CD, Turpie AGG, Ferguson JC, McNicol GP, Douglas AS. 1969. Effect of gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) venom on blood coagulation, platelets, and the fibrinolytic enzyme system. Journal of Clinical Pathology 22:312–316.
Lane, M. 1963. Life with Ionides. London: Hamish-Hamilton. 157 pp.
Lenk P, Herrmann H-W, Joger U, Wink M. 1999. Phylogeny and taxonomic subdivision of Bitis (Reptilia: Viperidae) based on molecular evidence. Kaupia, 8:31–38.
Marsh NE, Whaler BC. 1984. The Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) its biology, venom components and toxinology. Toxicon, 22(5):669–94.
Sweeney RCH. 1961. Snakes of Nyasaland. Zomba, Nyasaland: The Nyasaland Society and Nyasaland Government. 74 pp.

External links: Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bitis gabonica

Bitis gabonica at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 2 August 2007.
Keeping Gaboon Vipers at VenomousReptiles.org. Accessed 2 August 2007.
Video of B. g. gabonica and B. arietans on YouTube. Accessed 9 December 2006.
Video of B. g. gabonica feeding on YouTube. Accessed 8 August 2007.
B. g. gabonica image at Glades Herp. Accessed 9 August 2007

RAHEEL MUGHAL MSc REPOST from CFZ Blog

My comments about these lesser-known African Cryptids are at the end and I will be wanting to expound on several of the ideas in a series of new blog postings here. Because of that, I thought it would be best to repost Raheel's original Blog article as a springboard to work from. In particular, I would like to address item number 9 first. Best Wishes, Dale D. Take it away, Raheel!

Wednesday, December 08, 2010. RAHEEL MUGHAL MSc:

Congo: Lesser Known Mystery Beasts from the Heart of Darkness

I have always been fascinated by dinosaurs, palaeontology and zoology. I remember that I developed a deep interest in cryptozoology soon after hearing about the Mokele Mbembe on Arthur C. Clarke’s Mysterious World (incidentally, I saw the re-run on Discovery Channel in the early '90s – I must have been 8 years old then); the idea that dinosaurs or dinosaur-like creatures may still exist in largely unexplored places on earth didn’t seem so odd any more. However, when you get older and you start to see things a bit more logically (the sad truth of life; I wish I still had that wishful-thinking streak that we all had when we were children). Nevertheless, that being said there a number of other lesser known mystery animals with allegedly dinosaurian identities from in and around the Congo basin region. In this blog I will attempt to describe these creatures in more detail along with my own opinion on what the creatures may be based on my research. Please note that the Kasai Rex has not been included in the following discussion because there isn’t enough evidence to support its alleged existence.

(1) The Dodu: Gorilla Killer The Dodu or Gorilla Killer is said to be a bloodthirsty 8-10 ft tall ape man, for it is said to decapitate and disembowel Gorilla’s and Chimpanzees. Locals live in fear of this monstrosity which is known to eat the maggots which are found soon after death in the abdominal cavity of its unfortunate simian victims, only to scoop them up in handfuls to eat, the dead apes serving only as reservoirs for the grubs to accumulate. Reports of this horrifying beast were collected by Dr. William Gibbons during his Operation Congo expedition during the early twenty first century.

(2) Emela Ntouka: A New Species of Forest Rhino? Also known as "the killer of the elephants" in the Lingala language, is believed by some researchers and cryptozoologists to represent a relic population of Ceratopsian dinosaur – most notably Centrosaurus. This particular cryptid is described as being as large as an African Bush Elephant. Having a body of similar shape and appearance to a rhinoceros, including one long horn on its snout and a heavy tail. It is described as being brown or grey in colouration and it is said to possess four short, stump-like legs supposedly to keep its bulky body at ground level. It is described as having no frill or ridges along the neck. The animal is also described as being semi-aquatic and herbivorous (with its favourite food being the leafy plants of the Malombo). The Emela-ntouka has been claimed to vocalize regularly, this noisy beast has been described as making calls that resemble a snort, rumble or growl, respectively. They are claimed to be solitary, herbivorous animals. The beast is said to inhabit the vast shallow waters of the Congo River Basin. The inhabitants of the area are said to treat the creature with great fear. In the 1930s an alleged Emela Ntouka was killed near Dongou. The New Zealand Documentary World Mysteries included an interview with a man who claimed to have encountered a dead Emela Ntouka. He claimed to still possess the animal's horn, which he removed from the body. Unfortunately, the episode was filmed but never aired. Nevertheless, there is considerable controversy to what an Emela Ntouka horn (if the creature does exist), could be made of, if scientists ever retrieve a horn it would also help in revealing the creature’s true identity. If a horn is found and DNA tests reveal the horn to be made of ivory, then it would undoubtedly prove to be a tooth. In fact a species of rhinoceros, namely the Asiatic One Horned Rhinoceros does possess small tusks. If on the other hand, the horn turns out to be made of keratin then it is most certainly belongs to an as yet unknown semi-aquatic rhinoceros. However, if the horn turns out to be made of bone then it most certainly belongs to an as yet hitherto unknown species of semi aquatic reptile or possibly a relic from the Mesozoic though I doubt this hypothesis along with other alleged dinosaurian survivals. Moreover, in terms of evidence pertaining to the beast’s alleged survival a number of curious stone currency in the form of both Mokele Mbembe and Emela Ntouka has been found by archaeologists in this remote region, some native tribes still use it today.

(3) Giant Spiders: More than a Hollywood Myth? Many Mokele Mbembe expedition members over the years have come back with tales of giant spiders. The Ba’Ka Pygmies of the Congo Basin Region and the Cameroons refer to them as J’Ba FoFi. They are described as having a leg-span of five to six feet and capable of killing many men. Moreover, they are said to make intricate blankets of web found throughout the deeper parts of the jungle to ensnare unwary potential prey.

(4) Mahamba: Cryptic Crocodiles! From the humid and impenetrable jungles of the Congo (formally Zaire), come reports of the ‘Mahamba’, a lesser-known water monster from native Bobangi accounts. This fearsome beast is said to resemble a gigantic crocodile which is reported to reach an astounding 50 ft (15.2 metres) in length. Reports collected by cryptozoologist Dr. Roy Mackal during his 1980 expedition to hunt for the Mokele Mbembe (an alleged living sauropod dinosaur) also turned up amazing accounts of other alleged ‘prehistoric survivors,’ one of which is the Mahamba. According to eyewitness testimony from the Bobangi, the animal in question resembles a Nile Crocodile but it is not a ‘Nkoli’ (the native term for a Nile Crocodile). The creature may in fact pertain to a new species of undiscovered giant crocodile. That having been said, some researchers such as Dr. Mackal believe that the Mahamba indicates a ghost-lineage of a large freshwater variety of Mosasaur from the Late Cretaceous.

(5) Mbeilu-Mbeilu-Mbeilu: When is a Stegosaur not a Stegosaur? The Mbielu-Mbielu-Mbielu is another lesser-known cryptid reported from the Likouala Region of the Republic of the Congo. The creature is described as semi-aquatic, herbivourous and most notably having planks covered in algae growing out of its back. Some cryptozoological investigators tentatively suggest that it could represent a relic population of Kentrosaurus (Stegosaur from the Late Jurassic of Africa). However, I would liken it to a large turtle (Ndenki are purported to be large turtles living in Likoula region lakes, as we shall see later). Unfortunately, only a few claimed sightings have been reported, at the villages of Bounila and Ebolo, so if it did exist in one point in time, it may possibly be extinct. All reports of Mbeilu Mbeilu Mbeilu along with other Likoula Mystery Beasts were collected by Dr. Roy P. Mackal during his expeditions to the region.

(6) Mulilo: The Mighty Mollusc! The Mulilo is described as a giant slug purported to live in the dense forests of the Congo, Zaire and Zambia. Not much is known about this mighty mollusc except that it is herbivorous, greyish-white to brown in colouration and tends to climb trees albeit at a slow pace. Nevertheless, it could be possible that such a creature does indeed exist. For example, one species of land snail, the Giant African Snail, can grow to be 15 inches (38 cm). So it is not that much of a stretch of the imagine to suggest that other land-dwelling molluscs can grow to be much larger than the Giant African Snail.

(7) Ndenki: Titantic Turtles in Lake Tele Little is known about this particular cryptid other then the fact that it is described as a giant turtle and is said to inhabit more or less the same area as Mokele Mbembe, Emela Ntouka, Mbeilu-Mbeilu-Mbeilu, and Mahamba, respectively.

(8) Ngoima: The Monkey Eating Eagle The Ngoima was seen by visiting French political commissioner André Mouelle during the early twentieth century. He described it as eagle-like, dark brown to black (black above, with a lighter shade below), and it is described as having a hooked beak. It is also described as having a wingspan of 9-13 ft (4.2 metres) and it said to possess sharp talons. Furthermore, it is said to prey on monkeys and small goats and is thought to prefer forests (where it nests on the tallest trees) and in some cases open savannah. Unfotunately, this is the only report that the author is aware off. Based on the somewhat detailed description above, the Ngoima may represent a subspecies of Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus (the Ngoima having a larger wingspan at 9-13 ft as opposed to the Martial Eagle’s 5 ft).

(9) Ngoubou: Emela Ntouka’s Long Lost Cousin? During one of William Gibbons expeditions to the Cameroon in search of the Mokele Mbembe, he and his team came across local reports of an elephant-sized, six-horned, herbivorous animal (similar in aspects to Emela-Ntouka) that fought elephants for land and that lived in the savannah region of that country. Gibbons likened the beast to a surviving form of Styracosaurus (a Late Cretaceous Ceratopsian Dinosaur from North America). When the local pygmies were questioned all asserted that Ngoubou was not a regular rhinoceros to which they were all familiar. A senior hunter further exclaimed that a hunting party had killed one of these beasts with a spear a number of years ago. Moreover, the elder added that Ngoubou populations have declined over recent years owing to over hunting and that they have since become very hard to find.

(10)Nguma-monene: An African Naga? Also known as Ngakoula-ngou or Badigui, in all aspects this serpentine cryptid sounds very similar to the Nagas reported for centuries in Asia. The Nguma-monene is described as being 10 metres long (atleast the tail part which is often reported), it is described as greyish-brown in colouration with the underneath of the neck a lighter shade. The neck is also described as being as thick as a man's thigh. Two credible eyewitness accounts exist which both occurred near the Dongu-Mataba (a tributary of the Ubangi River located in the Congo region). The first was occurred in 1961. Nevertheless, in 1971 Joseph Ellis a pastor had an incredible encounter with a beast he could not identify. He estimated the length of the (visible) tailpart as 10 meters long (equal to his dugout, no neck or head could be seen), this was at a diameter of 0.5 to 1 metre. The colouration of the creature appeared to be a greyish-brown. When Pastor Ellis returned to the village he started asking natives about the strange creature, to his amazement it appeared that the subject was taboo. Dr. Roy, P. Mackal collected many reports of this and other cryptids whilst on his first and second expedition in search of Mokele Mbembe. Dr. Mackal concluded that the animal has a low-slung body, and therefore is more like a lizard than a snake, perhaps an intermediatery between snakes and lizards, a possible “living fossil.” Dr. Mackal also noted that the animal's triangular or diamond-shaped ridges were similar (but smaller) to those from the Mbeilu-Mbeilu-Mbeilu but not the animals themselves. This issue has caused much confusion on the Internet and Dr. Mackal’s seminal work A Living Dinosaur? In Search of Mokele-Mbembe.

Africa is a fascinating continent indeed and I am absolutely positive that a number of startingly new zoological discoveries will emerge from its dark heart – the Congo in years to come. Posted by Jon Downes at 1:02 PM Labels: arthur c. clarke, congo, mokele mbembe, Raheel Mughal

comments: Dale Drinnon said...

1)Dodu is the name of a demon in some other sources and it is described with features traditionally ascribed to demons in Folklore (including three clawed fingers and toes)The horrific condition of the chimps and gorillas as described is how they are left after the poachers have got to them. It isn't that the poachers are after the maggots, they are after the trophy heads and hands. Raising maggots is just all they are good for after that.

2)When i did some checking into this I found that not only do some one-horned rhinos have large tusks, in some of them the tusks are counted as their primary weapons. And I found that some descriptions make out the Emela-Ntouka out only as an ordinary rhino, without the supposed tail, only with the one horn. There is every reason to believe that is what it is-a one-horned Rhino of the ASIATIC type, somehow in Africa. And the horn itself would never be made of ivory.

3) My own interpretation is that the stories of Giant spiders are based on sightings of large spidery-legged land crabs. And that they are tied into stories of the Trickster-spider Anasi somehow.

4)Mahamba is probably one of those oversized ALLIGATOR-faced crocodiles Heuvelmans spoke of in his first edition of On The Track of Unknown Animals. He had dropped the category later, but here is new evidence for it again.

5)Mbeilu-Mbeilu-Mbeilu turns out to be possibly a sort of a crocodile with an exaggeratedly jagged back-crest. Other analogous cases occur both within Africa and in other places. Another one is called Muhuru (ie, "The Muhuru Bay monster" In Lake Victoria)

6) Mulilo is at base probably nothing more (and nothing less) than a melanistic form of Gaboon viper: the size and shape matches otherwise. Gaboon vipers are highly venomous and have enormous fangs, but they are stout and sluggish snakes otherwise.

7)Ndenki probably is, as alleged, only a sort of soft-shelled turtle of very large size. That does not necessarily mean it is an unknown species. The greatest size for the Ndenki and how it was measured are both questionable.

8)Ngoima sounds very interesting and I have my own ideas as to what kind of an eagle it is. But it is definitely "Just" a very large eagle of dark colour.

9) Ngoubou is also possibly a relic Sivathere or Libytherium, a stout one of large size, but a giraffid with mooselike horns. Rock art supports the idea this animal survived the die-off of the other African megafauna and it even turns up in some old etchings illustrating "Darkest Africa" in Victorian times!

10)Nguma-monene was originally counted the same as Mokele-Mbembe and later as a giant monitor lizard. Perhaps both things are true. 4:41 PM

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