The Ennedi Tiger
In the remote mountains of Chad, people have described a big cat, larger than a lion, with long teeth sticking out of its mouth. Some wondered if it was a surviving sabre-tooth.
What was reported
The Ennedi Plateau is a wild sandstone massif in the Sahara in north-eastern Chad, with canyons, rock arches and permanent pools. Herders and hunters there have told of a large, fierce cat, called by names such as mourou ngou, bigger than a lion, reddish with pale stripes or none, with large protruding teeth.
It was said to live in the mountains and near water, and to be so strong it could carry off large prey. Cryptozoologists suggested it might be a surviving sabre-toothed cat.
Explanations offered
Sabre-toothed cats died out in Africa long ago, and no remains or photographs of such an animal have been found. The reports may describe lions, leopards or memories of animals that have since vanished from the region.
- When
- Reported in the 20th century
- Where
- Ennedi Plateau, Chad
- Witnesses
- Herders and hunters of north-eastern Chad
- Status
- Unconfirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.