The Mngwa, the Strange One
On the coast of Tanzania, people told of a huge grey cat, the size of a donkey, that came into villages at night. Its name means 'the strange one'.
What was reported
The mngwa, or nunda, is a creature of Swahili lore on the coast of Tanzania. It's described as a grey, striped cat as big as a donkey, larger than a leopard, that hunts at night.
In the 1920s and 1930s, attacks around the town of Lindi were blamed on it, and a colonial police officer reported finding grey hairs at the scenes that didn't seem to match lions or leopards. The case was later written up in Britain and became a classic of cryptozoology.
Explanations offered
Most zoologists think the mngwa was an unusually coloured lion or leopard, or a story built on several animals. No body or photograph has ever been found. Folklore of the region also links it to spirits.
- When
- Reported in the early 20th century
- Where
- Lindi, Tanzania
- Witnesses
- Villagers and colonial officials on the coast of Tanzania
- 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.
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