Mokele-mbembe
In the swamps of the Congo basin, people tell of a huge animal with a long neck that lives in the rivers.
What was reported
People living around the Likouala swamps and Lake Tele in the Republic of the Congo describe the mokele-mbembe, a large river animal often said to have a long neck and tail. Reports reached Europe in the early 20th century.
Since the 1980s, several expeditions have searched the swamps, some hoping to find a surviving dinosaur. They brought back interviews and a few unclear photographs, but no clear evidence.
Explanations offered
Scientists consider a surviving dinosaur extremely unlikely. Researchers suggest the stories may describe known animals such as elephants, hippos, crocodiles or large snakes, or a river spirit in local belief that outsiders took literally.
- When
- Reported since the early 1900s
- Where
- Likouala swamps, Republic of the Congo
- Witnesses
- Local communities; several expeditions
- 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.