The Nandi Bear
In the highlands of western Kenya, people described a large, bear-like animal, though Africa has no bears.
What was reported
In the early 20th century, European settlers and travellers in western Kenya reported a heavy, shaggy animal with a sloping back, larger than a hyena, that moved like a bear. Local communities had names for such a creature, including chemosit.
The reports were collected in journals and books, and the creature was said to be aggressive and active at night.
Explanations offered
No specimen was ever produced. Zoologists suggest misidentified spotted hyenas, which have sloping backs, or honey badgers, baboons or ratels seen in poor light. Some writers speculated about an extinct animal, but there is no evidence it survived.
- When
- Reports from the early 1900s
- Where
- Nandi Hills, Kenya
- Witnesses
- Settlers, hunters and local people
- 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.