Buzz
The Loch Ness Monster and Megalodon are well-known to many. Additionally, rumors suggest that an Apatosaurus inhabits the uncharted regions of the Congo. However, there are numerous other ancient creatures believed to still roam the Earth in various secluded areas.
10. The Mapinguari
“The instant you hear it, every hair on your body stands up,” recounted Manuel Vitorino Pinheiro dos Santos about his alleged meeting with the South American cryptid called the Mapinguari. As reported in a Discover Magazine article, the Brazilian was hunting in the Amazon when a terrifying scream reverberated through the forest. Dos Santos, a seasoned hunter, quickly fled and took refuge in a river. He heard the eerie call four more times as the creature retreated.
Some have compared the Mapinguari to a South American Bigfoot, while others describe it as a massive, sloth-like beast with sharp curved claws, reddish fur, and an overpowering odor. Cryptozoologists theorize that these legends might point to a surviving species of ground sloth, a group of enormous, bear-like animals thought to have disappeared around 5,000 years ago. In 1994, ornithologist and Amazon expert David C. Oren embarked on a quest to find the Mapinguari in Brazil’s western rainforests, gathering over 100 eyewitness reports. Despite his efforts, Oren’s expedition yielded little success, producing only footprint casts, a tuft of fur later identified as belonging to an agouti, and feces from a giant anteater.
9. The Lukwata
Among the more mythical creatures on this list, the Lukwata is a Sudanese cryptid believed to inhabit the swamps near Lake No. Often depicted as a massive serpent stretching up to 30 meters (100 feet) long, it is said to have eyes that glow with deadly intensity and to prey on humans and large animals using enormous, bristling tentacles extending from its snout. While this description doesn’t align with any known prehistoric creature, some accounts mention a long neck and small head, resembling a Saurian like Apatosaurus or possibly Plesiosaurus.
The Lukwata was also recognized in Uganda, where tribes such as the Baganda, Wasoga, and Kavirondo linked the creature to sleeping sickness and performed rituals involving burnt offerings of sheep and cattle to appease it.
8. The Japanese Plesiosaur Carcass
In 1977, a Japanese fishing boat trawling for mackerel near New Zealand hauled up something extraordinary from the ocean depths. The unidentified carcass, bearing a striking resemblance to a Plesiosaur, sparked such excitement that the Japanese government released a commemorative stamp featuring a Plesiosaurus skeleton that year.
While the media predictably sensationalized the “living dinosaur” narrative, some scientists also entertained the idea—possibly due to their inexperience with severely decomposed specimens. However, more knowledgeable experts quickly noted that such carcasses are frequently found and often identified as sharks or whales. Shortly after the discovery made headlines, tissue analysis revealed the creature was, in fact, a decomposing basking shark. As these sharks decay, they lose their dorsal and tail fins first, followed by much of the lower head, giving them a “sea serpent” or Plesiosaur-like appearance.
Regrettably, after a crew member collected samples and measurements, the carcass was discarded back into the sea to avoid contaminating the mackerel catch. This decision left no way to conclusively disprove theories of its prehistoric origins.
7. The Queensland Tiger
The Queensland tiger, a catlike marsupial roughly the size of a German Shepherd, has long been rumored to inhabit Australia’s Queensland Rainforest. Referred to as the Yarri by local Aborigines, it first caught the attention of white settlers in the 1870s. Sightings surged in the 1940s and ’50s, culminating in Craig Black’s 1961 claim of spotting a female carrying a cub in Ben Lomond National Park. In 1964, traveler Rilla Martin captured a photograph allegedly showing the creature, which quickly became famous as “the Ozenkadnook tiger photo.” The authenticity of the photo remains debated, with some pointing out what appears to be an artificial prop supporting the animal in the bushes.
Regardless of the photo’s legitimacy, cryptozoologists speculate that the “tiger” could be a surviving member of Thylacoleo, a genus of carnivorous marsupials often dubbed “marsupial lions.” Others suggest it might be a mainland variant of Thylacine, the renowned Tasmanian tiger, thought to have gone extinct in the 1930s.
6. The Kaiaimunu
One of the most peculiar dinosaurs to have ever existed, Therizinosaurus resembles a strange blend of horse and bird, featuring elongated, Edward Scissorhands–style claws on its forelimbs and feathery growths extending from its elbows. Interestingly, a missionary group from Creation Ministries International claims the creature still roams as part of a hidden world of living prehistoric animals on the small islands of West New Britain in Papua New Guinea.
The group reports that nine locals from West New Britain have sighted the creature since the late 1990s. Adding to the intrigue, they also assert that islanders have observed a second creature resembling a sauropod, possibly Apatosaurus, swimming between the islands. Why a creationist group, which believes the Earth is under 6,000 years old, would seek to prove dinosaurs still exist remains a mystery. However, this isn’t the only account of prehistoric sightings in New Guinea.
5. The Gazeka
The Gazeka legend began in 1910 when a widely circulated newspaper article detailed explorer C. A. W. Monckton’s climb up Mount Albert Edward in western British New Guinea. During his expedition, he allegedly encountered tracks of a massive creature, later dubbed “Monckton’s Gazeka.”
As the story goes, which is absent from Monckton’s own writings, the explorer reportedly found the beast attacking a village of pygmies and shot at it. “The enormous Gazeka immediately turned on him. Standing on its hind legs and towering about 25 feet high, it appeared as large as a house. Two of Monckton’s bullets seemed to hit their mark, causing blood to gush from the animal’s shoulder, but before he could reload, the creature fled. Darkness prevented further pursuit, and Monckton never got another chance to track it down.”
Despite inconsistencies in the tale (New Guinea isn’t known for pygmies), the article mentions that Dr. W. D. Matthew of the American Museum of Natural History compared the creature’s description to a Diprotodon, the “Giant Wombat” of the Pleistocene era. Diprotodon was the largest marsupial ever, reaching up to 3 meters (10 feet) in length from nose to tail.
The article included an illustration of the pygmy tribe allegedly seen by the expedition, along with an artist’s rendering of the Gazeka’s massive footprints. Creationists have argued there are resemblances between the reconstruction and Diprotodon‘s footprints, though the similarities are far less convincing than they suggest.
4. Ngoubou
In 2000, cryptozoologists William J. Gibbons and David Woetzel were in Cameroon preparing for an expedition to find the legendary Mokele-mbembe when local pygmies mentioned another mysterious creature in the region. Described as a Ngoubou (“rhinoceros”), the animal was said to battle elephants for territory despite its smaller stature. The pygmies claimed it had six horns around a frill, resembling Styracosaurus, a Late Cretaceous dinosaur similar to the more famous Triceratops.
“We showed them illustrations of the Triceratops, but they dismissed it, saying it resembled the Ngoubou but lacked enough horns, and their placement was incorrect. When I asked for clarification, they explained that the Ngoubou had six horns on its frill and even sketched the arrangement for me on a piece of paper.”
The challenge with this theory is that Styracosaurus fossils have only been discovered in North America. Since some locals describe the Ngoubou differently, without mentioning a frill, some cryptozoologists suggest it might instead resemble Stegosaurus or Kentrosaurus (which, at least, originated in Africa).
3. The Burrunjor
It’s no surprise that the true king of the beasts would hail from Australia, a land where seemingly everything is out to get you.
Known as the Burrunjor by Australian Aboriginal peoples, this creature is described as a massive, two-legged reptile with powerful legs and tiny, nearly vestigial arms. Sound like something you’ve heard of? During the 1950s, Australian cattle farmers reported finding large, bipedal tracks near their livestock, which were being attacked. One of the most notable sightings, which persist to this day, took place near the McArthur River in 1957:
“The cattle suddenly panicked. The ranchers were baffled, especially when one of their team members bolted screaming toward a nearby river for safety . . . a loud grunting and snorting noise echoed through the air. Witnesses saw the shadowy outline of a towering monster retreating into the scrubland. At dawn, they discovered several cattle mutilated, some partially devoured.”
Other possibilities for the Burrunjor include Allosaurus, Utahraptor, or any other medium to large Therapod. What’s striking about the Burrunjor accounts is their consistency over time, unlike most cryptid stories. But how could creatures as large as the mighty Tyrannosaur sustain themselves, aside from preying on the occasional cow or crocodile? Perhaps they fed on other giant reptiles rumored to inhabit Australia.
2. Titanoboa Cerrejonensis
Titanoboa cerrejonensis was an ancient snake reaching lengths of up to 13 meters (42 feet), making it the largest snake ever discovered. Its fossils were unearthed in northeastern Colombia, and Jason Head from the University of Toronto admitted he “nearly screamed” upon seeing their size. We’d probably react the same way.
It’s no shock that the Amazon is home to legends of enormous snakes far larger than the native anacondas. Locals refer to it as the “Yacumama” (“Mother of the Water”), “Black Boa,” “Sucuri Gigante,” or “Cobra Grande,” with reported lengths ranging from 50 meters (164 feet) to a more plausible 18–24 meters (60–80 feet). While there have been claims of anacondas nearing the lower end of these sizes, none have been scientifically verified.
Opinions vary on whether these reports, if credible, point to unusually large anacondas (suggesting science has yet to determine their maximum size), a new snake species, or a surviving Titanoboa or Gigantophis garstini. In 2009, Northern Ireland’s Mark Warner and his son Greg ventured to the region to gather evidence, conducting aerial surveys of targeted areas. After 12 days in the jungle, battling harsh weather, and compiling hundreds of photos and hours of footage, they snapped a photo of what they claimed was a massive snake, approximately 40 meters (131 feet) long and nearly 2 meters (6 feet) wide.
While there’s ongoing debate about the maximum size of anacondas, a 40-meter claim demands far more evidence than a somewhat blurry aerial photo. Warner and his son have planned further expeditions and suggested thermal imaging surveys, but no additional evidence has emerged yet.
1. Quetzalcoatlus Northropi
On September 25, 2001, a 19-year-old driving along Pennsylvania’s Route 119 claimed to hear what sounded like “flags flapping in a thunderstorm” above his car. When he glanced up, he was shocked to see a bird-like creature with a 3–4.5 meter (10–15 foot) wingspan and an unusually long head flying overhead. Over the following months, two more individuals reported seeing similar beings in Greensville and Erie County, Pennsylvania. These accounts echoed a series of sightings in Texas during 1976 and 1982. In each case, the descriptions closely matched that of a Pterosaur. Notably, the Texas sightings occurred near where the fossil of Quetzalcoatlus northropi, a massive Late Cretaceous Pterosaur, was first unearthed.
Interestingly, these “Pterosaur” sightings appeared in clusters, suggesting witnesses were observing something real—but what? One likely possibility is the frigate bird, whose gray feathers can resemble leathery skin from a distance and whose wingspan can stretch up to 2.5 meters (8 feet). The frigate bird rarely lands except to care for its young and can glide effortlessly for vast distances.
In Africa, communities in the Congo, Zambia, and other regions speak of the Kongamoto: “the Overturner of Boats.” It’s described as featherless, with smooth skin, a toothed beak, and a wingspan of 1–2 meters (4–7 feet). On the Gold Coast, British explorers in the 1920s heard stories of the Susabonsam, a creature as tall as a man with thin, shadowy bat-like wings.
The larger Kongamoto sightings might involve a surviving population of Quetzalcoatlus northropi, which, standing as tall as a giraffe, was the largest flying creature ever. Alternatively, they could be condors, storks, or other large birds seen in silhouette—or perhaps just myths or hoaxes. In 1988, Professor Roy Mackal led an expedition into Namibia’s deserts to investigate reports of a creature with a 9-meter (30-foot) wingspan seen soaring at dusk between two hills. Some witnesses even claimed the creature glowed in the dark. Although the expedition didn’t succeed, one member reported seeing a distant “giant glider shape, black with white markings.”
+The Velociraptors Of The Old West
Numerous lesser-known sightings of small, Therapod-like reptiles have been reported across the American West, often called “River Dinos” or “River Lizards.” One example is the “Mountain Boomer” of West Texas, described as a bipedal lizard up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) tall with greenish or brownish skin. In 1993, investigator Jimmy Ward claimed to have heard stories of “a giant lizard that walked on its hind legs and roared like thunder.” The Colorado “River Lizards” and “Oklahoma Raptors,” once thought by some to be Dromaeosaurs (now known to be feathered dinosaurs), are more frequently reported than the Boomer. In 1993, a woman came forward, stating she had seen tall gray or green lizard-like creatures three times in her life, with her first encounter near Pagosa Springs in May 1935.
There are several photographs allegedly showing living American dinosaurs. One of the most famous, pictured above, depicts a young man with a rifle holding what appears to be the carcass of a small dinosaur he supposedly shot. Another photo shows what looks like a Tyrannosaurus peeking over a hill.
Such reports continue to circulate because, let’s face it, the idea of the Wild West coexisting with dinosaurs is undeniably thrilling! Who wouldn’t be captivated by that?
