History Main / MokeleMbembe

* ''Anime/YuGiOhGORUSH'': The☆Mokeida Mbembe is a big dinosaur-like alien that resembles bipedal sauropod wearing a space suit. His name name and appearance matches the cryptid he is named after.

* In addition to the mokele-mbembe, cryptozoological folklore populates the Congolese jungles with a number of other beings said to resemble dinosaurs, such as the emela-ntouka, said to resemble a one-horned ceratopsid, and the mbielu-mbielu-mbielu, said to resemble a stegosaur. The kongamato is often said to resemble the flying non-dinosaurian [[PteroSoarer pterosaurs]], but most descriptions of the monster suggest that it's actually supposed to be [[BatOutOfHell a giant bat]], a saddle-billed stork, or even a freshwater stingray.

The reality is that the origins of the cryptid likely lay in a combination of Colonialist European attitudes not understanding native Congo beliefs, seeing a prehistoric monster when something else entirely was described. At the time, a massive boom in public interest in prehistory was ongoing and racist attitudes at the time held Africa as the "Dark Continent" which had gone seemingly unchanged for millions of years. Such incorrect ideas held that if the people and life was so backwards and prehistoric, surely Africa as a kind of real life LostWorld was the best place to find a dinosaur. Close inspection indicates that before the 1920s, the tales and accounts told by natives were likely describing a combination of beliefs in water spirits and occasional sightings of rhinoceros. Both species of African rhinoceros, the Black Rhino and White Rhino, do not typically live in the Congo; but did live in areas adjacent to it and fluke instances could result in individuals wandering in and giving the locals unfamiliar with them quite the scare. The first accounts claiming a dinosaur was afoot did not come from locals, but often from rich Europeans hoping to find fame and new big game.

In the 1990s the Mokele-mbembe was arguably as popular a cryptid as Bigfoot and various lake monsters. But in the current day, its popularity and credibility have waned considerably. The colonialist history of the reports, sightings of even olden days being frequently conflated with other seemingly unrelated water monsters like the Dingonek, lack of sightings, and implausibility of an animal so large going undiscovered in the range it is have all taken their toll on credibility. The Congo was seen as mysterious, prehistoric place in the 1920s but a century later the region, its life, and its people are very well known and studied. Knowledge of the fossil record has also grown exponentially, and the implausibility of Sauropods going over 66 million years without leaving so much as a trace despite being one of the most readily fossilizing dinosaurs is another factor. For these and other reasons, virtually all scientists are unconvinced of this animal's existence, usually pointing to indigenous beliefs on aquatic deities and spirits.

The reality is that the origins of the cryptid likely lay in a combination of Colonialist European attitudes not understanding native Congo beliefs by the natives, seeing a prehistoric monster when something else entirely was described. At the time, a massive boom in public interest in prehistory was ongoing and racist attitudes at the time held Africa as the "Dark Continent" which had gone seemingly unchanged for millions of years. Such incorrect ideas held that if the people and life was so backwards and prehistoric, surely Africa as a kind of real life LostWorld was the best place to find a dinosaur. Close inspection indicates that before the 1920s, the tales and accounts told by natives were likely describing a combination of beliefs in water spirits and occasional sightings of rhinoceros. Both species of African rhinoceros, the Black Rhino and White Rhino, do not typically live in the Congo; but did live in areas adjacent to it and fluke instances could result in individuals wandering in and giving the locals unfamiliar with them quite the scare. The first accounts claiming a dinosaur was afoot did not come from locals, but often from rich Europeans hoping to find fame and new big game.

* The modern myth of the mokele is also associated with young-earth creationists, as non-avian dinosaurs surviving to the modern day is much more likely to happen if they only had to endure for a few thousand years than for tens of millions. Despite [[CriticalResearchFailure this not being the case]] at all, as the reported descriptions are so different from a prehistoric sauropod that if a dinosaur was behind them; it would have had to have changed significantly since the Cretaceous period.

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'': [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1265 The Mesozoic Preserve]]: "Mokele-mbembe" is the name used by local tribes to refer to the sauropods living in an isolated area of the jungle. This is implied to be where African cryptid legends originate from.

The mokele-mbembe (derived from "mokèlé-mbèmbé", meaning "one who stops the flow of rivers" in the Lingala language of Central Africa) is one of the more famous cryptids in modern culture. It is usually depicted as a sauropod dinosaur native to the deep jungles of the Congo -- or of whatever fantasy equivalent is being used as a stand-in in works not set on Earth -- and as an amphibious animal that spends most of its time in lakes and rivers. It is typically presented as a reclusive relic of bygone times, having endured past the demise of other non-avian dinosaurs within a remote, isolated environment. Despite its immense size, it is often a very elusive animal.

Legends of creatures similar to the modern mokele-mbembe have existed for some time in the folklore of Central African people, but first came to the attention of western cryptozoologists in the early 1900s. This is also the first point where the beasts are definitely identified as sauropods; earlier accounts aren't usually clearly identifiable as anything specific. In large part, the early boom of the creature's popularity was due to news of its legend reaching Europe and North America around the time of the early dinosaur crazes, which made the potential of a living dinosaur in the modern age particularly appealing to audiences. In fact, the etymology of the creature is "rainbow" in some local languages, and it is frequently conflated with other seemingly unrelated water monsters like the Dingonek. For these and other reasons, most scientists are unconvinced of this animal's existence, usually pointing to indigenous beliefs on aquatic deities and spirits.

* The mokele-mbembe has enjoyed fairly consistent popularity among cryptozoological circles, which consider its existence plausible mainly because of the possibility of the Congolese jungle hiding even large animals -- although this isn't quite so reasonable an explanation nowadays, as equipment capable of tracking elephants in the jungles has consistently failed to turn up giant dinosaurs. The folkloric accounts that it's based on also aren't really as obviously describing a sauropod as they're often made out to be; in particular, the beast is often described with traits, such as carnivorous habits or horns, that real sauropods did not have.[[note]]Though some believers have claimed such traits could have evolved over time.[[/note]] The modern myth of the mokele is also associated with young-earth creationists, as non-avian dinosaurs surviving to the modern day is much more likely to happen if they only had to endure for a few thousand years than for tens of millions.

* In addition to the mokele-mbembe, cryptozoological folklore populates the Congolese jungles with a number of other beings said to resemble dinosaurs, such as the emela-ntouka, said to resemble a one-horned ceratopsid, and the mbielu-mbielu-mbielu, said to resemble a stegosaur. The kongamato is often said to resemble the flying non-dinosaurian [[PteroSoarer pterosaurs]], but most descriptions of the monster suggest that it's actually supposed to be [[BatOutOfHell a giant bat]] (and a few reports have been suggested to be saddle-billed storks seen under low light conditions).

* ''Website/SpecWorld'': The mokeles are a clade of sauropods adapted to an aquatic lifestyle. Their adaptations to this lifestyle have also led to them becoming very physically distinct from their terrestrial kind, and as a result are very crocodile-like in appearance.

* The mokele-mbembe has enjoyed fairly consistent popularity among cryptozoological circles, which consider its existence plausible mainly because of the possibility of the Congolese jungle hiding even large animals -- although this isn't quite so reasonable an explanation nowadays, as equipment capable of tracking elephants in the jungles has consistently failed to turn up giant dinosaurs. The folkloric accounts that it's based on also aren't really as obviously describing a sauropod as they're often made out to be; in particular, the beast is often described with traits, such as carnivorous habits or horns, that real sauropods did not have.[[note]]Though some believers have claimed such traits could have evolved over time.[[note]] The modern myth of the mokele is also associated with young-earth creationists, as non-avian dinosaurs surviving to the modern day is much more likely to happen if they only had to endure for a few thousand years than for tens of millions.

* In ''VideoGame/SteppenwolfTheXCreaturesProject'', an early 2000s online episodic game, Meg Crimson, a reporter, goes to Africa to investigate the Mokele Mbembe as part of her documentary about cryptids.

* In ''VideoGame/Steppenwolf:TheXCreaturesProject'', an early 2000s online episodic game, the main female character, a reporter, goes to Africa to investigate the Mpkele Mbembe as part of her documentary about cryptozoology.

* ''Manga/GoblinSlayer'': A mokele-mbembe, resembling a sauropod with pink-purple plates running down its neck and spine, is encountered living in the rivers around the elf kingdom. It's stated to actually be [[OurHydrasAreDifferent young hydra; the extra heads have yet to grow and will come with age]].

* ''VideoGame/SenranKagura: Bon Appétit!'': The ending of Daidouji's story leads her to go searching for Mokele-Mbembe in the Amazon rainforest in a quest to find and defeat a creature even mightier than a dragon.

Subtrope of AquaticSauropods, LivingDinosaurs, and OurCryptidsAreMoreMysterious. For the mokele's usual stomping grounds, see DarkestAfrica and the LostWorld.

* The mokele-mbembe has enjoyed fairly consistent popularity among cryptozoological circles, which consider its existence plausible mainly because of the possibility of the Congolese jungle hiding even large animals -- although this isn't quite so reasonable an explanation nowadays, as equipment capable of tracking elephants in the jungles has consistently failed to turn up giant dinosaurs. The folkloric accounts that it's based on also aren't really as obviously describing a sauropod as they're often made out to be; in particular, the beast is often described with traits, such as carnivorous habits or horns, that real sauropods did not have. The modern myth of the mokele is also associated with young-earth creationists, as non-avian dinosaurs surviving to the modern day is much more likely to happen if they only had to endure for a few thousand years than for tens of millions.

* ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse'': The Mokolé are werereptiles, whose forms can draw on all reptilian animals, living or extinct -- except for the snakes, who are the purview of the Nagah. There were once several distinct breeds of werereptiles and weredinosaurs, but ages of interbreeding caused all breeds but the Nagah to collapse into the modern Mokolé. They serve as the preservers of Gaia's memory and are divided into various "Streams" based on their homeland -- the Mokolé-mbembe are specifically the ones from Africa.

* In addition to the mokele-mbembe, cryptozoological folklore populates the Congolese jungles with a number of other beings said to resemble dinosaurs, such as the emela-ntouka, said to resemble a one-horned ceratopsid, and the mbielu-mbielu-mbielu, said to resemble a stegosaur. The kongamato is often said to resemble the flying non-dinosaurian [[PteroSoarer pterosaurs]], but most descriptions of the monster suggest that it's actually supposed to be [[BatOutOfHell a giant bat]].

The mokele-mbembe (derived from "mokèlé-mbèmbé", meaning "one who stops the flow of rivers" in the Lingala language of Central Africa) is one of the more famous cryptids in modern culture. It is usually depicted as a sauropod dinosaur native to the deep jungles of the Congo -- or of whatever fantasy equivalent is being used a stand-in in works not set on Earth -- and as an amphibious animal that spends most of its time in lakes and rivers. It is typically presented as a reclusive relic of bygone times, having endured past the demise of other non-avian dinosaurs within a remote, isolated environment. Despite its immense size, it is often a very elusive animal.

Subtrope of AquaticSauropods, LivingDinosaurs and OurCryptidsAreMoreMysterious. For the mokele's usual stomping grounds, see DarkestAfrica and the LostWorld.

* ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'': In the 1997 comic series story "At Least That Beast" (later reprinted in the 67th issue of ''Scooby-Doo: Where Are You?''), the gang are called to the Congo after hearing reports of the Mokele-Mbembe terrorizing a nearby diamond mine under the command of a witch-doctor. It turns out to be a disguised mining machine controlled by the mine's owner (who also dressed up as the witch-doctor), who had hoped to scare away his own workers and the nearby villagers so that he could keep all the diamonds for himself. The ending leaves it ambiguous whether a real Mokele-Mbembe actually exists, however.

* ''Film/TheDinosaurProject'' revolves around a team of explorers from the British Cryptozoological Society going into the forests of Congo in search of the legendary cryptid called the mokele-mbembe, who later turns out to be an ''Elasmosaurus'' -- a kind of large, long-necked plesiosaur -- and one of several not-yet-extinct population of dinosaurs living in the Congo Basin.

* ''WebVideo/TierZoo'' covers them in an AprilFoolsDay video on {{cryptid|Episode}}s. He considers them an S-tier animal, and speculates that they're dinosaur players who managed to avoid the sweeping bans (that is, [[ColonyDrop the meteor that killed the dinosaurs]]) at the end of the Cretaceous period.

* In addition to the mokele-mbembe, cryptozoological folklore populates the Congolese jungles with a number of other beings said to resemble dinosaurs, such as the emela-ntouka, said to resemble a one-horned ceratopsid, and the mbielu-mbielu-mbielu, said to resemble a stegosaur.

Legends of creatures similar to the modern mokele-mbembe have existed for some time in the folklore of Central African people, but first came to the attention of western cryptozoologists in the early 1900s. This is also the first point where the beasts are definitely identified as sauropods; earlier accounts aren't usually clearly identifiable as anything specific. In large part, the early boom of the creature's popularity was due to news of its legend reaching Europe and North America around the time of the early dinosaur crazes, which made the potential of a living dinosaur in the modern age particularly appealing to audiences. In fact, the etymology of the creature is "rainbow" in some local languages, and it is frequently conflated with other seemingly unrelated water monsters like the Dingonek.

For these and other reasons, most scientists are unconvinced of this animal's existence, usually pointing to indigenous beliefs on aquatic deities and spirits.

At least some tales about the mokele-mbembe avert GentleGiantSauropod, instead portraying it as a XenophobicHerbivore with a particular hatred for hippopotamuses. Occasionally, it's depicted as a carnivore that hunts hippos and human explorers alike.

For these and other reasons, most scientists are unconvinced of this animal's existence, usually pointing to indigenous beliefs on aquatic deities and spirits. Creationists, however, fully believe in living sauropods, and spend millions of money per year in expededtions that are inexplicably fruitless.

Legends of creatures similar to the modern mokele-mbembe have existed for some time in the folklore of Central African people, but first came to the attention of western cryptozoologists in the early 1900s. This is also the first point where the beasts are definitely identified as sauropods; earlier accounts aren't usually clearly identifiable as anything specific. In large part, the early boom of the creature's popularity was due to news of its legend reaching Europe and North America around the time of the early dinosaur crazes, which made the potential of a living dinosaur in the modern age particularly appealing to audiences.

The mokele-mbembe (derived from "mokèlé-mbèmbé", meaning "one who stops the flow of rivers" in the Lingala language of central Africa) is one of the more famous cryptids in modern culture. It is usually depicted as a sauropod dinosaur native to the deep jungles of the Congo -- or of whatever fantasy equivalent is being used a stand-in in works not set on Earth -- and as an amphibious animal that spends most of its time in lakes and rivers. It is typically presented as a reclusive relic of bygone times, having endured past the demise of other non-avian dinosaurs within a remote, isolated environment. Despite its immense size, it is often a very elusive animal.

Legends of creatures similar to the modern mokele-mbembe have existed for some time in the folklore of central African people, but first came to the attention of western cryptozoologists in the early 1900s. This is also the first point where the beasts are definitely identified as sauropods; earlier accounts aren't usually clearly identifiable as anything specific. In large part, the early boom of the creature's popularity was due to news of its legend reaching Europe and North America around the time of the early dinosaur crazes, which made the potential of a living dinosaur in the modern age particularly appealing to audiences.

Subtrope of AquaticSauropods, LivingDinosaurs and OurCryptidsAreMoreMysterious.

* ''WebVideo/TierZoo'' covers them in an AprilFoolsDay video on [[CryptidEpisode cryptids]]. He considers them an S-tier animal, and speculates that they're dinosaur players who managed to avoid the sweeping bans (that is, [[ColonyDrop the meteor that killed the dinosaurs]]) at the end of the Cretaceous period.