Mokele Mbembe

[Compsognathus]

What do you think about Mokele Mbembe? Do you dismiss it, or do you think, that there is some chance, that it could really exist in those huge, but still very little explored rainforests? Would you like it to be true?

I do not exactly believe, but because these rainforests are still so secluded, I still cannot utterly dismiss it for myself.

[Nick22]

first and foremost, what IS it? or rather what it is it supposed to be?

[Gentle Sharptooth]

first and foremost, what IS it? or rather what it is it supposed to be?

“ In cryptozoology, the Mokele-mbembe is a water-dwelling entity that supposedly lives in the Congo River Basin, sometimes described as a living creature, sometimes as a spirit.


During the early 20th century, descriptions of the entity increasingly reflected public fascination with dinosaurs, including aspects of particular dinosaur species now known among scientists to be incorrect, and the entity became increasingly described alongside a number of purported living nonavian dinosaurs in Africa.[1]

Over time, the entity became a point of focus in particular among adherents of the pseudoscience of cryptozoology, and young Earth creationism, resulting in numerous expeditions led by cryptozoologists and funded by young Earth creationists and groups with the aim of finding evidence that invalidates scientific consensus regarding evolution. Paleontologist Donald Prothero remarks that "the quest for Mokele Mbembe ... is part of the effort by creationists to overthrow the theory of evolution and teaching of science by any means possible".[2] Additionally, Prothero observes that "the only people looking for Mokele-mbembe are creationist ministers, not wildlife biologists."

Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mokele-mbembe

[Nick22]

Gods., creationists. The sort that believe the earth is only 6000 years old, despite having bristlecone pines in Nevada that are dated to close to 7000 years old. (they have the core samples and tree rings to prove it). So this is a mythological creature in the same realm as Bigfoot. Sure, they COULD find an previously unknown species(the rainforests are thought to hold a quarter of the species on Earth , many previously unknown ) but that wouldn't prove that evolution is false, or that young creationists aren't crackpots. Frankly those rainforests should be set aside as preserves, much of the African and southeast Asia rainforests have already vanished, and the same thing is happening to the Amazon under Bolsonaro's watch in Brazil. .

[RainbowFaceProtege]

Now THIS is an underrated cryptid.  I remember being a kid and being fascinated with the possibility of creatures like Bigfoot or Nessie, but I didn't even find out the Mokele-mbembe legend existed until way later in my life...which is kinda too bad, because when I was little, I sure would've had fun with this one!

To be honest, I'm not sure why some scientists always want to frame cryptozoology as a science vs. creationists battle. I'd say that a significant portion of the people who would like Mokele-mbembe or other cryptids to exist are just in it for the fun of the idea. And yes, I would include myself in that group. Do I believe it's likely that most cryptids exist? Well, I'd be lying if I said the lack of hard evidence wasn't discouraging...but on the other hand, I just think the stories are fun. Who's to say we know everything about our world yet, anyway?

However, I will admit that Mokele-mbembe seems like one of the more unlikely cryptids to exist. How long could such large creatures be able to sustain themselves in a secluded patch of rainforest? Why haven't people discovered any footprints or other evidence when such clues would have to result from the size of the animal alone?
But regardless of how unlikely the existence of this creature is, I personally am still happy to play along. Because who DOESN'T like to imagine that a dinosaur-type creature could be hidden out in the rainforest somewhere?

[Gentle Sharptooth]

I think it could definitely be a spiritual/ supernatural being, perhaps a Rainbowface? @RainbowFaceProtege

I must admit the prospect of a dinosaur defying all the odds and living among us in Africa is exciting; like Rainbow said in regards to Nessie, the Plesiosaur at Loche Ness.

Do I believe? Yes, I do. I think folklore and legends matter. There is always truth in them. Troy was believed to be legend, then they dug it up right where Homer said it was. King Arthur is a famous king of antiquity who was anglicized (adopted and interpreted in a Anglo/ English way).

The truth is out there. 

I must confess I am a Christian Creationist [a person who believes that the universe and living organisms originate from divine acts of creation by God Almighty as seen in Genesis Chapter 1, and 2, Colossians 1:14-18, and John 1:1-14], but I never knew about this creature.

[RainbowFaceProtege]

I think it could definitely be a spiritual/ supernatural being, perhaps a Rainbowface? @RainbowFaceProtege

Shh...

 

To be serious, though, you have a good point about how some legends turn out to be real after all! (Though I will say that most of what I hear about King Arthur still has him pegged as folklore. Feel free to correct me on that, though, because I'm not all that knowledgeable about him.) Certain unusual creatures were known only from tall tales and legends many years ago, but we now know them to exist...think of the giant squid and the kraken...

[Sneak]

hmm, where did I hear this name before?..

hmmm...

O_O
Oh sh*t! I was scared to death by this creature in one of flash game series...


I believe, in modern time, such big creature would be already spotted on camera.

[Mr. Clubtail]

I dismiss it as since it is depicted like a dinosaur, it would have been dead because of the ice age and dinosaurs are not meant for areas as cold as today, hence why the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park are part frog.

[Nanotyrannus]

Whether or not its existence is plausible - I'm pretty firmly in the camp that believes that mokele-mbembe doesn't exist - I have to say that the basic idea behind the thing; sauropods having survived the K/Pg event and managing to hold on by a single species in the belly of the modern-day Congo Basin; is tantalizing, and a good premise for a story.