The Kongamato of Africa

The Kongamato, meaning “overwhelmer of boats,” is a flying creature reported from the swamps and rivers of central Africa. Witnesses describe it as resembling a pterosaur, with leathery wings, a long beak, and no feathers.

The Description

Witnesses describe a creature with a wingspan of four to seven feet, a long pointed beak full of teeth, and leathery wings like a bat’s. It has no feathers. When shown pictures of pterosaurs, witnesses consistently identify them as resembling the Kongamato.

Early Reports

British explorer Frank Melland first documented the Kongamato in 1932. He interviewed natives who knew the creature well and feared it. They described attacks on fishermen and canoes.

Continued Sightings

Reports have continued from Zambia, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Witnesses include both native peoples and Western observers. The consistency of descriptions across remote areas is notable.

Scientific Theories

Proposed explanations include large birds, bats, or surviving pterosaurs. The African saddle-billed stork has been suggested, but witnesses who know the stork insist the Kongamato is different.

Assessment

Central Africa’s remote swamps could conceivably harbor unknown species. Whether the Kongamato is a surviving pterosaur, an unknown animal, or persistent mythology, something is seen in those waters that defies easy explanation.