10 Animal Man Eater Greatest Throughout History

Most predatory animals can, and will, see humans as prey appropriate, in appropriate circumstances, however, the 'man-eaters' true, is, individual animals that prefer human flesh than other meats, it is very rare. List below is a selection of some of the worst cases of man-eaters are recorded in history

10. The Lions of Njombe

The Lions Of Njombe

We begin this list with the worst cases of man-eating lion. A group of lions prefer human flesh than other foods. Occurred in 1932, in Tanzania near the town of Njombe. A group of lions came and brutally murdered the local community. History tells us that the lion is controlled by a shaman from a local tribe, named Matamula Mangera, who send large lions raging as a weapon of revenge against the citizens of Tanzania after Matamula Mangera ousted from office. The chieftain was so afraid of man-eating lion that Mangera send. They pleaded Matamula Mangera to become leaders of nations again, but he refused. Lions continued to attack and, finally, claimed 1500 human lives (some say more than 2000); worst lion attacks throughout history, and one of the worst cases of animal attacks ever recorded. Finally, George Rushby, a famous hunter, decides to end the attacks. He killed 15 lions, and the rest leave the area by itself, finally ended the nightmare. But, of course, the locals believe that the lion that went away due to the tribal leaders who have agreed to restore the old job Matamula Mangera.

9. Two Toed Tom

Two Toed Tom

Two Toed Tom is a man-eating very wild, and today it is difficult to know which part of the story is real, and which are myth. Two Toed Tom is a male giant crocodile that roamed the marshes on the border of Alabama and Florida around 1920. He lost all the fingers except the two of the fingers on his left hand, and leave a trail that is very recognizable in the mud, so he was nicknamed 'Two Toed Tom' by the local community. It is said that he had lost his toes in an iron trap.

He has four half-meter long, and people claim that he was not a normal crocodile, but the devil sent from hell to terrorize them. Tom made himself famous by eating dozens of cattle, mules and, of course, human beings, especially women who are washing clothes in water. Because Tom is often attacked, many farmers trying to kill Tom, but the bullet only a small effect and did not managed to kill Tom. One farmer even tried to kill him using dynamite, farmer Tom tsb has pursued for twenty years, but always failed, so he decided to throw a bucket of 15 dynamite into the lake where Tom is located. Farmers tsb think the problem is over.

The blast killed everything that was in the lake they will be, except for Tom.A few moments after the explosion, the farmer and his son heard a horrible screaming and splashing sounds coming from the lake near his home.They rushed to the spot and saw bright eyes Tom shortly before he disappeared beneath the surface. The cry was then known as the cry of a girl when half dead girls appeared on the lake. It's hard to believe if this story is a real story or just folklore, but everything seems to indicate that the Two Toed Tom is real, and he continues to explore the swamps of Florida for years. People are constantly reported seeing a large male crocodiles bask on the shores of the lake, and the roar audible voice every morning. They identify the creatures they will be as Tom with traces of two fingers. The most amazing part of this story is, even though he was most famous during the 1920's, Tom apparently still alive during the 1980s, when a large crocodile fingered two reported to be in the same swamp where he had roamed all his life. Many accomplished hunter who tried to catch, but the Two Toed Tom was never caught.

8. Kesagake

Kasagake

Noted the most dangerous wild animals in Japan are Japanese Giant Hornet, which kill an average of 40 people per year. However, the largest predator, and most powerful in the land of Japan is Brown Bear, and, perhaps the most brutal in history is a bear attack that occurred in the village Sankebetsu, Hokkaido, in 1915. At that time, Sankebetsu first is a village with a population of very little and are in the wild. The area was inhabited by brown bears, including a huge male bear, known as Kesagake. In the past, Kesagake come to eat the corn harvest Sankebetsu to local residents. It felt a disturbance, he was shot by two villagers and fled to the mountains, she was reportedly injured. The villagers believe that, after being shot, the bear would be afraid of humans and away from crops. They were wrong.

On December 9, 1915, Kesagake appear again. He entered the Ota family home, where the farmer's wife was caring for her baby alone. The bear attacked the baby, kill the baby, then after the farmer's wife. He tried to defend himself by throwing firewood into the beast, but finally Kesagake dragged into the forest. When people arrived, they found the floor and walls are splattered with blood. Thirty people went into the forest, determined to kill the bear and save the poor woman. They found Kesagake and shot him again, but they failed to kill him. The animal ran away and they found the partially eaten body of a woman who had been buried under the snow, where a bear has to save a woman's body they will be for consumption later.

The bear then returned to the Ota family farm, and sent armed guards to keep watch Kesakage will attack. But this strategy leaves a gap in another house that is not protected, and Kesagake take advantage of this vulnerability, attack the family home mauling Miyoke and everyone in it.Although some people managed to escape, two children were killed and so was a pregnant woman, who according to witnesses who survived, pleading for the life of her baby to the predator. Of course, it was all in vain; Kesagake kill him too. When the guards realized their mistake and returned home Miyoke, they found the bodies of two children, women and the fetus she is carrying all lying around the blood that covered the floor.Only in two days, Kesagake has killed six people. The villagers were terrified and most of the guards leave their posts for fear.

A famous bear hunter told about the incident, and he identified the bear as Kesagake and they will tell that the bear is really targeting Sankebetsu village. At first he refused to participate in the hunt, but eventually he joined the group and on 14, he was one person who finally succeeded in killing Kesagake. The bear measures nearly three feet with a weight of 380 kg. Human remains found in the stomach. Horrific incident did not end there, a few people who survived the attack died of his injuries. One of the victims drowned in a river. Areas immediately abandoned by villagers and becomes a ghost town. Even today, incidents of animal attacks Sankebetsu remains the worst in the history of Japan, and one of the most brutal in history. 

7. The New Jersey Shark

The New Jersey Shark

Shark attacks occurred in 1916, at that time little is know about the type of shark that attacked, and some scientists even claim that the shark is not dangerous at all. This is one of very few real cases 'sharks eat people', known as shark attacks and most familiar as an isolated incident. It all happened along the coast of New Jersey, the first victim was a young man named Charles Vansant who was attacked in a very shallow water while swimming with his dog, some people, including his family, witnessed the attack, and coast guard rushed to rescue the boy. The shark is very resilient and seem to follow the movement of the guard lifeguard on the beach. Shark teeth are cut Vansant femoral artery and one of his legs torn sharks they will be, he is spending a lot of blood and finally died in place before he can be brought to the hospital. Five days later, another man, Charles Brother, was attacked by the same shark while swimming far from shore. Initially reported by witnesses that a red boat was upside down, in fact, the 'red boat' is a bloody boat Brother. The shark bit off his leg. He was dragged back to shore, where his body is destroyed seems 'cause fainting woman', but it was too late, he was dead when he reached the shore.

Although sharks have been seen for several days, scientists who were informed of the attack claiming that it was not a shark attack, and said that the culprit might be the killer whale or sea turtle! The next attack occurred not at sea, but in a river near the town of Matawan. Once again, people reported seeing a shark in the river, but they were ignored, until on 12 July, an eleven-year-old boy was attacked while swimming and was dragged down the water. Some townspeople rushed to the river, and a man named Stanley Fisher jumped into the water to find the remains of the boy, but he was also attacked by a shark and died from the wounds which caused shark attack. The latest victim was a young child, nearly 30 minutes after the attack on Stanley Fisher. Although he was seriously injured, he was the only survivor.

On July 14, a female giant white shark caught in Raritan Bay near the town of Matawan. It is said that human remains found in the stomach. But, although they will be mistaken for a shark-eating people, not everyone is convinced they will be suspected. Today, scientists believe that even a giant white shark is probably the perpetrator of the first two attacks, the attacks may be carried out Matawan River Bull Shark. In contrast to white sharks, bull sharks can survive in freshwater, and is a very aggressive species, which is considered by some as a shark is more dangerous than the white shark. Nonetheless, this is the beginning of the terrible reputation as a man-eating White Shark. Once confirmed that Jersey is the act of shark attacks, sharks into man-eaters in history. Tsb incident inspired the most famous novel by Peter Benchley, Jaws, later adapted into a movie by Steven Spielberg. Even today, many people who after seeing the movie scared to go into the sea water, and it all started in 1916.

6. The Bear of Mysore

The Bear Of My Afternoon

Although often persecuted Sloth Bear population in India, they very rarely take casualties. In fact, they rarely eat meat at all, and prefers to eat termites and fruit, and very fond of honey. However, there is a Sloth Bear who became killer evil.

There are some very odd stories about the origins of Mysore Killer Bear; some people say the bear is a stud and at first he kidnapped a girl to be her partner. The girl was rescued by villagers and the bear is inserted into the hole of torture.

Another version says that this bear was a female lion who had been killed by humans, and he became a killer for revenge. However, most experts now believe that the bear may be injured by man, and the results become aggressive. The bear attacked three dozen people in the state of Mysore India. Typical Sloth Bear, he would rip the victim's face with claws and sharp teeth, and those who survive are often left damaged. 12 of the victims died, three of them eat, something very unusual. The bear was eventually killed by Kenneth Anderson, a famous game hunter, even though the animals were initially very difficult to conquer.

5. The Beast of Gevauden

Beast Of Gevauden

One of the most famous man-eaters, and the most mysterious of all who ever lived. This beast terrorized the province of France Gevauden 1764-1767. Although often recognized as an extraordinary large wolf, the fact that this animal has never really succeeded identified. It said greater than normal wolves, with reddish hair color and the smell was unbearable, and teeth larger than a normal wolf. These creatures are killing the first victim (a young girl) in June 1764. This is the first of a series of highly unusual attack, in which these animals hunt humans as targets utumanya and neglect and domestic livestock. 210 people were attacked, 113 victims died, and 98 are eaten by him. The attacks were so frequent and brutal.many believe that this creature is a demon who is sent by God as punishment, others thought it was a loup-garou, a werewolf.

Although the mainstream view says that 'the Beast' was probably just a big wolf (or a few wolves, because few reports mention the two animals is not one), the fact remains that the description of the creature did not seem to fit with normal European wolves, known person at the time. Some experts believe that these animals may evolve into hyenas. Hyena is actually a very powerful predators and they often prey on humans in Africa and some parts of Asia. (A male hyenas terrorizing Malawi recently, forcing hundreds of people left their villages). Just as animals Gevauden, hyenas known for their formidable teeth and has a strong odor, and they are also bigger and more powerful than the average wolf.

The animal managed to avoid the attack hunters and even soldiers, shows that he is a cunning the legendary man-eaters, but eventually killed in 1767 by local hunter Jean Chastel. History tells us that Chastel using silver bullet to kill the creature, but this is probably a myth. After opening the creature's belly, Chastel last found the remains of human victims.

4. The Ghost and the Darkness

Ghost And The Darkness

In 1898, Britain started the construction of the railway bridge over the Tsavo River in Kenya. Nine months later, the poor rail workers became the target of two man-eating lion. Lions are very large, measuring more than three meters long. At first, the two lions dragged people from the tent workers, drag them into the bush and eating them at night. But they become more fearful, they will not even drag their victim away and they will start eating meat only a few yards from the tent. Their size, ferocity and cunning they are so extraordinary to many indigenous people who think that they are not lions, but the devil, or maybe the reincarnation of an ancient local kings who tried to repel the British invaders. Two man-eating lions is nicknamed The Ghost and The Darkness. Workers are so afraid of and hundreds of them fled from Tsavo. Construction of the railway bridge was stopped, no one wants to become the next victim of the "lion demon"

Finally, the Chief Engineer in charge of the railway project they will be, John Henry Patterson, decided the only solution is to kill the lion demon very disturbing projects. He almost killed by the lion, but eventually, he managed to shoot a lion who's first in December 1989, and two weeks later, he managed to shoot the second. Noted, the lion has killed 140 people. Patterson also found the nest of the predators', a cave near the edge of the Tsavo River, which contains many of the remains of human victims, and pieces of clothing and ornaments. This cave is still there today. Although many bones have been removed, reportedly still a lot of bones still inside. Some experts have recently claimed that the lions only eat about 35 human victims. But this does not mean they do not kill many people, like the other man-eaters, they reportedly often kill even when not hungry. Today, the man-eating is (or rather, their dolls) can be viewed at the Field Museum in Chicago, and the government of Kenya has expressed interest in building a museum dedicated entirely to them.

3. The Panar Leopard

Panar Leopard

Leopards are the 'big cat' is the smallest, but that does not mean they are less deadly than 'cat' is more besar.Soal fact, the leopard is probably the oldest predators; leopard bites have been found in fossil hominid bones, indicating that this cat have eaten our ancestors who lived in more than three million years ago. But although there is an adult leopard who may see human beings as a suitable prey in the right situation, just a few of them to be 'man-eaters' actually, and prefer human flesh over other foods.Leopards most deadly man-eating leopard of all time is Panar. Male leopard lives in Kumaon region of India in the early twentieth century. He is the most active tiger Panar province, where he killed more than 400 people, becoming the second most prolific man-eaters in history (after The Champawat Tigress see list 2).

It seems that this leopard has been unrivaled by hunters, and can not hunt wild animals, so turned to humans as prey for survival. He was eventually killed by hunters and environmentalists headliner, Jim Corbett, in 1910.Although Panar leopard is the most famous, there are other man-eaters who also feared. Man-eating-Kahani, on record, killing more than 200 people, and man-eating-Rudraprayag, which lurk and kill pilgrims who were on their way to a Hindu shrine, killing 125 people. before he was shot by Jim Corbett. Smaller, more agile and, some say, more cunning than lions or tigers, leopards are considered as the most deadly animal in the world by skillful hunters. One of them claimed that 'if the same size as the leopard lion, they will be ten times more dangerous'.

2. The Champawat Tigress

Champawat Tigress

During the late nineteenth century, among the regions of Nepal to the Himalayas have been terrorized by man-eater most famous and prolific of all that ever existed. Men, women and children, were ambushed in the forest by him. The attacks were so frequent and so deadly that once again people consider it as a vicious animal, and even punishment from the gods. Perpetrators are Bengal tigers that have been shot by hunters. He managed to escape, but the bullet had stripped off his two fangs. Constant pain, and unable to hunt normal prey, tigress became grandchildren hater adam, man-eaters. number of victims of this tigress reached 200. The hunters sent to kill this beast, but he was too cunning and seldom seen by them. Finally, the government of Nepal decided to solve problems big elbow and sent the National Army to kill the cat killer. In addition to animal cases Gevauden (list 5), this may be the only one in history when the army deemed necessary to deal with man-eating animals. But they failed to capture the tigress. He, however, was forced to leave the area and he crossed the Indian border, to the Champawat area where he continued "his human hunting. It was reported that after eating every human being, he will become more daring and more frightening, and finally, he began attacking in the daytime and wandering around the village. People would not dare leave their cottage to work, because they could hear the roar of the killer in the woods waiting for their reply. But this man-eating the same fate, in the end, one man decided to end the reign of the tigress. People was named Jim Corbett, who (ironically) will be one of the first trigger tiger conservation programs.

Corbett later told of how he found a female tiger with only a trail of blood and legs of the latest victim, a teenage girl. Corbett was a brave reply, but he was horrified to see the horrible sights they will be,

Corbett shot the tigress in 1911. Local people are very relieved, grateful and they consider sacred Corbett as incomer. At that time, noted this tigress had killed 436 persons, and may be even more because many victims are missing. He is an individual man-eaters of the most productive in history. Not only that, he was recorded as the largest killer creatures and rival versions of human killer. Only one version of the human killer who is said to rival the Champawat tigress, a famous Hungarian named Countess Bathory Erzebet known as the 'Tigress of Csejte'

1. Gustave

All the greatest man-eaters are gone, except one. In Africa, life is a man-eater in our time, the male Nile crocodile measuring six meters and weighing about a ton. He is the largest Nile crocodile who ever lived, and the largest predator individuals across the African continent, and according to indigenous and Patrice Faye (a French naturalist who has spent years trying to catch this man-eating), he has killed more than 300 people until now ! Although still alive and active, and crocodiles (who is nicknamed "Gustave" by Faye) has become a legend. (There's even a film inspired by the stories they will crocodile.

Indigenous population has said he killed the man on the ground of pleasure, not only for food, he kills several people in each attack, and then disappear for months or even years, and appeared again in another place just to kill. No one can predict when or where he will appear next. He also said to have a terrible appetite, and rumor has it that he killed and ate a male adult hippopotamus (an animal that is very dangerous and powerful that most avoid the crocodile). Body of the crocodile carrying the scars of countless. Among wounds wrought by knives, spears and even fire weapons. A black spot at the top of his head is the only one who left bullet scars and bullet should they will to end the 'reign'. But all hunters (and even, once, a group of armed soldiers) have failed to kill him.

Faye himself tried to capture Gustave by building a large trap in the water, but, although the crocodile came up, he never approached the trap-made Faye. He's just swimming around, 'as if mocking the candidate abductors'.Reportedly more than 60 years old, Gustave might be too experienced and smart to be deceived, so that seems Gustave will continue 'pemburuannya' and probably, will become the most prolific man-eater in history. Unlike the way in the days of Champawat tigress; Patrice Faye no longer want to kill Gustave. He wanted to protect him from retaliation human; to capture Gustave alive and keep him safe inside the cage, she hopes to save human lives and man-eating itself, and maybe use it as a seed to help preserve the Nile crocodile. A fence attachment (enclosure) was built in Burundi Ruzizi National Park, waiting for the moment the arrest of the largest man-eaters of our time.

 

http://ronalrahman.blogspot.com/2011/01/10-animal-man-eater-greatest-throughout.html

Reptiles: Boa

Range: western North America, Central America, South America, Africa, Madagascar, western Asia, and Pacific Islands Habitat: rain forests, swamps, woodlands, grasslands, savannas, and semidesert scrublands

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Boas, pythons, and anacondas: What’s the difference?

Because boa constrictors, reticulated pythons, and anacondas are some of the biggest snakes in the world, many people get confused about which is which. The first thing to note is that the anaconda is a species of boa, not a separate type of snake. That leaves two groups, the boas and the pythons. These snakes have some things in common: they are constrictors, killing their prey by wrapping around it and suffocating it, and they are considered primitive snakes with two lungs (most snakes only have one) and remnants of hind legs and pelvic bones. But they have differences, too. Pythons have one more bone in their heads than boas do and some additional teeth, and pythons are found in the Old World (Africa, Asia, Australia) while boas live in both the Old World and the New World (North, Central, and South America). One of the biggest differences is that pythons lay eggs while boas give birth to live young.

Putting the squeeze on dinner

Boas are constrictors, meaning that they grab their prey with their teeth, then quickly wrap their coiled bodies around the prey and squeeze. But they don’t actually crush the prey and break its bones. They just squeeze tightly so that the prey animal’s lungs cannot expand and it suffocates. The snake then begins the leisurely process of unhinging its jaw and swallowing the prey whole, usually headfirst. Rhythmic muscular contractions pull the prey down the snake’s throat and into its stomach. How does the snake breathe while its mouth is full? It has a special tube in the bottom of its mouth that remains open to one side to take in air.

A hot meal

Boas are ambush hunters. They remain still and hidden until a possible meal comes close, then strike forward quickly to catch it. Boas flick their tongues in and out to catch scent particles from the air. This way of "smelling” helps them find their prey. Most species also have special temperature-sensitive scales around their mouths, with lots of nerve endings that can sense the heat of a nearby animal. This allows them to find prey even in the dark or among dense foliage. The tree boas have "pits,” or holes, along their mouths that do the same thing, like their relatives the pythons do. Depending on the size of the snake, boas may eat rodents, birds, lizards, frogs, and small to medium-sized mammals like opossums, monkeys, pigs, or deer. Some anacondas have been known to eat animals as large as a young tapir or even a caiman. At the San Diego Zoo, our boas eat rodents and rabbits that have been killed for them.

A snake that gives birth

Boas do not lay eggs. Instead, they give birth to live young. The young are attached to a yolk sac and surrounded by a clear membrane, not a shell, as they develop in their mother’s body. That way they are kept at a fairly constant temperature and are protected from predators. When the young are ready to be born, they are pushed out an opening called the cloaca. They are still surrounded by the protective membrane and must break it open. Then they are on their own to start protecting themselves (usually by hiding at first) and to find food. Most are smaller versions of the adults and instinctively know how to survive on their own.

"Walk” a straight line

Because of the large size many boas can reach, they move by traveling forward in a straight line, which is known as "rectilinear progression.” This is accomplished by stiffening the ribs to provide support, then lifting a set of ventral (on the belly) scales and moving them forward so the loose ends grip the surface, pushing the snake ahead. This type of movement works on the ground as well as in trees, and boas can even climb smooth surfaces. They can’t move very fast, though, only about 1 mile per hour (1.6 kilometers per hour) on open ground. But since they don’t have to chase their food, they don’t need to travel quickly.

Not the bad guys

Boas often appear in movies and stories that take place in the jungle, usually as the "villain” sliding menacingly through the trees. That’s probably because these big snakes make a big impression! But boas are usually pretty quiet and calm and don’t deserve their nasty reputation. They are not venomous, and many do not live in jungles. Boas are found in a variety of habitats, including open woodlands—like the rainbow boa Epicrates cenchria—and rocky, semi-desert scrublands—like the Egyptian sand boa Eryx colubrinus. The ones that live in dry environments usually hang out in rock crevices or in underground burrows made by other animals. The ones that live in forests blend into the leaf litter on the ground to stay hidden. All in all, a boa would rather avoid people than go looking for trouble!

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-boa.html

 

10 Most Amazing Extinct Animals

Published on 8/25/2007 under Weird Science - 2,523,037 views
TAGS: extinct species
From the Quagga --half zebra, half horse-- to the Irish Deer --the largest deer that ever lived--, an impressive list with pictures of amazing animals we will never see.

Tyrannosaurus Rex (extinct 65 million years ago) [Wiki]

Tyrannosaurus rex was one of the largest land carnivores of all time, measuring up to 43.3 feet long, and 16.6 ft tall, with an estimated mass that goes up to 7 tons. Like other tyrannosaurids, Tyrannosaurus was a bipedal carnivore with a massive skull balanced by a long, heavy tail. Relative to the large and powerful hindlimbs, Tyrannosaurus forelimbs were small and they retained only two digits.

Fossils of T. rex have been found in North American rock formations dating to the last three million years of the Cretaceous Period at the end of the Maastrichtian stage, approximately 68.5 to 65.5 million years ago; it was among the last dinosaurs to exist prior to the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event. More than 30 specimens of T. rex have been identified, some of which are nearly complete skeletons. Some researchers have discovered soft tissue as well. The abundance of fossil material has allowed significant research into many aspects of its biology, including life history and biomechanics.

Quagga: half zebra, half horse (extinct since 1883) [Wiki]

One of Africa's most famous extinct animals, the quagga was a subspecies of the plains zebra, which was once found in great numbers in South Africa's Cape Province and the southern part of the Orange Free State. It was distinguished from other zebras by having the usual vivid marks on the front part of the body only. In the mid-section, the stripes faded and the dark, inter-stripe spaces became wider, and the hindquarters were a plain brown. The name comes from a Khoikhoi word for zebra and is onomatopoeic, being said to resemble the quagga's call.

The quagga was originally classified as an individual species, Equus quagga, in 1788. Over the next fifty years or so, many other zebras were described by naturalists and explorers. Because of the great variation in coat patterns (no two zebras are alike), taxonomists were left with a great number of described "species", and no easy way to tell which of these were true species, which were subspecies, and which were simply natural variants. Long before this confusion was sorted out, the quagga had been hunted to extinction for meat, hides, and to preserve feed for domesticated stock. The last wild quagga was probably shot in the late 1870s, and the last specimen in captivity died on August 12, 1883 at the Artis Magistra zoo in Amsterdam.

Because of the great confusion between different zebra species, particularly among the general public, the quagga had become extinct before it was realized that it appeared to be a separate species. The quagga was the first extinct creature to have its DNA studied. Recent genetic research at the Smithsonian Institution has demonstrated that the quagga was in fact not a separate species at all, but diverged from the extremely variable plains zebra.

Thylacine: the Tasmanian Tiger (extinct since 1936) [Wiki]

The Thylacine was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times. Native to Australia and New Guinea, it is thought to have become extinct in the 20th century. It is commonly known as the Tasmanian Tiger (due to its striped back), and also known as the Tasmanian Wolf, and colloquially the Tassie (or Tazzy) Tiger or simply the Tiger. It was the last extant member of its genus, Thylacinus, although a number of related species have been found in the fossil record dating back to the early Miocene.

The Thylacine became extinct on the Australian mainland thousands of years before European settlement of the continent, but survived on the island of Tasmania along with a number of other endemic species such as the Tasmanian Devil. Intensive hunting encouraged by bounties is generally blamed for its extinction, but other contributory factors may have been disease, the introduction of dogs, and human encroachment into its habitat. Despite being officially classified as extinct, sightings are still reported.

Steller's Sea Cow: the defenseless beast (extinct since 1768) [Wiki]

Formerly found near the Asiatic coast of the Bering Sea, it was discovered in in 1741 by the naturalist Georg Steller, who was traveling with the explorer Vitus Bering. The sea cow grew up to 7.9 meters (25.9 ft) long and weighed up to three tons, much larger than the manatee or dugong. It looked somewhat like a large seal, but had two stout forelimbs and a whale-like tail. According to Steller, "The animal never comes out on shore, but always lives in the water. Its skin is black and thick, like the bark of an old oak..., its head in proportion to the body is small..., it has no teeth, but only two flat white bones—one above, the other below". It was completely tame, according to Steller. Fossils indicate that Steller's Sea Cow was formerly widespread along the North Pacific coast, reaching south to Japan and California. Given the rapidity with which its last population was eliminated, it is likely that the arrival of humans in the area was the cause of its extinction elsewhere as well. There are still sporadic reports of sea cow-like animals from the Bering area and Greenland, so it has been suggested that small populations of the animal may have survived to the present day. This remains so far unproven.

Irish Deer: the largest deer that ever lived (extinct about 7,700 years ago) [Wiki - Photo: (c) The Field Museum, CK1T]

The Irish Elk or Giant Deer, was the largest deer that ever lived. It lived in Eurasia, from Ireland to east of Lake Baikal, during the Late Pleistocene and early Holocene. The latest known remains of the species have been carbon dated to about 5,700 BC, or about 7,700 years ago. The Giant Deer is famous for its formidable size (about 2.1 meters or 7 feet tall at the shoulders), and in particular for having the largest antlers of any known cervid (a maximum of 3.65 meters/12 feet from tip to tip and weighing up to 90 pounds).

Discussion of the cause of their extinction has still focused on the antlers (rather than on their overall body size), which may be due more to their impact on the observer than any actual property. Some have suggested hunting by man was a contributing factor in the demise of the Irish Elk as it was with many prehistoric megafauna, even assuming that the large antler size restricted the movement of males through forested regions or that it was by some other means a "maladaptation". But evidence for overhunting is equivocal, and as a continental species, it would have co-evolved with humans throughout its existence and presumably have adapted to their presence.

Caspian Tiger: the third largest (extinct since 1970) [Wiki]

The Caspian tiger or Persian tiger was the westernmost subspecies of tiger, found in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Caucasus, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan until it apparently became extinct in the 1970s. Of all the tigers known to the world, the Caspian tiger was the third largest.

The body of this subspecies was quite stocky and elongated with strong legs, big wide paws and unusually large claws. The ears were short and small, and gave the appearance of being without hair on the tips. Around the cheeks the Caspian tiger was generously furred and the rest of its fur was long and thick. The colouration resembled that of the Bengal tiger. Male Caspian tigers were very large and weighed 169-240 kg. Females were not as large, weighing 85-135 kg. There are still occasional claims of the Caspian tiger being sighted.

Aurochs: a very large type of cattle (extinct since 1627) [Wiki]

One of Europe's most famous extinct animals, the aurochs or urus (Bos primigenius) were a very large type of cattle. Aurochs evolved in India some two million years ago, migrated into the Middle East and further into Asia, and reached Europe about 250,000 years ago.

By the 13th century A.D., the aurochs' range was restricted to Poland, Lithuania, Moldavia, Transylvania and East Prussia. The right to hunt large animals on any land was restricted to nobles and gradually to the royal household. As the population of aurochs declined, hunting ceased but the royal court still required gamekeepers to provide open fields for the aurochs to graze in. The gamekeepers were exempted from local taxes in exchange for their service and a decree made poaching an aurochs punishable by death. In 1564, the gamekeepers knew of only 38 animals, according to the royal survey. The last recorded live aurochs, a female, died in 1627 in the Jaktorów Forest, Poland. The skull was later taken by the Swedish Army and is now the property of Livrustkammaren in Stockholm.

In the 1920s two German zookeepers, the brothers Heinz and Lutz Heck, attempted to breed the aurochs back into existence (see breeding back) from the domestic cattle that were their descendants. Their plan was based on the conception that a species is not extinct as long as all its genes are still present in a living population. The result is the breed called Heck Cattle, 'Recreated Aurochs', or 'Heck Aurochs', which bears an incomplete resemblance to what is known about the physiology of the wild aurochs

Great Auk: largest of all auks (extinct since 1844) [Wiki]

The Great Auk was the only species in the genus Pinguinus, flightless giant auks from the Atlantic, to survive until recent times, but is extinct today. It was also known as garefowl, or penguin.

Standing about 75 centimetres or 30-34 inches high and weighing around 5 kg, the flightless Great Auk was the largest of the auks. It had white and glossy black feathers. In the past, the Great Auk was found in great numbers on islands off eastern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Ireland and Great Britain, but it was eventually hunted to extinction. Remains found in Floridan middens suggest that at least occasionally, birds ventured that far south in winter as recently as in the 14th century.

Cave Lion: one of the largest lions ever (extinct 2,000 years ago) [Wiki]

The cave lion, also known as the European or Eurasian cave lion, is an extinct subspecies of lion known from fossils and a wide variety of prehistoric art. This subspecies was one of the largest lions. An adult male, which was found in 1985 near Siegsdorf (Germany), had a shoulder height of around 1.2 m and a length of 2.1 m without a tail, which is about the same size as a very big modern lion. This male was even exceeded by other specimens of this subspecies. Therefore this cat may have been around 5-10% bigger than modern lions. It apparently went extinct about 10,000 years ago, during the Würm glaciation, though there are some indications it may have existed as recently as 2,000 years ago, in the Balkans.

Dodo: the archetype of extinct species (extinct since late 17th century) [Wiki]

The Dodo (Raphus cucullatus) was a flightless bird that lived on the island of Mauritius. Related to pigeons and doves, it stood about a meter tall (three feet), lived on fruit and nested on the ground. The dodo has been extinct since the mid-to-late 17th century. It is commonly used as the archetype of an extinct species because its extinction occurred during recorded human history, and was directly attributable to human activity. The adjective phrase "as dead as a dodo" means undoubtedly and unquestionably dead. The verb phrase "to go the way of the dodo" means to become extinct or obsolete, to fall out of common usage or practice, or to become a thing of the past.

http://www.oddee.com/item_88742.aspx

 Sabre-Toothed Cats

Named after their large protruding fangs, Sabre-toothed cats were one of the top predators of the Cenozoic. The extinction of these magnificent mammals started in the late Pliocene Epoch with the final blow being dealt by the end of the end of the Pleistocene (roughly 10,000 years ago). Yet, there are a handful of reports from more remote parts of the world, which suggest some relict populations may have survived undetected by science.

From Chad's northern mountains come reports of the Tigre de Montage, or the Mountain Tiger. The Zagaoua people of the region describe the creature as being as large as a lion, with red fur and white strips, tailless, and possessing a pair of huge fangs projecting from its mouth. When a Zagaoua hunter was shown pictures of animals, both living and extinct, he identified the Tigre de Montage as Machairodus, the African sabre-toothed tiger, which supposedly died out around a million years ago. The mountain ranges of Northern Chad are remote, inhospitable to explorers and scarcely catalogued zoologically. These factors strengthen the fact that a large predator could remain hidden from the eyes of science for so long.

Sabre-tooths have also been reported from the mountainous regions of Ecuador, Columbia, and Paraguay in South America. Peter Matthiessen recalled a story told to him by a seaman about a rare striped cat, which possessed large fangs protruding from its mouth. Mattheissen wondered if the sabre-tooth tiger hadn't established itself in South America in the same way the puma did, thus escaping the Ice Age extinction of it's northern relatives. Cryptozoologist Bernard Heuvelmans felt that sabre-toothed tigers like Smilodon may be involved in such sightings, but it is just as likely that surviving sabre-toothed marsupials, like Thylacosmilidae, are the real culprits.

Additionally, in 1975 a "mutant jaguar" was killed in Paraguay. Upon being examined by zoologist Juan Acavar, he described it as having 12-inch long sabre-teeth. Acavar felt that the animal was in fact a Smilodon, which supposedly died out over 10000 years ago. Fearing the report would frighten the public, authorities stuck with mutant jaguar story. Since the first examination nothing more has been heard of the carcass.

With mounting evidence it seems likely that there may in fact be a few relict populations of Sabre-toothed Cats surviving in modern times. However, until science can gain irrefutable information regarding their existence Sabre-toothed Cats will remain as victims of the Ice Age.

http://www.cryptozoology.com/glossary/glossary.php

 Mamlambo

The mamlambo is a carnivorous cryptid from the Mzintlava River near Mount Ayliff that claimed up to 9 human victims in 1997 alone.

The grisly feeding habits of the mamlambo have earned it a certain amount of fear and hatred amongst the people of Mount Ayliff, and there have been several campaigns to eradicate the creatures. They are always solitary, dragging animals into the water and drowning them before eating their facial tissues and sucking out their blood and brain. One mamlambo took up residence beneath a bridge over the Mzintlava River and killed at least 7, possibly 9 people in this way. According to the regional mythology, mamlambos can be tamed and used as attack animals by those who are skilled enough to capture them.

In the tribal mythology of South Africa's Xhosa people, the mamlambo is a giant river snake which brings good fortune to he who owns it, and is used by witch doctors to get revenge on their enemies. The tribal stories describe mamlambo as a big snake with a large bulky head, while modern sightings describe it as being "half horse and half fish", having the head and neck of a horse and the body of a fish, with four short stumpy legs. They are said to be able to come out of the water, using that ability to capture prey that isn't close to the water's edge.

There are two major theories as to what this creature could be. The first is that it is an elasmosaur-like animal, the supporting evidence being it's long neck, it's aquatic habitat, and the fact that it is described as a "big snake" in the tribal lore. The second theory is that mamlambo is some kind of very primitive archaeocete, occupying a place in cetacean evolution before the legs turned into flippers and the neck disappeared, but after the typical cetacean tail had evolved -- which would explain the horse-like head, the short legs and the "fish-like" body.

http://www.cryptozoology.com/glossary/glossary.php

Ular Raksasa Anaconda Fakta Atau Fiksi?

Ular Raksasa Anaconda Fakta Atau Fiksi?

Anaconda, jika kita berbicara tentang spesies ular ini, seberapa besar yang anda bayangkan? Menurut Ilmu ilmu pengetahuan tentang hewan anaconda terbesar sekitar 30 kaki (meskipun beberapa orang mengakui ada yang sudah pernah bertemu dengan yang berukuran 37 kaki). Apakah jawaban ini adalah akhir dari pertanyaan kita semua? Belum tentu, Bisa jadi ada spesies anacondas yang lebih besar, atau jenis apapun ular yang masih hidup dalam jantung hutan hujan diseluruh dunia khususnya di Amerika Selatan.

Sebagian orang percaya bahwa anacondas terbesar ada yang melebihi 30 hingga 40 kaki di alam liar, dan ini berdasarkan laporan dan penemuan.

Selama lebih dari seratus tahun, penjelajah dan penduduk asli setempat telah melaporkan berbagai pertemuan dengan ular besar di Amazon, yang paling terkenal di antaranya berasal dari Percy H. Fawcett. Seorang petugas dari Royal Engineers, Fawcett yang ditugaskan pada tahun 1906 untuk survei di Abuna Rio dan sungai Acre oleh Royal Geographic Society. Selama eksplorasi, ia mencatat peristiwa berikut:

"Kami berjalan santai di sepanjang rawa pada saat hamper masuk rawa hutan muncul kepala berbentuk segitiga dan beberapa meter bergelombang tubuhnya. Ini merupakan anaconda raksasa yang muncul dan pertama kali saya lihat. Saya pun menyiapkan senapan saya, kami melangkah ke daratan dan menghindari bibir rawa karena kami tahu anaconda sangat tangkas di rawa dan mulai mendekati makhluk itu dengan hati-hati. Ular itu besar sekali mungkin ukuran panjangnya sekitar 45 kaki, sehingga total panjang 62 meter. Tubuhnya terlihat tidak tebal, tidak lebih dari 12 inci diameternya, tapi mungkin sudah lama tidak makan. Tidak lama kemudian ular itupun mati terkena beberapa peluru senapan tim saya. "

Dalam hal ini, meskipun tim Fawcett tidak memiliki alat ukur yang sebenarnya, ia memperkirakan ukuran ular sekitar sekitar 62 meter panjangnya. Sayangnya, karena ular terlalu besar dan berat untuk dibawa keluar dari hutan, mereka terpaksa meninggalkannya.Tentu saja, cerita ini adalah subjek dari ejekan kepada ahli zoologi, terutama ketika mempertimbangkan rasio panjang lebar ukuran seekor Anaconda.

Bernard Heuvelmans
" Dia dikenal sebagai "Bapak Cryptozoology", yang penelitiannya di bidang cryptozoology digambarkan oleh salah satu kritikus sebagai "yang didasarkan pada dedikasi dan ketat untuk suatu metode ilmiah" dan yang temuannya "dihormati di seluruh komunitas ilmiah." Dia adalah Bernard Heuvelmans (1916-2001), penulis terkenal buku On The Track Dari Hewan Misterius, yang telah terjual lebih dari satu juta kopi dalam berbagai terjemahan dan edisi.
Heuvelmans sendiri mengaku pernah melihat anaconda raksasa dengan sekelompok tim peneliti dari Prancis dan Brasil, dan mencatat pertemuannya:

"Kami melihat ular besar yang sedang tidur di rumput.. Kami segera melepaskan tembakan setelah itu ular tersebut mati. Ketika kami berjalan disekitar seluruh panjang tubuhnya sepertinya itu tidak akan pernah berakhir. Apa yang mengejutkan saya adalah kepalanya sangat besar dan kami tidak memiliki alat untuk mengukur binatang itu, tapi kami mengambil tali dan mengukurkannya pada ular itu. Setelah pulang kami mengukur tali itu. Luar biasa! Makhluk itu lebih dari 23 meter (75 kaki) panjangnya. “

Victor Heinz
Victor Heinz mengaku memiliki dua kali pertemuan dengan binatang itu, yang pertama adalah pada tanggal 22 Mei 1922, dekat kota Obidos pada Rio Negro di Sungai Amazon. Pastor Victor Heinz melihat ular besar di dalam air, yang kemungkinan anaconda, ukuran ular itu sekitar 80 kaki panjang dan tebal seperti drum minyak. yang kedua terjadi pada tahun 1929 ditemui di mulut Piaba Rio, dekat Alemquer. Di bawah permukaan air, dua lampu kebiruan muncul tiba-tiba dari permukaan air, banyak yang mengira itu adalah lampu sebuah kapal. Setelah dekat baru beberapa orang tersadar telah melihat mata dari seekor ular yang sangat besar. Sungguh menarik untuk dicatat bahwa laporan lainnya mata ular itu seperti bersinar biru.

Final Thoughts
Ada sejumlah pertemuan lainnya yang telah dialami oleh beberapa orang saksi, tapi kebanyakan terlalu umum dan tidak dapat diterima karena kurangnya dokumentasi. Beberapa, saksi bahkan mengklaim ular anaconda yang mereka temui 120 meter panjangnya. Ada juga bukti Foto, tapi tidak mengungkapkan bukti yang konklusif. Anaconda raksasa, merupakan hewan tersembunyi, paling dikenal sebagai seekor hewan cryptid yang belum terungkap.

Namun dari semua cryptids, bagaimanapun, anaconda raksasa ini bisa dibilang yang paling mungkin menjadi kenyataan. Namun tidak semua ahli percaya anaconda yang berukuran lebih dari 30-37 kaki. Hal ini karena banyak nya dokumentasi yang masuk hanya sebatas laporan dan foto, jarang yang membawa langsung bukti ular besar secara nyata, Mungkin masih menunggu waktu untuk dapat mendapatkan bukti tentang keberadaan Anaconda raksasa diluar sana.

http://duniacryptozoology.blogspot.com/2010/11/ular-raksasa-anaconda-fakta-atau-fiksi.html

Hewan Air Purba dari Brazil

Hewan Air Purba dari Brazil

Dunia Cryptozoology suatu cabang ilmu yang mempelajari mahluk-mahluk misterius ataupun yang sudah punah kembali digemparkan dengan keberhasilan menangkap seekor makhluk aneh di Brazil. Saat itu beberapa orang nelayan modern mengaku berhasil menangkap mahluk ini, yang ecara tidak sengaja terjerat di jarring kapal mereka bersamaikan-ikan lainnya. Hewan itu diketahui sepanjang hampir 8 kaki dengan gigi besarnya. Beberapa nelayan langsung mengambil kamera dan perekam video untuk mengabadikan mahluk itu. Sayangnya ketika sedang merapat ke pelabuhan, aquarium tempat menyimpan mahluk itu tiba-tiba pecah dan mengakibatkan mahluk itu berhasil lolos kembali ke laut.

Kejadian sebelumnya pada tahun 2003 di Frenchman's Bay, lepas pantai Maine, ada yang mengaku melihat seekor makhluk aneh seperti ular laut yang menyerupai ribbonfish atau oarfish. Juga beberapa waktu yang lalu di Brazil sekelompok penyelam bahkan berhasil menangkap makhluk tersebut. Dipercaya bahwa makhluk ini adalah ular laut yang sebelumnya dilaporkan di Frenchman's Bay.Hewan ini sangat aneh, panjangnya lebih dari enam kaki, memiliki gigi yang tajam, tidak memiliki sisik, dan dikepalanya terdapat gumpaalan lemak.

Menurut Claudio Sampaio, Oseanografer, Federal University of Bahia, "hewan ini sangat langka dan merupakan keberhasilan yang luar biasa dapat menangkap hewan ini hidup-hidup. Kejadian ini tidak kalah dengan berhasil ditangkapnya Coelacanth ikan purba dari sulawesi. Ini jelas bukan ular melainkan seekor ikan spesies baru (atau mungkin spesies purba)" ungkapnya. Kalau dilihat dari wilayah kejadian, tampaknya ikan spesies baru ini kebanyakan berada di perairan Brazil dan wilayah Amerika utara dan selatan. Namun Brazil sebagai negara terbanyak mendapatkan laporan penangkapan maupun penampakan mahluk ini. Sat ini tim oseanologi dan cryptozoology tengah menurunkan tim peneliti dan pencarian untuk mencari keberadaan mahluk ini.

http://duniacryptozoology.blogspot.com/2010/11/hewan-air-purba-dari-brazil.html

Penampakan Blue mountain Phanter Setinggi 1,7 meter

Penampakan Blue mountain Phanter Setinggi 1,7 meter

Legenda tentang Blue Mountain Panther sebenarnya adalah sebutan untuk makhluk misterius yang dipercaya berpenampilan dan berbentuk kucing besar yang sering menampakan wujudnya di daerah Blue Mountain. Beberapa laporan memang pernah masuk namun tidak banyak, para saksi melaporkan penampakan kucing/harimau besar hitam dan kali ini seorang remaja berusia 13 tahun yang mengaku melihat makhluk tersebut di daerah Glenorie, Australia. Ia melaporkannya kepada kedua orang tuanya yang kemudian meneruskan ke pihak berwajib.

Si remaja sedang berjalan di Old Northern Road. Ketika sedang berjalan dia merasa seperti ada yang bergerak dibalik semak-semak. Penasaran si remaja pun mendekati semak-semak. Ketika dia mendekat saat itulah dia melihat seekor kucing besar berwarna hitam persis seperti macan kumbang sedang duduk dibalik semak-semak.

"Dia mengibas-ngibaskan ekornya dan sedang duduk. Mungkin tingginya ketika mahluk itu duduk sekitar sekitar 1,5 meter, dan saya sangat ketakutan" Katanya mengingat kembali peristiwa itu.

Beberapa laporan tentang keberadaan Blue Mountain Panther memang sering terjadi di malam hari, sebagian dilaporkan oleh pengendara yang mengemudi di malam hari dan hampir menabrak binatang itu. Spekulasi yang ada menyebutkan bahwa makhluk itu mungkin sebenarnya adalah seekor Macan kumbang, wallaby, atau panther. Bahkan Perdana Menteri Nathan Rees mengatakan dalam sebuah kunjungan ke Penrith tahun lalu ia akan memerintahkan penyelidikan terhadap penampakan mahluk ini.

Apapun itu, laporan ini semakin menambah daftar banyaknya hewan Cryptid yang masih harus di temukan. Semoga penyelidikannya nanti mendapatkan hasil sehingga kita dapat mengetahui satu spesies baru di khasanah Cryptozoology.

http://duniacryptozoology.blogspot.com/2010/11/penampakan-blue-mountain-phanter.html

Laporan Kucing Bergigi Pedang Di Amerika dan Afrika

Laporan Kucing Bergigi Pedang Di Amerika dan Afrika

Dunia Modern dikejutkan dengan penampakan kucing bertaring tajam. Laporan saksi mata pertama kali datang dari Kolombia, Paraguay dan Ekuador selama abad kedua puluh. Hewan ini digambarkan memiliki tubuh bergaris (namun tidak terlihat seperti harimau itu) berbentuk kucing besar sekitar 150 pound berat badannya, Hewan ini menurut para saksi mata digambarkan memiliki gigi pedang-seperti ilustrasi dan fosil sisa-sisa kucing atau harimau purba yang diduga telah punah, meskipun setidaknya beberapa saksi mata mungkin belum pernah mendengar spesies predator zaman es, namun apa yang mereka gambarkan seperti kucing zaman es.

Para ahli arkeologi dan cryptozoology menduga bahwa penampakan adalah spesies marsupial predator bertaring tajam yang pernah tinggal di Amerika Selatan, tetapi dianggap punah. Dalam hal apapun, apakah hewan ini adalah kucing atau pseudo-kucing, yang pasti telah ada banyak laporan masuk tentang spesies langka. Semua laporan di Amerika Selatan hampir memberitakan adanya predator besar dengan taring memanjang, yang semula di duga seekor kucing. Laporan kucing bergigi besar/ kucing-saber juga datang dari kedalaman Afrika dan tempat-tempat lain, Bahkan ada penampakan di daerah yang sangat padat di Eropa dan Amerika Utara, namun laporan-laporan ini hampir tidak pernah dianggap serius kecuali oleh orang-orang yang bekerja di pinggiran cryptozoology .

Salah satu laporan menarik adalah sejumlah besar dari mereka yang menggambarkan kucing bertaring tajam sangat suka dan sering ditemui di daerah perairan seperti rawa atau sungai. Laporan tersebut berasal dari Afrika dan Amerika Selatan. Beberapa peneliti berspekulasi bahwa kucing bertaring tajam berhasil bertahan dengan mengadopsi gaya hidup berbasis air, bersembunyi di dalam air untuk mencari mangsa, dan tinggal di sarang-sarang dengan pintu masuk bawah tanah. Jika benar, ini akan menjadi alasan yang baik mengapa hewan tersebut tetap begitu sulit ditemui.

http://duniacryptozoology.blogspot.com/2011/03/laporan-kucing-bergigi-pedang-di.html

The Nandi Bear: Ferocious killer from the past

By Matthew J. Eaton

"What the Abominable Snowman is to Asia, or the great Sea Serpent is to the oceans, the Nandi Bear is to Africa. It is one of the most notorious of those legendary beasts which have, so far, eluded capture and the collector's rifle." - Frank W. Lane Called the most ferocious of African mystery beasts, the Nandi Bear evokes cries of horror in both natives and Westerners alike. Known throughout East Africa as duba, kerit, chimisit, kikambangwe, vere, sabrookoo, and many others. There are too many reports to simply write it off as widespread myth. The sightings of the Nandi Bear by Westerners backs up the reality of the beast. Officially there are no members of the bear family in Africa in modern times, but reports of bears or bear-like creatures are nothing new to Africa. Herodotus, Pliny the elder and other writers from ancient times placed bears in Africa. More recently, Dr. O. Dapper wrote in 1668 that "squirrels with tails much larger than those in Europe, bears, wild cats, and very venomous vipers..." all inhabited the Congo. The Atlas Bear, thought to be extinct since the Paleothic Era, Could it be the Nandi Bear? The Nandi Bear is often described as being like a large hyena about the size of a lion. It is said to have a brownish red to a dark color coat. It is a nocturnal animal and is said to attack humans only on dark moonless nights. It has been said to prey upon the children and natives from the villages. There are cases when natives haved killed the beast, normally by burning a hut it had entered. Westerners have also shot at the beast, but without success. The Nandi Bear has eluded both hunters and researchers alike to remain unclassified by the scientific community. Namesake The Nandi Bear's name is most commonly thought to be a misnomer. Its name comes from two factors, its location and its appearance. It is most commonly reported by the Nandi tribe of Africa and it is said to have a bear like face and way of walking. Also one of its African names duba may give away its identity. Bernard Heuvelmans thinks that duba originates from either the Arabic word for bear (dubb) or their word for hyena (dubbah). This possibility for its identity will be discussed in a later section. Sightings The natives of East Africa have told the story of the Nandi Bear for centuries. During that time writers and researchers alike have made reports of bear-like creatures throughout Africa, never truly describing them; just saying they were bear-like. It wasn't until the early part of the 20th century that Westerners began seeing and describing what the natives have seen for centuries before them. Two well-known Kenya colonists, Major Braithwaite and Mr. C. Kenneth Archer gave one of the best accounts of the Nandi Bear. They saw an animal that they thought was a lioness at first, however they later noticed the impression of a snout. The beast stood very high forward, about 4 ft. 3 ins. to 4 ft. 6 ins. at the shoulder. "The back," they said, "sloped steeply to the hindquarters and the animal moved with a shambling gait which can best be compared with the shuffle of a bear. The coat was thick and dark brown in color. Finally, the beast broke into a shambling trot and made for a belt of trees near the river, where it was lost." Due to their experience, their story is not likely to be that of a misidentification. Their report is similar to others of the Nandi Bear. As a member of the Nandi Expedition in the early 1900's, Geoffrey Williams had an encounter with the Nandi Bear. He wrote the following in the Journal of the East Africa and Uganda Natural History Society: "I was travelling with a cousin on the Uasingishu just after the Nandi expedition, and, of course, long before there was any settlement up there. We had been camped ... near the Mataye and were marching towards the Sirgoit Rock when we saw the beast ... I saw a large animal sitting up on its haunches no more than 30 yards away. Its attitude was just that of a bear at the 'Zoo' asking for buns, and I should say it must have been nearly 5 feet high ... it dropped forward and shambled away towards the Sirgoit with what my cousin always describes as a sort of sideways canter… I snatched my rifle and took a snapshot at it as it was disappearing among the rocks, and, though I missed it, it stopped and turned its head round to look at us ... In size it was, I should say, larger than the bear that lives in the pit at the 'Zoo' and it was quite as heavily built. The fore quarters were very thickly furred, as were all four legs, but the hind quarters were comparatively speaking smooth or bare ... the head was long and pointed and exactly like that of a bear ... I have not a very clear recollection of the ears beyond the fact that they were small, and the tail, if any, was very small and practically unnoticeable. The color was dark ..." In 1912, Major Toulson, a military settler upon the Uasin Gishu plain, had an encounter with a Nandi Bear. He reported the following to British anthropologist C.W. Hobley: "... one of my boys came into my room and said that a leopard was close to the kitchen. I rushed out at once and saw a strange beast making off: it appeared to have long hair behind and was rather low in front. I should say it stood about 18 in. to 20 in. at the shoulder; it appeared to be black, with a gait similar to that of a bear--a kind of shuffling walk ... " N.E.F. Corbett, the District Commissioner of Eldoret, reported another encounter with the Nandi Bear in March 1913: I was having lunch by a wooded stream, the Sirgoi River, just below Toulson's farm ... to my surprise I walked right into the beast. It was evidently drinking and was just below me, only a yard or so away ... it shambled across the stream into the bush ... [I] could not get a very good view, but am certain that it was a beast I have never seen before. Thick, reddish-brown hair, with a slight streak of white down the hindquarters, rather long from hock to foot, rather bigger than a hyena, with largish ears. I did not see the head properly; it did not seem to be a very heavily built animal. Many reports of the Nandi Bear surfaced from workers of the Madadi Railway when it was under construction. One railway employee Schindler discovered a series of canine-like tracks. They were 8.5 inch-long tracks with five toes instead of four (like most dogs) and a rather long heel. The sketches he made of these tracks show their unique characteristics. G.W. Hickes, an engineer in charge of building the railway throughout East Africa saw the Nandi Bear on March 8, 1913. He reported the following: "It was almost on the line when I first saw it and at that time it had already seen me and was making off at a right angle to the line ... As I got closer to the animal I saw it was not a hyena. At first I saw it nearly broadside on: it then looked about as high as a lion. In color it was tawny--about like a black-maned lion--with very shaggy long hair. It was short and thickset in the body, with high withers, and had a short neck and stumpy nose. It did not turn to look at me, but loped off--running with its forelegs and with both hind legs rising at the same time. As I got alongside it, it was about forty or fifty yards away and I noticed it was very broad across the rump, had very short ears, and had no tail that I could see. As its hind legs came out of the grass I noticed the legs were very shaggy right down to the feet, and that the feet seemed large..." Not long after Hickes had his sighting, a native servant saw an animal much like the one Hickes saw, but reported it to be standing on its hind legs. A subcontractor had seen the same animal or one like it and mentioned it having a thick mane, long claws, large teeth, and an upright stance of about six feet. In 1919, a farmer named Cara Buxton related the following story: "A short time ago a 'Gadett' [or geteit, another name for the Nandi Bear] visited the district. This name is given to the animal by the Lumbwa and signifies the 'brain-eater.' Its first appearance was on my farm, where the sheep were missing. We finally found all ten, seven were dead and three were still alive. In no case were the bodies touched, but the brains were torn out. During the next ten days fifty-seven goats and sheep were destroyed in the same way; of these thirteen were found alive ..." The animal that committed these crimes was eventually tracked down and killed by the natives with spears. This animal turned out to be nothing more then a common, but large, spotted hyena that had turned to eating brains for unknown reasons. Besides misidentifications of normal hyenas as the Nandi Bear, it is thought that sightings of black honey badgers and baboons are also mistaken for the elusive beast. While it is more likely for Westerners to misidentify these local animals, it isn't as likely that native Africans would make the same mistake. Sightings by Westerners after the 1920's are rare, but still do occur. In recent times hunters who go looking for the beast report finding tracks and hearing blood curdling howls unlike those made by known animals. Unlike Westerners, natives continue to report the Nandi Bear committing its violent crimes against them. Also unlike the reports made by Westerners, the members of the Nandi tribe tend to think of the Nandi Bear as a primate. Kitapmetit Kipet, the head of a Nandi village reports the Nandi Bear as: "… a devil which prowls the nganasa (hut settlement) on the darkest nights, seeking people, especially children, to devour; it is half like a man and half like a huge, ape-faced bird, and you may know it at once from its fearful howling roar, and because in the dark of night its mouth glows red like the embers of a log." What is it? Besides the obvious question of whether or not the Nandi Bear exists, there is still another question, which plagues cryptozoologists - what it could be. Below is an overview of the most mentioned or likely candidates to the Nandi Bear's identity. An Unknown Bear The features of the Nandi Bear are indeed bear-like, from its general appearance to its movement. There is also the fact that it has been said to stand upright, which bears can indeed do. As stated earlier bears are now absent from Africa, there is however one African bear that fits the general description of the Nandi Bear. The Atlas bear was a small brown bear known to have lived up until the Paleolithic. Its description is like that of the Nandi Bear, it was rather small for a bear and is thought to have had a fur of a dark color. Some reports of the Nandi Bear have it waiting in a tree for a possible victim to pass by. Being a small bear the Atlas bear could easily perform these deeds. One thing holding back the likelihood of the Atlas bear being the Nandi Bear is the fact that its range was in Northern Africa. It is also the only bear to have a fossil record in Africa, so an Atlas bear surviving in East Africa seems highly unlikely. It could of course be an unknown species of bear, however there is no fossil record to back up this fact. There still is the chance that an ancient species of bear could yet to be discovered as both a fossil and a living animal, science will have to keep looking before we know for sure. Spotted hyena. Photo ©Copyright by Lisa Purcell, leomom@cfl.rr.com Undiscovered Hyena The Hyena is one of the most likely candidates for the Nandi Bear's true identity. Hyenas are best known as scavengers, but when they do hunt they are vicious animals and a force to be reckoned with. It is thought that the Nandi Bear could be a form of undiscovered giant hyena or even a prehistoric survivor. During the Pleistocene there lived in Africa a hyena that was roughly the size of a modern lion called the Short-faced Hyena. Unlike the hyenas of today, the Short-faced Hyena was a much more active hunter and thus would make it capable of the Nandi Bear's attacks. Another fact that makes it the most likely candidate is it too possessed a bear-like face. If the Short-faced Hyena survived into modern times it would fit the descriptions given by both Westerners and Africans of the Nandi Bear. However some researchers don't believe in the undiscovered hyena theory. Instead they suggest that people are just seeing normal hyenas committing savage acts. It is possible that this explains some reports by Westerners, but the natives know hyenas well and would recognize it no matter what it was doing. With that fact it would seem that the Nandi Bear being a misidentified hyena seen by natives would be an unlikely one; still the above case of the "brain eater" shows that such cases are indeed possible. Nevertheless, an unknown hyena remains the most likely candidate for the Nandi Bear. A Chalicothere Some zoologists feel that the Nandi Bear may be a surviving Chalicothere. The Chalicothere, like the Short-faced Hyena, is thought to have gone extinct in the Paleolithic. The Chalicothere was a sloped back animal related to horses, which had large claws instead of hooves. It is believed that these claws were used for digging up roots and possibly for defense. If they were indeed used for defensive purposes then an enraged individual could indeed be capable of the Nandi Bear's attacks. The general appearance of the Chalicothere does fit that of the Nandi Bear, it is even thought that the Chalicothere could stand upright. However, these are the only two similarities between the two animals. Unlike the Nandi Bear, the Chalicothere was a strict herbivore. That fact alone rules it out as the identity of the Nandi Bear. A Giant Baboon The Nandi tribe describes the Nandi Bear as a primate, like a large baboon. Researchers Mark A. Hall and Loren Coleman agree that the Nandi Bear may be a form of unknown baboon, possibly another prehistoric survivor. A large baboon would be capable of the Nandi Bear's attacks, for they are known to raid sheep herds and rip sheep apart with their lion like fangs. Like other primates Baboons too can stand upright and climb trees to ambush prey if necessary, just like the Nandi Bear is said to do in some reports. The fact that the Nandi Tribe likens it to a primate strengthens the giant baboon theory. Since baboons are known to be omnivorous, it is possible that these giant baboons raid villages only when their food supply is low. Unlike the Nandi Bear, baboons are known to hunt in troops and aren't nocturnal, whereas the Nandi Bear attacks as a solitary animal and is indeed nocturnal. Fossil finds of giant baboons twice the size of modern species show that such a species did exist in the past. Deciding whether or not the Nandi Bear is a relict population of these giant baboons is a job for scientists and cryptozoologists. Noteworthy Bernard Heuvelmans feels that the Nandi Bear could be a possible third species of aardvark. It's true that aardvarks can grow to large sizes, up to 7 feet, but other then that are no similarities whatsoever. The aardvarks have short stumpy legs, a long tail, and are mainly insectivores; none of these are even remotely characteristics of the Nandi Bear. As one researcher ever so delicately put it, aardvarks do not eat women and small children and even if they wanted to it would physically impossible. Conclusion The evidence for the Nandi Bear's existence is there, all it needs is dedicated researchers who are willing to go in search of Africa's most feared mystery beast. Until a researcher is brave enough to step up to plate and go on another Nandi Expedition, the Nandi Bear will continue to lurk the forests of East Africa, watching and waiting for a new victim to cross its path. Selected Sources:     Shuker, Karl The Unexplained Coleman, Loren Cryptozoology A to Z www.herper.com www.wizards.com/rpga/lj/stories_011.asp www.perso.wanadoo.fr/cryptozoo/welcome.htm www.fortunecity.com/roswell/siren/552/chemosit.htm The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Animal Kingdom  http://www.cryptozoology.com/cryptids/nandi_bear.php