Dingonek
The dingonek is a scaly, scorpion-tailed, saber-toothed cryptid allegedly seen in the African Congolese jungles (primarily those of the Democratic Republic).
Anatomy and appearance
Said to dwell in the rivers and lakes of western Africa, the Dingonek has been described as being grey or red, 3–6 m (9.8–19.7 ft) in length, with a squarish head, sometimes a long horn, saber-like canines—which has resulted in its nickname the "Jungle Walrus"—and a tail complete with a bony, dart-like appendage, which is reputed to be able to secrete a deadly poison. This creature is also said to be covered head-to-toe in a scaly, mottled epidermis, which has been likened to the pangolin. The description by John Alfred Jordan, an explorer who said that he actually shot at this unidentified monster in the River Maggori in Kenya in 1907, claimed this scale-covered creature was as big as 18 ft (5.5 m) long and had reptilian claws, a spotted back, long tail, and a big head out of which grew large, curved, walrus-like tusks. A shot with a .303 only served to anger it.[1]
At the Brakfontein ridge, Western Cape in South Africa is a cave painting of an unknown creature that allegedly fits the description of the dingonek, including its walrus-like tusks.[2]
Behavior
It is said to be exceedingly territorial and to kill any hippos, crocodiles, and even fishermen who have had the misfortune of wandering too close to their aquatic nests.
Popular Culture
Dingonek is referred in the Bengali novel "Chander Pahar" by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay.
References
- ↑ Bronson, E. B. (1910). "A Hideous Old Haunter". In Closed Territory. Chicago: A. C. McClurg & co. pp. 131–133.
- ↑ Template:Cite haweb