At the end of January, representatives of the Cosmopoisk research association told the media that a large-scale expedition to the African continent, to the Congo region, was planned for this year. Her goal is to search for an unusual animal known among the locals as "Mokele-mbembe".
Translated from one of the African languages, this word means "blocking the river" or "stopping the river", which indicates the large size of the animal. It is sometimes also called the "giraffe elephant".
According to the coordinator of "Cosmopoisk" Vadim Chernobrov, expeditions dedicated to the search for this creature were carried out earlier, both by Soviet and Western scientists. However, relatively little information was collected. Based on the stories of local residents, an approximate description of what an "elephant-giraffe" might look like was compiled.
In addition, over the past decade, scientists have recorded traces of the beast, but they have never been able to see it. It is described as an elephant-sized animal with a long neck and long tail.
Mokele-mbembe. One of the images of the "giraffe elephant", made according to the descriptions of local residents.
Many scientists are skeptical about the idea of a "mockel-meme", believing that this is how Africans could describe an unusually large hippo.
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But the researchers from "Cosmopoisk" hold a different opinion: the locals of Congo know the flora and fauna of the region well, and the likelihood that they will confuse one animal with another is very small, because life can depend on the ability to identify one or another animal. Therefore, it may well turn out that the "giraffe elephant" is a representative of a species unknown to science.
The expedition team is expected to consist of approximately ten people. Vadim Chernobrov said that the researchers will have at their disposal modern equipment that will help detect Mokele-Membe. If this animal really exists, then it is unlikely that he will be able to remain unnoticed this time.
The original plan was for the Kosmopoisk expedition to travel to Africa in spring 2015. But due to the worsening economic situation in Russia, the trip had to be postponed. Researchers expect that thanks to the help and initiative of the participants of the "Cosmopoisk", the expedition will still take place, albeit somewhat later than originally expected.