Reports of encounters with the mysterious creature named Mokele-Mbembe — the legendary 'river-stopper' — have increased again in the Congo River basin.
According to local descriptions, it resembles a sauropod — a dinosaur with a long neck and massive body, although no evidence of its existence has been found.
Stories about Mokele-Mbembe became rare after the mid-20th century, but have recently regained popularity. This may be related to changes in the environment: deforestation and the development of new territories lead to animals coming into contact with humans more frequently. Such encounters sometimes give rise to misperceptions — especially if legends have already set the 'frameworks' of imagination.
Although the likelihood of a prehistoric creature's existence is extremely low, cryptozoological stories remain appealing. They reflect humanity's yearning for the unknown, the desire to believe in miracles — and serve as a kind of mirror of modern myths.
