Cryptid Cuisine: Strange Creatures That Were Consumed by Humans
Creatures whose existence is not officially proven by science, or, in other words, cryptids, sometimes not only frightened people during unexpected encounters but also stirred strong culinary interest.
Contents
- Giant Spider J’ba Fofi
- “Rothschild Tusk”
- N’Gubu – Rhinoceros
- Not the Feifei – Chinese Yeti
- Tsuchinoko
- Lake Nyasa Serpent
- Tankong
- Wa’ab – Almost a Human
Giant Spider J’ba Fofi
J’ba Fofi, which in the Pygmy language means “big spider,” is found in the jungles of Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to eyewitness accounts, the leg span of this cryptid can reach one and a half meters, or even two meters. The Pygmies fear giant spiders because they are venomous, and one bite could be fatal. However, when hunters approach in large groups, they never miss a chance to kill J’ba Fofi, considering its meat a great delicacy. In past centuries, the Pygmies encountered this spider almost daily, but in the last 20 years, only one sighting of J’ba Fofi was recorded in June 2003. It is likely that spiders have become so scarce because the Pygmies have almost hunted and consumed them all.
“Rothschild Tusk”
This cryptid has no local name or even nickname. It is only known as the “Rothschild Tusk” or “Rothschild-Neville Tusk,” because, apart from a tusk, no other remains have been found. This tusk was purchased in Ethiopia in 1904 by Baron Maurice de Rothschild and zoologist Henri Neville and immediately became a zoological (and later cryptozoological) mystery. The tusk, as defined by Neville, did not belong to any known African animal capable of growing tusks or horns. Judging by the length of the tusk (55 cm), it belonged to a fairly large creature, no smaller than a hippopotamus. Neville concluded that since the tusk was not fossilized, the creature that had it must have recently become extinct or still lived in the most remote corners of the jungle.
N’Gubu – Rhinoceros
In the eastern part of Cameroon, a cryptid known as N’gulu or N’Gubu resembles a rhinoceros but differs by having more horns on its face and a more armored body. The Pygmies described it as having one large horn on its face and six smaller horns around its neck. This is very similar to descriptions of a dinosaur’s head from the Ceratopsidae infraorder. The N’gulu is much larger than a rhinoceros, reaching the size of an elephant, and is so aggressive that it can kill an elephant with its horn by stabbing it in the abdomen. When the Pygmies saw a picture of an Aresinotherium, they pointed to it and said it resembled the N’gulu. Aresinotherium was a horned herbivore that lived over 20 million years ago in what is now Egypt.
Feifei – Chinese Yeti
Feifei, a type of Shandaren or Tuluo, is the Chinese equivalent of the Yeti. It is described as a creature with a human-like body but covered in thick, coarse hair. Its face is wide, with thick lips, and its legs appear to be “twisted backward.” When it screams, it resembles a human laugh. According to some legends, Feifei would often attack humans and engage in cannibalism, although sometimes it too would fall prey to humans, who ate it. Particularly, people valued its long and muscular arms.
Tsuchinoko
This cryptid resembles a very thick but short snake, a giant slug, or a wide worm. It has a massive head, a short, thick tail, and no visible extremities. Its body is said to be covered in scales. Moving like a worm, it can even roll like a ball when it descends from a mountain. When attacking, it makes loud hissing sounds and is considered venomous and dangerous to humans. However, it is not very large—about half a meter long. The Tsuchinoko was often feared and killed on sight, but one report from the Second World War describes Japanese soldiers killing an unusual “very wide” reptile that crawled across the sand. They quickly butchered it, fried it, and ate it, saying it tasted very similar to chicken.
Lake Nyasa Serpent
Lake Nyasa, located at the borders of Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania, is thought to be home to a mysterious serpentine cryptid known as the “Zimwe.” This long, snake-like creature has been repeatedly spotted by local fishermen. One eyewitness described it as having a body as wide as a cow’s, with a mane like a zebra’s on its head, and a tail like a fish’s. The creature is said to be aggressive, with a head resembling that of a serpent and the ability to move both in the water and on land.
Tankong
The Tankong lives in the mountains of Guinea. It is described as a small, hoofed creature with striped body patterns resembling a zebra, and large, long tusks in its mouth. Local tribes regularly hunt it for its tasty meat, and one day they showed travelers the remains of its hooves and pieces of its black-and-white striped hide. Some theories suggest that the Tankong is a rare subspecies of the tapir, so rare that it has only been described through hunters’ accounts and is not officially recognized by scientists.
Wa’ab – Almost Human
The Wa’ab (Wa’ab) is a very strange cryptid, even by cryptozoological standards. It is described as being almost human in appearance, to the extent that they were believed to be intelligent and could even speak with humans! Centuries ago, the Wa’ab lived on the shores of the Red Sea in Sudan and South Sudan. They were slightly shorter than humans, with stooped postures, unusually long legs, and short arms. Their faces resembled those of humans, their bodies were covered in thick hair, and their noses were tiny and upturned, with abnormally long big toes. According to accounts, their legs had a mysterious characteristic: in some sources, it is stated that their legs were entirely stiff and lacked joints, meaning they even slept standing.
