"The J'ba Fofi (Baka: "giant spider"), also known as the Congolese Giant Spider is a cryptozoological creature that is said to exist in the Congo, possibly representing a new species of arachnid. It is considered a cryptid and only in recent years has received publicity." said Robert B. Durham.
Contents
- History
- 1938 Congo
- 1942 Papua New Guinea
- 1948 Leesville Louisiana United States
- 2001 Cameroon
- 2011 Amazon
- 2013 Mozambique Africa
- 2016 Gulf of Mexico
- Habitat and behavior
- References
"The J'ba Fofi is described as having a brownish body similar to that of a tarantula, with a legspan of four to six feet. Juvenile versions possess yellow coloring that turns brown as they grow older." said Robert B. Durham.
History
"Sightings of the J'ba Fofi have been primarily in Africa, and achieved the most recent publicity due to the work of Mokele-Mbembe researcher William Gibbons," said Robert B. Durham. William Gibbons is a creationist who is associated with the Institute for Creation Research.
1938: Congo
Reginald and Margurite Lloyd were driving a Ford truck through a trail when they reportedly spotted a spider as large as a monkey. It resembled a tarantula, but had an estimated leg-span of 5 feet. Their daughter, Maurgurite Lloyd, would later relate this story in the 1990s to William Gibbons.
1942: Papua, New Guinea
An Australian soldier at the Kokoda Trail said that he encountered a puppy-sized spider inhabiting a 10 to 15 foot sized web. It was described as being black with a bulky body, as well as hairy like a tarantula.
1948: Leesville, Louisiana, United States
William Slaydon and his grandchildren were walking north on Highway 171 to church when he motioned them to stop. After hearing a rustling in the bushes ahead, a spider described as the size of a washtub emerged and crossed the road. One of the grandchildren later told this story to his own son, Todd Partain, director of the documentary film "Eyes In The Dark: The Sasquatch Experience."
2001: Cameroon
Timbo, chief of the Baka tribe in Cameroon, tells William Gibbons that in November 2000 a J'ba Fofi had built a nest near their village.
2011: Amazon
British cinematographer Richard Terry travelled to the Amazon to investigate reports of giant spiders in the June 13th episode of Man v. Monster. At a remote village, he was informed that giant spiders lived in holes deep within the jungle. These spiders measured roughly four feet in diameter.
2013: Mozambique, Africa
A night vision surveillance camera caught the J'ba fofi on camera in the distance near two trees near a waterhole at night. The spider was around 6ft - 6.7ft.
2016: Gulf of Mexico
UFO researchers reported seeing a spider on an unexplored island as large as a bus. The spider was climbing on a rock. UFO researcher Scott C. Waring stated "it looks enormous probably the size of a bus."
These massive spiders can really reach impressive and unsettling sizes. There was one even to be reported to be as big as a truck, that was seen in Congo, Africa.
Habitat and behavior
The spiders are described by Baka natives as weaving lairs made of leaves and spinning a circular web between two trees. The animals are said to prey upon birds, duiker, and other small game animals. The Baka told Gibbons that these spiders are now rare due to dwindling habitat.