Grouping Cryptid | ||
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Sub grouping Bat, bird, or pterosaur Country Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Zambia Habitat Mountain streams, and surrounding forests | ||
Olitiau
An Olitiau is a gigantic cryptid bat (or flying reptile) hypothesized to exist in Central Africa. The word, Olitiau likely comes from a fusion of the Ipulo words “Ole” and “Ntya”, a name for ceremonial dance masks used to represent demons. The name may be used by the Ipulo to refer to demons in general rather than to the creature itself.
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Description
Olitiau are said to have 6–12 ft (2–4 m) wingspans. Their body is allegedly black, though their wings have been described as either dark brown or red. Their lower jaws are said to contain 2-inch (50 mm) long, serrated teeth with equal spacing between each tooth.
Claimed sightings
While hunting hammer-headed fruit bats in southern Cameroon, Ivan T. Sanderson claimed that an Olitiau swooped down on him and his hunting companion, Gerald Russell, along a mountain stream in 1932. He called it "the granddaddy of all bats". The Sanderson incident is often used as an example of a Kongamato sighting.
Possible explanations
Several explanations for the Olitiau have been proposed and are listed as follows:
In popular culture
The Olitiau was the subject of an episode of Lost Tapes entitled "Cave Demons". It was shown as a giant bat. Curiously, it is described as coming from the Tora Bora caves in Afghanistan, rather than Cameroon. It also appeared in the video game The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun as a humanoid ally. The character Chico in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker suggests that Olitiau is evidence pterosaurs exist to this day.