>> male narrator: IT'S A MONSTER
THAT'S TERRIFIED THE MASSES. >> THIS ANIMAL CAN HURT
EVERYTHING ON--IN THE RIVER. >> narrator: THIS MASSIVE
CREATURE IS SAID TO BE TWICE THE SIZE OF AN ELEPHANT. >> THEY TALK ABOUT AN ANIMAL
BETWEEN 30 TO 70 FEET IN LENGTH. >> WITH LONG, THIN NECK,
BULBOUS BODY, AND THE HEAVY TAIL, THE ELEPHANT-LIKE LEGS. >> narrator: AN ANIMAL THOUGHT
TO HAVE BEEN EXTINCT FOR CENTURIES. >> IN FACT, I THINK I'D FEEL
SAFER IN JURASSIC PARK. >> narrator: NOW<i> MONSTER QUEST</i>
TRAVELS TO THE WILDEST CONTINENT TO SEARCH FOR THE LAST
LIVING DINOSAUR. >> WHOA, IT'S ALL UP AND DOWN
LIKE THIS. >> LOOK AT THAT. >> WHAT? >> WOW, WHAT IS THAT? >> AND THERE ARE THESE
FOOTPRINTS, HUGE FOOTPRINTS. >> narrator: WITNESSES AROUND
THE WORLD REPORT SEEING MONSTERS. ARE THEY REAL OR IMAGINARY? SCIENCE SEARCHES FOR ANSWERS
ON<i> MONSTER QUEST.</i> Captioning by<font color="#00FF00"> CaptionMax
www.captionmax.com</font> AFRICA: THE CRADLE OF MANKIND. THIS CONTINENT CONTAINS SOME
OF THE WORLD'S MOST MAGNIFICENT WILDLIFE, FROM THE GORILLA
AND ELEPHANT TO GIRAFFE AND GAZELLE. AMONG THIS VAST WILDERNESS,
MUCH OF IT UNEXPLORED, SOME BELIEVE THERE COULD BE
A MONSTER THAT IS A LIVING RELIC HIDDEN DEEP IN THE JUNGLE. THIS HUGE CREATURE IS SAID
TO PROWL THE LAND AND LURK BENEATH INLAND WATERS. NATIVES CALL IT<i>
MOKELE-MBEMBE:</i> "ONE THAT STOPS THE FLOW
OF RIVERS." >> HEAVY ARMORED SIDES, SCALES,
A FRINGE OF SCALES DOWN THE BACK. >> FOOTPRINTS OF THE ORDER
OF 3 FEET IN CIRCUMFERENCE. >> HE ALWAYS CAME OUT
OF THE CAVE TO-TO-TO FIND FOOD. >> THE PEOPLE CALL THIS ANIMAL
MOKELE-MBEMBE. >> narrator: EYEWITNESSES REPORT
SEEING A CREATURE WITH A LONG NECK AND A SNAKELIKE HEAD. THEY SAY IT HAS A BODY
AS BIG AS AN ELEPHANT WITH FOUR LEGS, CLAWLIKE FEET,
AND A LONG TAIL. MOST OF THESE ACCOUNTS
SUGGEST IT IS A SEMIAQUATIC ANIMAL THAT SPENDS MOST OF ITS
TIME IN THE RIVERS THAT RUN THROUGH THE JUNGLE. >> [speaking in native language]
>> I WAS AFRAID BECAUSE I HADN'T SEEN THIS TYPE OF
ANIMAL BEFORE. >> narrator: NAWOUYA BERNARD,
A LOCAL FISHERMAN, WAS PREPARING HIS FISHING NETS
ALONG THE DJA RIVER WHEN HE HAD A FRIGHTENING
ENCOUNTER WITH A CREATURE. >> THE ANIMAL WAS WALKING
IN THE RIVER. IT WAS LONG AND BIG. >> narrator: BERNARD SAYS
IT HAD LARGE, SHARP TEETH, AND ITS APPEARANCE STRUCK HIM
WITH TERROR. >> WHAT I SAW WERE THE SPINES,
WHICH WERE ON HIS BACK. IT HAD A LONG NECK. I WAS AFRAID AND JUST RUN. >> narrator: WITNESS REPORTS
INDICATE THAT THE ANIMAL LIKELY LIVES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN
RAINFOREST OF CAMEROON ON THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA. THE LARGEST GROUP OF SIGHTINGS
IS AT THE MEETING POINT OF THREE RIVERS. THE AREA IS SO REMOTE THAT
FEW WESTERNERS HAVE EVER SEEN THIS PART OF THE WORLD
OR THE MASSIVE UNCHARTED WILDERNESS IT HOLDS. >> IN 55,000 SQUARE MILES
OF UNEXPLORED JUNGLE, THERE'S JUST NOT BEEN ANYONE
AROUND TO OBSERVE THE ANIMALS EXCEPT IN THE RARE CASES. >> narrator: THOSE WHO HAVE SEEN
THE CREATURE SAY IT LOOKS MUCH LIKE THIS ONE,
A SAUROPOD DINOSAUR. SAUROPODS WERE WIDESPREAD
DURING THE JURASSIC PERIOD, AND FOSSILIZED REMAINS HAVE BEEN
FOUND ON EVERY CONTINENT EXCEPT ANTARCTICA. THESE HERBIVORES ARE MEMBERS
OF THE SAME FAMILY AS THE BRONTOSAURUS. THEY HAD LONG NECKS
WITH SMALL HEADS, BIG BODIES, AND CLAWLIKE FEET,
IDENTICAL TO REPORTED SIGHTINGS OF THE<i> MOKELE-MBEMBE.</i> THE CREATURE IS SAID TO BE
AN EXTREMELY TERRITORIAL BEAST, ATTACKING THOSE WHO STRAY
INTO ITS TERRITORY. BUT SOME EXPERTS SIMPLY DON'T
BELIEVE IT IS POSSIBLE FOR SUCH AN ANIMAL TO EXIST. >> WELL, WE KNOW THE FOSSIL
RECORD OF SAUROPOD DINOSAURS VERY WELL. THEY ACTUALLY DIED OUT
SOMETIME BEFORE THE REST OF THE DINOSAURS DIED OUT. >> narrator: DR. DONALD PROTHERO
IS A PROFESSOR OF GEOLOGY AT OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE
IN LOS ANGELES. HE SAYS, "SCIENCE, BY NATURE,
RULES OUT THEIR EXISTENCE." >> THE PROBLEM WITH THE<i>
MOKELE-MBEMBE</i> IDEA IS THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL
BASIC ZOOLOGICAL FACTS THAT HAVE BEEN IGNORED
BY THE PEOPLE TRYING TO FIND IT. AND THE BIGGEST PROBLEM
AND THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT ARISES NOT ONLY WITH THIS ANIMAL
BUT WITH THINGS LIKE THE LOCH NESS MONSTER AS WELL
IS THAT FOR AN ANIMAL LIKE THIS TO EXIST, THERE CANNOT JUST BE
ONE OF THEM. THERE HAS TO BE A LARGE
POPULATION OF THEM, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'VE BEEN AROUND,
AS SOME PEOPLE HAVE CLAIMED, FOR 65 MILLION YEARS. >> narrator: DR. PROTHERO SAYS
THAT IN ORDER TO HAVE SURVIVED, THERE WOULD NEED TO BE
A BREEDING POPULATION OF THE ANIMALS. >> IF THERE ARE A LARGE
POPULATION OF ANIMALS THIS LARGE, WE WOULD NOT
HAVE ANY TROUBLE SEEING THEM, AND IT WOULD NOT BE SOMETHING
THAT HAS SUCH SKETCHY EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT OF IT. >> narrator: PROTHERO BELIEVES
THE SIGHTINGS COULD BE A RESULT OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY. >> AND THEY HAVE A VERY
DIFFERENT IDEA ABOUT WHAT IS REAL AND WHAT IS LEGENDARY
IN CULTURES LIKE THAT THAN WE DO IN WESTERN CULTURE. >> narrator: THE PROFESSOR
WANTS HARD EVIDENCE BEFORE HE'LL BELIEVE. >> WE CANNOT RELY ON SECONDARY
SOURCES TO DOCUMENT SOMETHING AS INCREDIBLE AS THESE. WE HAVE TO HAVE PHYSICAL
EVIDENCE THAT'S MUCH MORE CONVINCING. >> narrator: A<i> MONSTER QUEST</i>
EXPEDITION TO WEST AFRICA WILL TRY TO BRING HIM
JUST SUCH PROOF. >> WE'RE LOOKING FOR A VERY
ELUSIVE ANIMAL. >> narrator: CRYPTOZOOLOGIST
BILL GIBBONS HAS TRAVELED TO AFRICA TO SEARCH FOR<i>
MOKELE-MBEMBE</i> SIX TIMES IN THE LAST THREE DECADES. HE WILL LEAD THE TEAM. >> THIS WILL BE MY SIXTH
EXPEDITION IN TOTAL, TWO TO THE CONGO
AND FOUR TO CAMEROON. >> narrator: RESEARCHER
ROB MULLIN WILL BE JOINING THE TEAM AND MAKING HIS
THIRD TRIP TO AFRICA IN SEARCH OF THE CREATURE. [engine putters]
>> I'M NOT REALLY CONCERNED WITH WHETHER WESTERN SCIENCE
SAYS THAT THIS ANIMAL CAN'T EXIST. I'M MORE CONCERNED WITH THE FACT
THAT ALL OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE SAY THAT IT DOES EXIST. >> narrator: CAMEROON IS ABOUT
THE SIZE OF CALIFORNIA WITH LESS THAN HALF THE POPULATION. GIBBONS AND MULLIN WILL TRAVEL
EAST FROM THE CAPITAL, YAOUNDE, AND THEN SOUTH MORE THAN 450
MILES TO MOLOUNDOU, A TOWN NEAR THE CONGO BORDER. >> THESE ARE TRICKY ROADS
EARLY IN THE DRY SEASON. THE ROADS ARE VERY HARD
AND CORRUGATED. AND THIS IS THE STANDARD MODE
OF TRANSPORTATION INTO THE SOUTH OF THE COUNTRY. IT'S VERY BUMPY
AND UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT IT'S JUST--[coughs]
EXCUSE ME. IT'S PRACTICALLY THE ONLY WAY
THAT WE CAN GET TO OUR DESTINATION AT THIS POINT. >> narrator: THE TRIP WILL TAKE
THREE DAYS, BECAUSE JUST 10% OF CAMEROON'S ROADS ARE PAVED. THE TEAM WILL BE LIMITED TO
TRAVELING MOSTLY ON DIRT ROADS AT AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT
15 MILES PER HOUR. >> IT'S PUT A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF
ATTEMPTING EVEN JUST TO GET INTO THE TARGET AREA. >> narrator: THE TEAM HAS HIRED
A LOCAL GUIDE PIERRE SIMA TO HELP THEM. >><i> MOKELE-MBEMBE</i> IS A VERY BIG
ANIMAL, AND THIS ANIMAL CAN HURT EVERYTHING ON--IN THE RIVER. >> HE'S AN EXPERT ANIMAL
TRACKER. PLUS HE SPEAKS SEVERAL DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES, AND HE'S ABLE TO TRANSLATE FOR US FROM SEVERAL
NATIVE LANGUAGES. >> narrator: HE WILL ALSO HELP
WITH THE NUMEROUS GOVERNMENT ROADBLOCKS THAT THE TEAM
WILL ENCOUNTER ALONG THE WAY. >> WELL, WE'RE DRIVING
THROUGH A CHECKPOINT, AND WE WERE WAVED DOWN. IT APPEARS THAT WE GOT
A FLAT TIRE SOMEWHERE ON THE ROAD BACK THERE. IT'S NOT UNUSUAL ON THESE ROADS
TO BREAK DOWN, AND IT'S FAIRLY COMMONPLACE. >> narrator: WHILE THEY ARE
BROKEN DOWN, THE RAINS HIT. THIS IS THE RAINY SEASON HERE,
AND AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 28 INCHES FALL
IN JUST THREE MONTHS. THE TRUCK SLIDES INTO A DITCH,
AND THE EXPEDITION GRINDS TO A HALT. >> AND AS YOU CAN SEE,
OUR VEHICLE IS JAMMED AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD,
SO WE'RE QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY FACTOR
AS WELL AS TRYING TO GET TO THE FINAL POINT OF OUR DESTINATION. >> THIS IS VERY BAD, VERY BAD. WE ARE TRYING TO PUSH THIS CAR,
AND WE DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL HAVE TO MOVE IT. >> REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT
GETTING TO WHERE WE'RE GOING NOW, BECAUSE THE ROAD HAS BEEN
TURNED INTO MUD BECAUSE OF THE LATE HEAVY RAINS. >> narrator: THE LOCALS PITCH IN
TO HELP GET THE TRUCK BACK ON THE ROAD. >> WE HAVE AT LEAST ANOTHER
SIX HOURS AHEAD OF US, AND THAT IS IF THE--
IF THE ROAD IS GOOD. IN THESE CONDITIONS AND THE KIND
OF VEHICLE THAT WE'RE DRIVING IN, THAT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE. >> narrator: IT TAKES AN HOUR
TO GET THE TEAM ROLLING AGAIN. >> NOW I GUESS WE'RE TRYING
TO DECIDE WHETHER IT'S WORTH TRYING TO GO ON,
OR WHETHER IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, TOO DANGEROUS
TO CONTINUE DOWN THE ROAD. >> narrator: THE DANGER IS
WEIGHED AGAINST THE SCHEDULE THAT THE TEAM IS TRYING TO KEEP. >> I WOULD LOVE TO REACH
THE TARGET AREA. I DON'T WANT THIS EXPEDITION
TO RECALLED BECAUSE OF RAIN, BUT IT IS--IT IS OBVIOUSLY
A DANGEROUS ROAD WHEN WE HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN
FIVE MINUTES OUT THE DOOR, AND WE'RE ALREADY HAVING TO
PUSH THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE MUD. >> narrator: THE TEAM PUSHES ON. MINUTES LATER, THE VEHICLE AGAIN
LURCHES DANGEROUSLY OUT OF CONTROL. >> FOR A SECOND. PIERRE! >> OH, DON'T GIVE THIS UP. DON'T GIVE THIS UP. >> YEAH, WE'RE STUCK,
WE CAN'T MAKE IT UP THE HILL. I THINK THIS IS THE END
OF OUR ROAD. >> WE TRIED IT AGAIN. IT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT GOING
ANYWHERE FAST IN THIS MUD. THE STORIES OF THIS CREATURE
HAVE BEEN PASSED DOWN FOR CENTURIES BY VILLAGE ELDERS. >> THE FIRST KNOWN ACCOUNT
OF THE<i> MOKELE-MBEMBE</i> IS IN A BOOK WRITTEN IN 1776
BY ABBE PROYART. >> narrator: DR. ROY MACKAL
IS A RETIRED BIOLOGIST AND IS CONSIDERED
THE WORLD'S FOREMOST EXPERT ON<i> MOKELE-MBEMBE.</i> >> HE DESCRIBED WHAT HIS
MISSIONARY PRIEST HAD OBSERVED IN THE CONGO. >> narrator: ABBE PROYART
WROTE, "IT MUST HAVE BEEN MONSTROUS. THE MARKS OF THE CLAWS
WERE NOTED ON THE GROUND, AND THESE FORMED A PRINT
ABOUT 3 FEET IN CIRCUMFERENCE." >> THE FOOTPRINTS SHOWED
THREE CLAWS, SO THAT THE PRIEST KNEW THAT THESE COULD NOT
BE MADE BY ELEPHANTS OR HIPPOPOTAMUS
OR ANY OF THAT SORT OF ANIMAL. >> narrator: EXPLORERS
AND TRADERS CONTINUED TO HEAR STORIES OF THIS
MYSTERIOUS MONSTER. IN THE LATE 1870s,
ENGLISHMAN ALFRED SMITH ARRIVED ON THE WEST COAST
OF AFRICA TO BEGIN A CAREER AS A TRADER. HE LATER RECOUNTED,
"BEHIND THE CAMEROONS, THERE'S THINGS LIVING
WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT. THE<i> JAGO-NINI,</i> THEY SAY,
IS STILL IN THE SWAMPS AND RIVERS,
'GIANT DIVER,' IT MEANS. COMES OUT OF THE WATER
AND DEVOURS PEOPLE. FOOTPRINTS ABOUT THE SIZE
OF A GOOD FRYING PAN IN CIRCUMFERENCE
AND THREE CLAWS INSTEAD OF FIVE." >> FROM ALL THE EVIDENCE
THAT WE'VE COLLECTED, THE ONLY LOGICAL EXPLANATION
IS THAT THESE ARE SURVIVING SMALL DINOSAURS. >> narrator: IN THE EARLY 1980s,
MACKAL MADE TWO EXPEDITIONS TO AFRICA. HE WAS ABLE TO COLLECT
ENOUGH EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY TO CONVINCE HIM A DINOSAUR-LIKE
CREATURE STILL LIVED IN THE JUNGLE. >> WHAT IMPRESSED ME WAS THAT
THE DESCRIPTIONS MATCHED THAT IS AN ANIMAL OF THE ORDER
OF 25 TO 30 FEET, 8, 9, 10 METERS IN LENGTH,
REDDISH IN COLOR WITH A FRILL ON THE BACK
OF THE NECK, A LONG HEAD AND NECK THAT LOOKS SNAKELIKE. >> narrator: MACKAL DESCRIBES
THE ANIMAL AS REPTILIAN. >> THEY DESCRIBE THEM AS BEING
ABLE TO SUBMERGE AS A CROCODILE WOULD, BUT BEING MADE--
THEY DID COME OUT ON LAND MOST OF THE TIME. THERE JUST ISN'T ANYTHING
LIKE IT AT ALL. >> narrator: AND NOW
THERE MAY BE PROOF. >> I WAS IN AFRICA TO GET
PICTURES OF A SAUROPOD. >> narrator: IN 2004,
SCIENCE TEACHER PETER BEACH TRAVELED TO AFRICA
AND DISCOVERED WHAT HE SAYS IS TANGIBLE EVIDENCE OF THE BEAST. >> THEY'RE FAIRLY FRESH,
PROBABLY NO MORE THAN A WEEK OLD. >> narrator: BEACH FOUND THESE
PRINTS ON THE BANK OF A REMOTE RIVER THAT SPLITS
THE BORDER OF CAMEROON AND THE CONGO. HE PHOTOGRAPHED THEM
AND PRESERVED THEM BY MAKING PLASTER CASTS. THE PRINTS WERE
A FEW FEET APART. IT WAS AS IF THE ANIMAL
HAD MOVED UP ON LAND IN ORDER TO EAT LEAVES FROM
THE OVERHANGING TREE BRANCHES. >> THE TRACKS ARE IN KIND OF
A GRAVELY SAND. THEY ARE APPROXIMATELY A FOOT
IN DIAMETER, BUT YOU CAN SEE WHERE THERE'S MORE THAN JUST
A FOOT, TOES, IN OTHER WORDS. PERHAPS THREE TOES,
A FOOT IN DIAMETER, WITH A HEEL OF SOME SORT. MAYBE IT'S THE HAUNCHES
OF THE ANIMAL, OR MAYBE IT'S PART OF ITS FOOT. I CAN'T TELL FOR SURE. >> narrator: BEACH FOUND OTHER
EVIDENCE THAT A LARGE ANIMAL HAD BEEN IN THE AREA. >> AND WE LOOKED UP,
AND THERE WASN'T ANY FOLIAGE UP IN--UP TO ABOUT 18 FEET UP. WE MEASURED IT,
JUST TO BE SURE. AND WE COULD SEE THAT THIS
ANIMAL HAD CLEARED OUT AN ENTIRE AREA. >> narrator: AMONG AFRICA'S
INDIGENOUS ANIMAL POPULATION, ONLY GIRAFFES COULD REACH
FOLIAGE AT THIS HEIGHT, BUT THERE ARE NO GIRAFFES
IN THIS PART OF AFRICA. >> COULD THIS BE SOME
OTHER ANIMAL? ACCORDING TO THE LOCALS
AND TO MY GUIDE, THERE IS NO OTHER ANIMAL
THAT IS QUITE LIKE THIS ANIMAL. >> narrator: THE<i> MONSTER QUEST</i>
SCIENCE TEAM HAS OBTAINED THESE TRACKS AND WILL
SUBJECT THEM TO TESTING FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. >> SAUROPOD TRACKS ARE A GOOD
2, 3 FEET ACROSS THE BIG ONES, AND EVEN SMALL ONES ARE AT LEAST
A FOOT AND A HALF ACROSS. >> narrator: DR. DONALD PROTHERO
DETERMINES THE CAST THAT PETER BEACH MADE IN AFRICA
WAS ONLY 1 FOOT ACROSS. >> I LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS
HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND IT SHOWS WHAT APPEAR TO BE THREE PARALLEL
SCRATCHES IN THE GROUND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CLAW MARKS
OR SOMETHING, BUT THEY DON'T LOOK ANYTHING LIKE A SAUROPOD
CLAW MARK. >> narrator: PROTHERO WILL NEED
TO COMPARE KNOWN DINOSAUR TRACKS WITH THE CASTS FROM AFRICA
TO FINISH HIS ANALYSIS. SUNRISE. THE<i> MONSTER QUEST</i> EXPEDITION
TEAM IS IN CAMEROON, WEST AFRICA, AND THE WORD
SPREADS THAT OUTSIDERS HAVE ARRIVED TO LOOK FOR THE MONSTER. >> THEY HAVE THE MOST CONTACT,
OR THEY OBSERVE THE ANIMAL MORE OFTEN THAN ANYONE ELSE. >> narrator: THE VILLAGERS KNOWN
AS THE BAKA ARE EAGER TO TALK TO THE WESTERNERS ABOUT
THE CREATURE. THEY DRAW AN IMAGE IN THE DIRT
OF WHAT THEY'VE SEEN. >> LOOK AT THAT, BILL. >> JUST TO DRAW WITH SUCH
INCREDIBLE ACCURACY. THE BULKY BODY, THE--
BETWEEN THREE AND FIVE CLAWS. YOU HAVE THE HEAD
WITH THE FACIAL FEATURES OF A PYTHON. >> narrator: THE LOCALS HAVE
VIRTUALLY NO CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD. >> AND WHAT'S SO AMAZING ABOUT
THIS IS THESE PEOPLE HAVE NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO GAIN
FROM TELLING STORIES, BECAUSE WE DON'T PAY THEM. THEY GET NO REWARD FROM US
FOR DOING THIS. >> narrator: TO HELP CLARIFY
THEIR DESCRIPTIONS, BILL GIBBONS HAS BROUGHT ALONG
A SET OF PICTURES. THESE WILL HELP DETERMINE
IF THEY ARE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
AN ELEPHANT AND A DINOSAUR. >> THEY LIVE IN THE FOREST, SO--
[stutters] THEY CAN EASILY FIND THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN<i> MOKELE-MBEMBE</i> AND ANOTHER TYPE OF ANIMAL. >> narrator: WHILE GIBBONS
FLIPS THE PAGES, THEIR GUIDE TRANSLATES. [discussion in native language]
THEY DON'T KNOW A BEAR OR DEER, BUT WHEN GIBBONS FLIPS THE PAGES
TO THE DRAWING OF A DINOSAUR, EYES OPEN AND FINGERS POINT. >> THIS IS A<i> MOKELE-MBEMBE,</i>
WHICH THEY HAVE SEEN. SO THIS IS HOW THE<i>
MOKELE-MBEMBE</i> LOOK. >> narrator: THIS TECHNIQUE
IS KNOWN TO SOME IN THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
AS "COMPARATIVE OBSERVATION." >> OH, LIKE THIS. >> EVERY TIME YOU TALK ABOUT
THE<i> MOKELE-MBEMBE</i> TO BAKAS OR TO PEOPLE WHO LIVE
AROUND THE RIVER, THEY ONLY DESCRIBE IT AS
ANIMAL WITH A LONG NECK AND A HEAD LIKE A SNAKE. >> narrator: THIS CONVINCES
GIBBONS THAT THE SIGHTINGS ARE NOT A CASE OF MISIDENTIFICATION. >> BUT WE'VE COME TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY A DIFFERENT,
UNIQUE ANIMAL IN ITS OWN RIGHT. >> OKAY. >> [speaking in native language]
>> narrator: THIS WOMAN SAYS SHE SAW THE ANIMAL
WHILE FISHING WITH HER HUSBAND. >> THE HEAD WAS LIKE A KIND OF
SNAKE, BUT IT WAS VERY LONG, VERY LONG. [motor churns] >> narrator: DADJAL THERESE
SPOTTED A LARGE ANIMAL COMING OUT OF THE DJA RIVER
WHILE OUT IN A BOAT. >> I SAW THIS ANIMAL TRYING
TO EAT SOME LEAVES. THE ONLY PART OF THE ANIMAL WE
SAW WAS THE HEAD AND THE NECK. >> narrator: SHE SAYS HER
ENCOUNTER LASTED LESS THAN A MINUTE YET LEFT HER TERRIFIED. >> THE WATER WAS CHURNING. THE BOAT WAS SHAKING LIKE
AN EARTHQUAKE. EVERYTHING WAS SHAKING
IN THE RIVER. I FELT VERY AFRAID. >> narrator: HER SIGHTING WAS OF
SOMETHING SHE COULD NOT EXPLAIN. >> I'VE NEVER SEEN ANOTHER ONE
SINCE I'VE LIVED IN THE VILLAGE. >> narrator: THE PRINTS BEING
EXAMINED BY THE SCIENCE TEAM WERE FOUND BY THE DJA RIVER
IN 2004. THE RIVER IS 450 MILES IN LENGTH
AND FORMS THE REPUBLIC OF CONGO-CAMEROON BORDER. IT IS FED BY BOTH THE BUMBA
AND THE NGOKO RIVERS. >> IT'S A PERFECT HIGHWAY
FOR THEM. >> narrator: THE CONGO HAS LONG
BEEN KNOWN AS A VOLATILE HOTSPOT FOR CRIME AND ARMED MILITIAS. WITH INCREASED DANGERS,
THE TEAM MUST BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS. >> FROM GUERILLA WARFARE
TO THE LOCAL ANIMALS TO JUST THE HAZARDS OF BEING
ON AN UNKNOWN RIVER, THERE'S ALWAYS DANGER INVOLVED. >> narrator: THE JUNGLE
COMPLETELY SURROUNDS THE RIVER, ENCROACHING ON EVERY SIDE. POISONOUS SNAKES AND DEADLY
CROCODILES ADD TO THE RISK. THE TEAM IS TRAVELING IN CANOES
USED BY THE VILLAGERS MADE FROM HOLLOWED OUT TREES. THIS INCREASES THE CHANCE
OF A POTENTIAL ENCOUNTER. THE TEAM HEADS TO THE SPOT
WHERE THE TRACKS WERE ORIGINALLY FOUND. >> BECAUSE THIS IS THE PLACE
WHERE WE FIND A LOT OF TRACK OF<i> MOKELE-MBEMBE</i> ON THIS PART. SPECIALIST OF A LOT--
OF MANY TYPE OF ANIMAL. "I NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE
OF A TRACK THAT DEEP." AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME
TO SEE THAT TYPE OF TRACK. >> narrator: THE TEAM CONDUCTS
A THOROUGH SEARCH FOR ANY NEW TRACKS. >> WE'LL JUST HAVE A LOOK
AROUND. SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOMEWHERE
THAT LOOKS PROMISING. >> WANT TO--WANT TO WATCH
EVERYTHING HERE. >> LOOKS PRETTY DRY
AND CRACKED HERE, JUST ANTHILLS. OH. NOT MUCH YET. THE WATERS KIND OF
SWEPT EVERYTHING OUT OF HERE PRETTY EFFECTIVELY. >> narrator: THE TEAM SETS UP
A MOTION-SENSING CAMERA TRAP, WHICH WILL SNAP PHOTOS
SHOULD THE ANIMAL RETURN HERE TO FEED. >> OKAY, ROB, IT'S ALL YOURS. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK? MAYBE ON THIS UPRIGHT TREE,
HERE? ALL SET. WE ARE READY TO GO. >> narrator: THE BOAT HEADS
UPRIVER, SCOUTING FOR OTHER LOCATIONS. >> THIS IS A GOOD SPOT. >> IT'S RIGHT ON THE EDGE
OF THE RIVER, SO THAT WE CAN CATCH ALL THE ACTION
AT THE RIGHT HEIGHT. BUNGEES? >> narrator: THEY PLACE ANOTHER
MOTION-SENSING CAMERA. >> IF THEY DO COME UP TO FEED
IN THAT AREA, PRESUMABLY THEY WOULD SET OFF THE CAMERA
TRACKERS. >> narrator: THE TEAM IS
OPERATING ON THE THEORY THAT THE CREATURE HIDES WITHIN
NATURAL CAVE FORMATIONS. >> DURING THE DRY SEASON,
THEY HOLE THEMSELVES UP. IT'S A KIND OF REPTILIAN
HIBERNATION, WHERE THEY JUST CEASE ACTIVITY FOR A WHILE. FREQUENTLY THE ANIMALS
WILL FIND A PLACE THAT'S ALREADY HOLLOWED OUT, YOU KNOW,
IN A BEND OF THE RIVER AND JUST DIG IN DEEPER
AND THEN WALL THEMSELVES UP. >> narrator: THEY BELIEVE THAT
THE ANIMAL WILL STAY IN THE CAVES UNTIL THE WATER LEVEL
RISES. >> THE AVERAGE SIZE OF THE CAVES
THAT WE'VE FOUND SO FAR HAVE BEEN 15 FEET BY 15 FEET. >> SEE RIGHT THERE UNDER--
UNDER THE BANK? YOU LOOK FOR A BEND
IN THE RIVER PRIMARILY, AND THEN YOU LOOK FOR PILES
OF MASSED EARTH. AND AS WE'VE FOUND OUT,
THAT'S MOSTLY ON THE CONGO SIDE. >> narrator: THE PILES OF DIRT
AT THE SIDE OF THE BANK MAY BE A SIGN OF THE MONSTER
DIGGING A CAVE DWELLING AND THAT THEY COULD BE GETTING
CLOSER TO AN ENCOUNTER. THEY SPOT SOMETHING INTERESTING. >> 'CAUSE THIS LOOKS LIKE
THERE'S BEEN SOME ACTIVITY HERE. WHAT I'M LOOKING AT
IS THESE LARGE VENT HOLES. THERE'S ABOUT ONE, TWO, THREE. THERE'S TWO OF THEM THAT SEEM
TO GO QUITE FAR BACK. >> narrator: GIBBONS BELIEVES
THE ANIMAL NOT ONLY DIGS ITSELF A CAVE, BUT ALSO MAKES AIR VENTS
FOR IT TO BREATHE WHILE INSIDE. HE PULLS UP NEAR SHORE. >> WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THE VENTS
BEFORE, WHICH WE BELIEVE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CAVES
THAT THE ANIMALS TEND TO HIBERNATE IN FOR THE DURATION
OF THE DRY SEASON. WOW, THAT GOES WAY BACK. THAT'S VERY, VERY DEEP. HOW THICK DO YOU THINK
THIS CAVE WALL MIGHT BE, THOUGH? >> narrator: THEIR GUIDE GRABS
A 6-FOOT-LONG STICK AND STRETCHES HIS ARM
INTO THE HOLE. HE CANNOT REACH
THE END OF THE CAVE. >> I THINK THIS COULD BE
ONE OF THE HIBERNATING CAVES. >> narrator:<i> MONSTER QUEST</i>
IS DEEP IN THE JUNGLES OF CAMEROON SEARCHING FOR SIGNS
OF THE LAST LIVING DINOSAUR. NATIVES CALL IT,<i>
"MOKELE-MBEMBE."</i> >> [speaking in native language]
>> I SAW THE<i> MOKELE-MBEMBE</i> WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG. >> narrator: EDIMO FERDINAND
WAS HELPING HIS FATHER WITH FISHING NETS WHEN HE HAD
A FRIGHTENING FIRSTHAND ENCOUNTER. >> I WAS SOMETHING LIKE
150 METERS AWAY. >> narrator: HE WATCHED IN BOTH
FEAR AND AMAZEMENT. >> THE ANIMAL
IS LIKE AN ELEPHANT, BUT THE NECK IS VERY LONG. >> TOO LONG. >> IT'S A VERY BIG ANIMAL. WHEN IT COMES OUT OF THE WATER,
IT MAKES A LOT OF MOVEMENT ON THE RIVER. >> narrator: NOT ONLY THE
ANIMAL'S SIZE BUT THE SOUND THAT IT MADE TERRIFIED THE BOY. >> WHOO-OOF! WHOO! >> narrator: FOR A FEW MINUTES,
THE ANIMAL FED ON LEAVES THEN WENT BACK INTO THE WATER. >> WHEN THIS ANIMAL COMES OUT OF
THE WATER, YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE A BIG SPLASH. >> narrator: THE EXPEDITION TEAM
LED BY BILL GIBBONS AND ROB MULLIN BELIEVE THEY
MAY HAVE FOUND THE BEAST'S HIDING PLACE. >> WE CANNOT THINK OF A SINGLE
OTHER ANIMAL, REPTILE, MAMMAL, THAT WOULD MAKE BURROWS
LIKE THESE. YEAH, IT GOES. IT'S STILL GOING IN. THESE AIR VENTS GO QUITE FAR
DOWN INTO THE SIDE OF THIS HIGH, MUDDY BANK. THIS ONE IS QUITE DEEP. IT SEEMS TO BE GOING QUITE FAR
INTO THE BANK. ESPECIALLY THE ONE BEHIND ME,
CLEARLY THEY'VE BEEN DUG OUT FOR A PURPOSE. >> narrator: BUT THE WALLS
TO THE CAVE ARE LIKE CEMENT. WITHOUT POWERFUL TOOLS,
THERE'S NO WAY TO FIND OUT. >> ONCE THEY'RE SEALED IN THERE,
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THEM OUT. AND IT'S JUST A PITY WE DIDN'T
HAVE ANY OTHER WAY OF FINDING OUT WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THIS MUD WALL. OFF WE GO. >> narrator: THE TEAM WILL
CONTINUE UP THE DJA RIVER. THEY SPOT AN UNUSUAL FISH
FLOATING IN THE WATER. >> I'VE NEVER SEEN A FISH
LIKE THAT. IT HAD A TRUNK LIKE AN ELEPHANT. >> narrator: THE TEAM HAS FOUND
A RARE ELEPHANT FISH, UNIQUE TO THIS REGION OF AFRICA. >> THIS FISH REALLY SHOWS
THE WIDE DIVERSITY OF ANIMAL LIFE AROUND HERE. >> narrator: THE ELEPHANT FISH
SPECIES USE THEIR LONG SNOUTS TO SIFT THROUGH RIVER BOTTOM
SEDIMENT FOR FOOD. NOW THE TEAM PREPARES
FOR AN UNDERWATER SURVEY OF THE RIVER. >> AND WE HAVE A FISH CAMERA,
WHICH IS VERY LIGHTWEIGHT AND PORTABLE BUT ESSENTIAL
TO OUR WORK. THE CAMERA'S DISGUISED
AS A FISH, WHICH YOU CAN DROP DOWN TO ABOUT 50 FEET. THIS IS A LIGHTWEIGHT FISH
FINDER, SONAR UNIT, WHICH GIVES US THE DEPTH
OF ANY PARTICULAR LOCATION THAT WE CHOOSE TO INVESTIGATE. WE'RE HOPING TO LOCATE
ANY LARGE SUBMERGED ANIMAL. >> narrator: IF THE SONAR
SPOTS ANYTHING, GIBBONS HOPES TO FILM IT
WITH THE CAMERA. >> READY? >> YEAH. SEE ANYTHING, BILL? >> I'M STILL CHECKING. DROP IT A LITTLE MORE
INTO THE WATER. >> narrator: IT DOESN'T TAKE
LONG BEFORE THEY GET A HIT. >> IS THAT A CROCODILE? >> THAT LOOKS LIKE A CROC, YEAH. IT'S VERY BIG, WHATEVER IT IS. I'M TRYING TO GET DOWN
AS LOW AS I CAN HERE. I'M HITTING THE BOTTOM SLIGHTLY. >> OKAY, WE HAVE ANOTHER LARGE
TARGET AT THE BOTTOM HERE. THAT LOOKS LIKE A CROC. THAT'S A CROC. >> CROCODILE? >> IT'S LONG AND SERPENTINE,
WHATEVER IT IS. >> THAT WAS A VERY, VERY BIG
TARGET. >> IT WAS HUGE. >> MAY NOT EVEN HAVE BEEN
A CROCODILE. THERE ARE SO MANY STRANGE
ANIMALS IN THIS RIVER. >> YEAH. >> SO MANY STRANGE ANIMALS. WHAT DEPTH DO WE HAVE? >> WE HAVE 6.0 HERE. >> OH, OKAY, RIGHT. I'VE LET OUT TOO MUCH CABLE. >> SEE THIS STUFF. [stutters]
SEE THIS; WHAT IS THIS? >> MM? YES? >> DO YOU THINK THAT
MIGHT HAVE BEEN A SNAKE? >> MAYBE, BUT THIS IS VERY LONG
AND BIG. >> WHAT HAVE YOU GOT? >> I DON'T THINK I WANT
TO MEET UP WITH THAT SNAKE. IT MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT'S RIGHT
UNDER--RIGHT UNDER YOU. I MEAN, IT'S NOT THAT DEEP,
BUT WE'RE SEEING ALL SORTS OF ODD PROFILES ON THE FISH FINDER. >> THE SONAR IS PERFECT,
BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE VERY FAR. >> HERE, LOOK AT THIS. LOOK. LOOK. WE HAVE SOMETHING. WE HAVE SOMETHING. >> OH, WOW. >> WHOA, WHAT IS--
>> THAT IS A VERY BIG TARGET. LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT THING. >> narrator: THEY'RE HAVING
A HARD TIME GETTING A CLEAR PICTURE IN THE MURKY WATER. >> AND IT'S 6 FEET. LOOK AT IT. >> narrator: THE STORM THEY
ENCOUNTERED ON THEIR JOURNEY HERE HAS STIRRED UP
THE RIVER BOTTOM. >> IT'S VERY DISCOLORED. IT'S LIKE TRYING TO FIND
SOMETHING IN A SWIMMING POOL FULL OF CHOCOLATE MILK. >> OKAY, HERE WE GO. HERE WE GO. HERE IT IS AGAIN. >> YEP, THERE'S ANOTHER BIG ONE. BIG HUMP. >> THIS CANNOT BE A BRANCH. >> NO? >> VERY LONG. I DON'T KNOW WHICH TYPE
OF THING THIS CAN BE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY, VERY
LONG ANIMAL. >> I'VE NOT SEEN--
I'VE NOT SEEN THAT PROFILE ANY OTHER TIME THAN NOW. >> narrator: THEY CANNOT STOP
WITHOUT STARTING THE MOTOR. ANY NOISE COULD SCARE
THE CREATURE. THEY ARE FORCED TO SIMPLY DRIFT. >> ANOTHER SERPENTINE SHAPE
COMING UP. >> WOW, LOOK AT THAT. >> 7.8, AND HERE WE HAVE ANOTHER
STRANGE PROFILE. WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? >> LOOK AT THAT. LOOK AT THAT HUMP. VERY BIG. VERY STRANGE. WHAT IS THAT? >> I DON'T KNOW. WE HAVE TWO IN A ROW. OH, WHAT IS THIS? >> UH-OH. >> WHAT IS THIS? >> THAT CAN'T BE THE BOTTOM. IT'S NOT THE BOTTOM. >> WHAT IS THAT? >> SEE. >> WAIT. WAIT. WAIT. SOMETHING JUST PASSED
THE CAMERA. >> MY GOD. SEE. >> I'M TRYING TO GET A BIT
LOWER HERE. >> narrator: THE CREATURE,
WHATEVER IT WAS, DISAPPEARS FROM THE SONAR'S VIEW. >> AND HERE WE GO. >> OH, SOMETHING DARK JUST
LOOMED UP AT THE CAMERA AND THEN WENT OFF. >> BUT THIS LOOK LIKE
VERY LONG SNAKE. SEE THIS BOTTOM IS EMPTY. >> YES. >> HMM, WHY? >> narrator: THE TEAM TRIES
TO MAKE SENSE OF WHAT THEY JUST SAW. >> WE SAW SOME FASCINATING
PROFILES. I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO
IDENTIFY THEM. WE'VE--SOME OF THEM MIGHT HAVE
BEEN TREE BRANCHES. SOME OF THEM MIGHT HAVE BEEN
SERPENTINE. >> I MEAN, NOTICE THAT WHEN
THESE LARGER OBJECTS, WHICH ARE CLEARLY NOT DEBRIS
IN THE WATER, BUT OBVIOUSLY ANIMATE OBJECTS OF SOME KIND. THERE'S NO FISH AROUND THEM,
WHICH IS INTERESTING. >> SOMETHING THAT JUST WENT ON
AND ON AND ON FOR-- FOR SEVERAL FEET, BUT IT WAS--
THEY WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO DEFINE. IT WAS HARD TO TELL
WHAT IT WAS. IT TELLS ME THAT THERE ARE
QUITE A FEW MYSTERIES ON THIS RIVER TO BE EXPLORED FURTHER. >> WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET
ANY VIDEO THIS TIME. WE DO NEED TO SPEND
MORE TIME HERE, THOUGH, ON THE RIVER. OKAY, LET'S BRING IT IN, GUYS. >> narrator: THE TEAM HEADS
BACK TO CAMP. THEY'LL BE PREPARING
FOR A NIGHTTIME OBSERVATION IN A PLACE LOCALS CALL
"THE FORBIDDEN ZONE." >> THE NATIVES SAY IT'S
FORBIDDEN TO GO THERE BECAUSE IT'S A LOCATION
WHERE THEY ENCOUNTERED THE <i>MOKELE-MBEMBES</i> ON A NUMBER
OF OCCASIONS. >> narrator:<i> MONSTER QUEST</i>
IS IN THE HEART OF AFRICA SEARCHING FOR THE LAST
LIVING DINOSAUR. THE TERRITORIAL AMPHIBIOUS
CREATURE LIVES IN THE RIVERS HERE AND HAS BEEN KNOWN
TO ATTACK HUMANS. >> THE TRADITION OF THE PYGMIES
ESPECIALLY IS THAT IF ANYONE SEES A<i> MOKELE-MBEMBE</i>
AND THEN REPORTS OR TALKS ABOUT IT, HE WILL SURELY DIE. >> narrator: DR. ROY MACKAL
MET MANY LOCALS DURING HIS SEARCH FOR THE CREATURE. THEY WARNED HIM OF THE DANGERS
OF HIS QUEST AND THAT SHOULD HE ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTY,
THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HELP HIM. >> "YOU GO RIGHT AHEAD,
BUT REMEMBER, WE WILL NOT EVEN SEND UP A BODY BAG
TO BRING YOU BACK." >> narrator: THEY HAVE LONG
PASSED ON THE LEGENDS OF THESE FRIGHTENING AND
MYSTERIOUS CREATURES THAT PROWL THE WATER'S EDGE. >> [speaking in native language]
>> HE WAS EATING LEAVES, AND THE BRANCHES WERE FALLING
IN THE WATER WHEN HE WAS EATING. >> narrator: NANGA NORBERT WAS
FISHING ONE NIGHT ON THE DJA RIVER WHEN HE SAW THE CREATURE. EVEN IN THE DARK,
HE COULD TELL THIS WAS NOT AN ELEPHANT OR RHINO. >> WITH SOMETHING LIKE SPINES
ON HIS BACK, LONG NECK, LONG TAIL. IT'S DIFFICULT TO TELL
HOW BIG THE ANIMAL WAS. IT WAS DARK,
AND THE NIGHT WAS SO LONG THAT I WAS AFRAID. AND I JUST RUN. >> narrator: NORBERT TURNED HIS
BOAT AROUND AND LEFT THE AREA. HE WAS SCARED FOR HIS LIFE. >> THIS ANIMAL HAS A REPUTATION
OF BREAKING CANOES, AND HE KILLS PEOPLE. >> narrator: THE EXPEDITION TEAM
LED BY BILL GIBBONS AND ROB MULLIN ARE EMBARKING
ON A DANGEROUS NIGHTTIME SEARCH FOR THIS LIVING DINOSAUR. >> WE'RE LOOKING AT NIGHT
BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF CONFIRMATION IN THE EYEWITNESS
REPORTS THAT THE ANIMAL IS ACTIVE AT NIGHT AND GENERALLY
FEEDING ON THE LEAVES SURROUNDING THE RIVER. >> narrator: THE DANGER IS
EVERYWHERE AS AFRICA'S PREDATORS ARE MOSTLY NIGHTTIME HUNTERS. THE TEAM WILL RIDE IN A LARGER
AND STURDIER CANOE TO HELP PREVENT THEM FROM TIPPING OVER. >> IT'S A LITTLE BIT UNNERVING
BEING IN THE RIVER IN THE DARK WITH LOTS OF CROCODILES AROUND,
BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'VE TO BE A LITTLE ADVENTUROUS
IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL. >> narrator: TO HELP THEM WITH
THEIR SEARCH, THEY ENLIST LOCAL VILLAGERS. >> WE KNOW FAR LESS ABOUT THESE
ANIMALS THAN THE NATIVE PEOPLE DO, SO WE TAKE THEIR ADVICE
WHENEVER WE DO GO INTO A LOCATION WHERE THE ANIMALS
ARE SAID TO BE PRESENT. >> narrator: A FULL MOON
WILL HELP AS WELL. >> MOSTLY SEEING SHORELINE. SEEING SOME TREES. NOT SEEING MUCH IN THE WATER. IT'S PRETTY CALM AT THE MOMENT. ANY SIGNS OF SURFACE
DISTURBANCE, ANY SIGNS OF THE ANIMAL EATING
AT THE EDGE OF THE WATER IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. >> THEY'D BE RIGHT UP INSIDE
THE TREE LINE, AMONG THE FOLIAGE, BROWSING ON THE LEAVES. >> narrator: THEY STAY CLOSE
TO SHORE FOR SAFETY. >> PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRAVELING
DOWN THE RIVER AT THE NIGHT IN THEIR CANOES,
AND THEY'VE LITERALLY RAN INTO <i>MOKELE-MBEMBES</i> FEEDING. SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE AS QUIET
AS WE CAN, JUST DRIFTING WITH THE CURRENT TO SEE IF WE MIGHT
JUST SPOT A FEEDING <i>MOKELE-MBEMBE.</i> THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING,
IF WE CAN. >> WE HAVE A LITTLE MOONLIGHT
TONIGHT HELPING US IN OUR SEARCH. VISIBILITY IS PRETTY GOOD. I CAN SEE ALL THE WAY TO
THE SHORELINE HERE. I'D SAY THESE ARE IDEAL
CONDITIONS. THE WATER IS VERY QUIET. THE RIVER IS VERY CALM. NO SOUNDS, SO WE CAN EASILY
HEAR ANY DISTURBANCE. >> narrator: AS IS COMMON
IN THIS PART OF AFRICA, A STORM ARRIVES
AND BUILDS QUICKLY, FORCING THEM OFF THE RIVER. >> THERE SEEMS TO BE A STORM
COMING IN RIGHT NOW. IT'S BEEN MOVING ACROSS ON THE
CONGO FOR QUITE SOME TIME. IT'S CLOSING IN ON OUR POSITION
FAIRLY QUICKLY, SO WE NEED TO GET OFF THE RIVER
AND GET BACK TO CAMP BEFORE WE GET CAUGHT IN THE STORM. >> WE DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING
OF NOTE. A LOT OF BIRD SOUNDS
AND A FEW FISH SPLASHING IN THE RIVER, BUT APART FROM
THAT, NO MAJOR ACTIVITY. >> WELL, IT WAS VERY,
VERY QUIET. NOT EVEN CROCODILES TONIGHT,
SURPRISINGLY. USUALLY THERE ARE A FEW CROCS
OUT AT NIGHT. BUT A VERY PEACEFUL, CALM NIGHT
ON THE RIVER. >> narrator: DAYBREAK,
AND THE TEAM IS BACK ON THE HUNT. >> WHAT CAN YOU SEE
ON THE SONAR? >> RIGHT NOW, JUST SMALL FISH. >> WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM HERE,
SO I'M TRAILING DOWN AS CLOSE TO THE BOTTOM AS I CAN
TO SEE IF WE CAN IDENTIFY SOME OF THESE LARGER PROFILES
THAT WE'VE BEEN HITTING FROM TIME TO TIME. >> narrator: IN JUST MINUTES,
LARGE, UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS BEGIN APPEARING ON THE SONAR. >> WHOA. WHOA. >> IT'S ALL UP AND DOWN
LIKE THIS. LOOK AT THAT. THAT COULD BE A NECK
AND A LARGE BODY. >> I DON'T THINK THAT THIS
IS THIS PLACE, NO. THIS IS A SO MYSTERIOUS. >> LOOK AT IT. THAT IS A VERY BIG TARGET. >> WHAT IS THAT? >> UH-OH. UH-OH. TROUBLE IS,
IT'S SO MILKY DOWN THERE. I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING
ON THE CAMERA. >> narrator: THE RIVER BOTTOM
HAS BEEN STIRRED UP BY THE RAINS. >> SOME VERY UNUSUAL PROFILES
IN THE WATER. SOME OF THEM FAIRLY BULKY. OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THEM
VERY LONG AND SNAKELIKE. ONCE OR TWICE, WE THOUGHT WE
CAUGHT SIGHT OF A-- MORE OF A BULKY BODY
WITH A LONG, SLENDER NECK ATTACHED TO IT. A COUPLE OF TIMES WE GOT THAT. >> UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S ALMOST
IMPOSSIBLE TO GET GOOD VIDEO FROM THIS RIVER. >> narrator: THE TEAM DECIDES
TO MAKE THE MOVE TOWARD THE BUMBA RIVER. >> WE'RE HEADING THERE BECAUSE
THERE'S BEEN SOME VERY RECENT ACTIVITY ON THAT RIVER
REGARDING<i> MOKELE-MBEMBE.</i> >> MY UNDERSTANDING IS SOME
WITHIN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. >> narrator: THE<i> MONSTER QUEST</i>
SCIENCE TEAM HAS BEEN ANALYZING THE TRACKS SAID TO HAVE BEEN
MADE BY THE LAST LIVING DINOSAUR. THE LARGE BEAST IS THOUGHT
TO BE FROM THE SAUROPOD FAMILY. >> THE SAUROPODS' TOES ARE ALL
THREE REALLY CLOSE TOGETHER, AND THESE ARE WIDELY SPACED. >> narrator: THE KNOWN TRACKS
OF SAUROPODS SEEM TO BE UNLIKE THOSE FOUND IN CAMEROON. >> THE SAUROPODS, SOME OF THEM
WEIGHED UP TO 40 OR 50 TONS, SO WHEN THEY STEPPED ON THE
GROUND, ESPECIALLY SOFT GROUND, THEY WOULD LEAVE IMPRESSIONS
THAT WERE 2-FEET DEEP IN SOME CASES. OH, THERE ACTUALLY ARE
WELL-PRESERVED SAUROPOD TRACKWAYS IN SEVERAL PLACES. THE MOST FAMOUS IS IN THE
GLEN ROSE LIMESTONE IN PALUXY RIVER, TEXAS,
WHERE THERE'S A SERIES OF VERY LARGE SAUROPOD
TRACKWAYS. SOME ARE SO LARGE. THERE'S ACTUALLY SHOTS
OF KIDS BACK IN THE 1930s SITTING THERE AND TAKING BATHS
IN THEM. >> narrator: DR. PROTHERO POINTS
TO SCIENTIFIC DATING OF THESE TRACKS, WHICH INDICATES THEY
WENT EXTINCT 65 MILLION YEARS AGO. >> I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY
UNLIKELY THE<i> MOKELE-MBEMBE</i> EXISTS. THE FOSSIL RECORD DOES NOT
SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT SAUROPOD DINOSAURS WERE AROUND FOR THE
LAST 140 MILLION YEARS IN AFRICA. AND WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT
FOSSIL RECORD TO SHOW THAT. SCIENCE IS NOT ABOUT ABSOLUTES. SCIENCE IS ABOUT PROBABILITIES. WE NEVER SAY "NEVER" IN SCIENCE,
EVEN FOR THINGS THAT ARE EXTREMELY IMPROBABLE. THIS TEACHER SAYS HE COLLECTED
FOOTPRINTS OF THE BEAST. THIS WOMAN SAID THAT WHEN
THE CREATURE MOVED, THE WHOLE RIVER SHOOK. THESE MEN ARE ON A SEARCH
TO COLLECT VIDEO EVIDENCE OF THE MONSTER. AND THIS EXPERT DISMISSES
THE POSSIBILITY THAT A LIVING DINOSAUR STILL EXISTS. >> SOME OF THE MOST RECENT
ACTIVITY WAS ON THE BUMBA, SO WE'RE HOPING THAT JUST MAYBE
CONSIDERING THE FACT THE RAINS HAVE STAYED LATE INTO THE
DRY SEASON, THERE MIGHT STILL BE SOME ACTIVITY ON THE RIVER. >> narrator: THE EXPEDITION TEAM
IS SEARCHING THE AREA OF RECENT SIGHTINGS. >> ALL THREE RIVERS ARE
INTERCONNECTED, AND THIS APPARENTLY
IS A MIGRATION ROUTE FOR THE<i> MOKELE-MBEMBE.</i> >> narrator: THE BUMBA RUNS
ALONG THE BORDER OF THE REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND POSES A MUCH
GREATER RISK THAN THE DJA. THE PLAN ON THE BUMBA WILL BE
SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE DJA. THE TEAM WILL HEAD UP AS FAR
AS POSSIBLE AND THEN FLOAT SILENTLY BACK DOWN, USING THE
SONAR AND UNDERWATER CAMERAS. >> SO GOOD EQUIPMENT ALL AROUND. >> narrator: THIS TIME THEY WILL
FOCUS ON THE DEEP WATER POOLS WHERE THEY BELIEVE THE ANIMAL
COULD BE HIDING. >> THEY WOULD APPEAR AS JUST
A LARGE, DARK OBJECT, POSSIBLY WITH CERTAIN CONTOURS
SUCH AS A LONG NECK OR A LONG TAIL. RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST PASSING
OVER SOME SLIGHTLY SHALLOW WATER, 3 TO 4 FEET DEEP
ON AVERAGE. LOTS OF SILT ON THE BOTTOM
OF THIS RIVER. NOT TOO MANY FISH AROUND. I'M PRETTY SURE WE'LL START
ENCOUNTERING MORE MARINE LIFE AS SOON AS WE HIT
THE DEEPER WATER. OKAY, 12 FEET. GET READY. SO WE'LL KEEP TRAWLING THE RIVER
HERE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING INTERESTING THAT WE MIGHT
BE ABLE TO STUMBLE UPON. >> THIS IS A LITTLE LIKE FISHING
WITHOUT BAIT. >> narrator: THEY WILL DRIFT
SLOWLY DOWN THE RIVER. IT'S THE BEST WAY TO FIND THE
ANIMAL WITHOUT SCARING IT AWAY. >> AS WE KNOW WHAT FISH
AND CROCODILES TEND TO LOOK LIKE ON SONAR, WE'RE LOOKING
FOR SOMETHING MORE UNUSUAL. >> AT THIS POINT, WE'RE DOING
EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO FIND ITS HABITAT AND LOCATE IT
THAT WAY. >> RIGHT NOW WE'RE AVERAGING
7 FEET. WE WANT TO FIND SOMETHING
20 FEET PLUS IN DEPTH. >> WE'RE HOPING THAT THE SONAR
CAN SEE WHAT THE EYES CANNOT. >> THE WATER LEVEL HAS BEEN
PRETTY SHALLOW, NOT SURPRISINGLY AT THIS
TIME OF YEAR. BUT THIS DOESN'T DO US
MUCH GOOD. WE ARE HOPING TO GET INTO
MUCH DEEPER WATER. UP HERE IT'S A BIT SHALLOW HERE. CAN WE MOTOR DOWN TOWARDS
THE CONFLUENCE OF THE NGOKO? SO THAT WAY WE CAN--
>> narrator: IN HOPES OF FINDING DEEPER WATER, THEY WILL MOVE THE
BOAT CLOSER TO THE HEADWATERS OF THE BUMBA AND THE DJA. >> 12 FEET. 15 FEET. OKAY. OKAY. STOP. THERE'S A BIG OBJECT HERE. FAIRLY BIG. DRIFTING ALONG. DROP IT RIGHT IN, ROB. >> narrator: THE PLAN TO MOVE
TO DEEPER WATER SEEMS TO BE WORKING. >> WHAT'S THIS? LOOK AT THAT. LOOK AT HOW LONG THAT IS. >> THE WATER IS VERY DARK
AND MURKY. >> HANG ON. WHAT'S THIS? WHAT'S THAT? >> I DON'T KNOW. >> YEAH, IT'S NOT QUITE--
LOOK AT THIS. LOOK AT THIS. >> narrator: THE OBJECT QUICKLY
DISAPPEARS. THEY DECIDE TO TURN AROUND
AND GIVE IT ANOTHER LOOK. >> WE WILL GO BACK
IN THE MIDDLE HERE. >> SOON AS I SAY "DROP,"
AND THEN DROP IT IN, OKAY? BECAUSE WE'RE COMING--
WE'RE COMING BACK DOWN TO THAT SAME LOCATION. DROP IT IN NOW. >> narrator: THE TEAM HAS ZEROED
IN ON A POSSIBLE TARGET, BUT THEN ANOTHER PROBLEM. >> RIGHT ON THE BORDER HERE,
GUYS. >> I SEE THE BORDER. YES, WE DON'T WANT TO GO
ANY CLOSER TO THE CONGO. >> narrator: THE TEAM IS EXACTLY
WHERE THEY WANT TO BE ON THE RIVER, BUT JUST 100 FEET
AWAY IS THE BORDER WITH THE DANGEROUS REPUBLIC OF CONGO. >> PROBLEM IS, WE'RE GETTING
A LITTLE BIT TOO CLOSE TO THE CONGO SIDE. WE DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR
OVER THE FRONT-- THIS IS WHAT THEY CALL
THE "FRONTIER RIVER." BECAUSE IT COULD CAUSE MORE
SORTS OF COMPLICATIONS FOR US. WE'RE AT THE DEEP PART
OF THE RIVER, 15 FEET, BUT WE CAN'T STAY HERE,
BECAUSE IT'S POLITICALLY SENSITIVE. >> narrator: GIBBONS AND MULLIN
BELIEVE THE MAJOR REASONS WHY THIS ANIMAL HASN'T BEEN FOUND
IS THE REMOTE LOCATION AND THE THREAT OF SEARCHING
IN SUCH A DANGEROUS AREA. >> YES, WE HAVE TO GO. >> OKAY, LET'S GO. [motor rumbles]
>> narrator: THEY ARE VERY CLOSE BUT CANNOT TAKE THE RISK. THEY RELUCTANTLY HEAD BACK
TO CAMP. ON THE WAY BACK,
THEY COLLECT THE CAMERA TRAPS. >> I AM ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT'S ON
THESE BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL TURN UP NEXT. LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND. MOTION 44. PICTURE THREE OF THREE. SO WE HAVE GOTTEN SOME PICTURES
IN HERE. >> narrator: THEY EXAMINE THEM,
BUT NO UNUSUAL ANIMALS HAVE BEEN PICKED UP ON THE CAMERAS. THIS<i> MONSTER QUEST</i> EXPEDITION
HAS MADE SOME INTERESTING DISCOVERIES. HITS ON THE EXPEDITION TEAM'S
SONAR INDICATED THERE ARE LARGE, UNKNOWN, SERPENT-LIKE ANIMALS
THAT LIVE BENEATH THE WATERS HERE. THEY ALSO LOCATED A CAVE SYSTEM
THAT THEY BELIEVE MAY BE THE HIBERNATION GROUNDS
FOR AN UNKNOWN CREATURE. AND THE SCIENCE TEAM DETERMINED
THAT FOOTPRINTS TAKEN HERE IN 2004 WERE NOT THOSE
FROM A LIVING DINOSAUR. >> WE'RE GETTING CLOSER
ALL THE TIME, AND WHO KNOWS? THE NEXT EXPEDITION,
WE MIGHT GET SOME FILM. >> THERE WERE SOME LONG
SERPENTINE THINGS THAT WERE A LITTLE HARD TO DEFINE. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK
AND UNCOVER SOME OF THOSE MYSTERIES. >> AND A SAUROPOD DINOSAUR,
YOU KNOW, IS A HARD THING TO MISS, AND THERE'S NO SIGN
THAT THERE'S BEEN ANY DINOSAUR IN AFRICA IN THE LAST 65 MILLION
YEARS. >> THE<i> MOKELE-MBEMBE</i>
IDENTIFICATION IS A MATTER OF CONJECTURE. BUT ALL THE DESCRIPTIVE MATERIAL
THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCUMULATE SUGGESTS THAT WE ARE
DEALING WITH A SMALL SAUROPOD DINOSAUR. DINOSAUR.
