Artwork by hantutama
The waterbobbejan or fudu is a large baboon cryptid reported from South Africa.
Etymology[]
Waterbobbejan is an Afrikaans word for “water baboon”.
Description[]
Drawing depicting a waterbobbejan eating a snake, artwork by an unknown artist.
This has the alias “South African Bigfoot”, but the reported features do not resemble Bigfoot much, but rather show the characteristics of a large baboon. The waterbobbejan is a creature like baboon, with reddish body hair, strong, long forelimbs, and reaches a height of 6 feet when upright. Timid by nature, it lives alone near water, behind waterfalls, and in caves. It is omnivorous, appearing in human settlements to steal and eat orange fruits and livestock.
Sighting[]
In 1965, two boys witnessed a waterbobbejan at a place called Leeufontein farm, located between Koster and Swartruggens.
The National Cryptid Society considered a report of an encounter with a Bigfoot-like creature in Mpumulanga in 2014 as a possible waterbobbejan.[1]
Explanations[]
According to cryptozoologist George Eberhart, waterbobbejan's true identity may be that of a local monkey species, such as Chacma baboon or samango monkey. In case where a waterbobbejan was claimed to have been shot dead by local residents, the carcass was actually found to be a samango monkey.
Also, a book released in Japan states that its identity may be Australopithecus, which is not so similar to the reported features.
Source[]
- Hall, Sian "Rumble in the Jungle", Fortean Times 111 (November 1998)
- book: George M. Eberhart(2002). Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology. Abc-Clio Inc. ISBN 979-1576072836
- book: 未確認生物ミステリー研究会（2014）衝撃ミステリーファイル1 UMA未確認生物大図鑑 (衝撃ミステリーファイル 1) ISBN 978-4791622153
- ↑ The National Cryptid Society, Makumazaan? Waterbobbejan? South African Trucker has a “Bigfoot” Encounter （September 16, 2017）https://nationalcryptidsociety.org/2017/09/16/ncs-case-file-50/