Nandi bear

[stereologist]

The continent of Africa does not have bears. The last bears were brown bears in the Atlas mountains.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandi_bear

Could there be an existing bear on the African continent? Descriptions do not match a brown bear.

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Descriptions of the Nandi bear are of a ferocious, powerfully built carnivore with high front shoulders (over four feet tall) and a sloping back. Stories of the Nandi bear state that it is fierce, nocturnal, stands on its hind legs and can kill animals.^[4] Charles William Hobley authored a diagram of its supposed foot in 1913.^[4][5]

The Nandi people call it "kerit". Local legend holds that the Nandi bear has reddish hair, long feet and is said to scalp people.^[1] In 1961, Gardner Soule noted that sightings were reported in Kenya throughout the 19th century and early 20th century but it "never has been caught or identified".^[6] Sightings of the Nandi bear decreased over time. In 1905, Richard Meinertzhagen speculated that it may have been an "anthropoid ape now extinct on account of decreased rainfall."^[

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_bear

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The Atlas bear was Africa's only native bear species that survived into modern times. Once inhabiting the Atlas Mountains and neighbouring areas, from Morocco to Libya, the animal is now thought to be extinct.

What is odd is that some cryptozoologists use photos of sun bears, a southeast Asian species, when discussing the nandi bear.

 

[+joc]

4 hours ago, stereologist said:

The continent of Africa does not have bears. The last bears were brown bears in the Atlas mountains.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandi_bear

Could there be an existing bear on the African continent? Descriptions do not match a brown bear.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_bear

What is odd is that some cryptozoologists use photos of sun bears, a southeast Asian species, when discussing the nandi bear.

 

It's obviously the African version of:

ahem...bigfoot

[stereologist]

https://cryptidarchives.fandom.com/wiki/Nandi_bear

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Various different cryptids have been lumped together under the name of Nandi bear, and cryptozoologists have identified it as an amalgamation of various animals,[7] including perhaps two genuine unknown animals: a giant hyena and a giant baboon, although identities of a living chalicothere and an unknown bear have also been suggested.[2][1][8] There have been few or no sightings since the 20th Century, and it has been suggested that the Nandi bear, if it existed, is now extinct.

The link has lots of information about the Nandi including that it has changed shape over time as so many cryptids seem to do.

It also states that locals saw the creature yet Europeans that moved into the area did not for quite some time.