Country file · Africa
Cryptids of Senegal
What cryptids are in Senegal? The best-known is Ninki Nanka.
Senegal and its neighbour the Gambia share the Senegambia, a region of broad rivers, mangrove creeks and the green lowlands of the Casamance. In the swamps of this coast the Mandinka and other peoples tell of the Ninki Nanka, a dragon of the marsh whose gaze is said to bring death. The tale serves as a warning to children, who are told to stay away from dangerous waters, and it has been carried into music: the Senegalese group Touré Kunda recorded a song of that name in 1984.
- 1 cryptid
- 3 recorded sightings
Cryptids reported in Senegal
The legends of Senegal
Outsiders have taken a closer interest since 2006, when a team from the Centre for Fortean Zoology travelled to the Gambia to interview people who claimed to have seen the creature. They returned with second-hand testimony, since local belief holds that those who see the Ninki Nanka die soon after, and with an object that proved not to be biological. For most visitors the region’s real wildlife – crocodiles, hippos and river birds – is the more rewarding sight.
Hotspots
- Gambia River National Park (The Gambia)
Forested islands and creeks on the river, at the heart of the Ninki Nanka’s reputed range.
- Casamance, Ziguinchor region
Mangrove and rice-field country in southern Senegal whose culture produced the 1984 Touré Kunda album Casamance au clair de lune.
Sightings timeline
- 1906Colonial commissioner’s report Ninki Nanka
A commissioner’s report described a ‘gigantic crowned serpent’ in thick bush that was believed to bring sickness or death to those who saw it.
- 1984Touré Kunda’s ‘Ninki Nanka’ Ninki Nanka
The Senegalese group Touré Kunda released a song titled ‘Ninki Nanka’ on the album Casamance au clair de lune, showing the legend’s presence in modern popular culture.
- Summer 2006The Gambia expedition Ninki Nanka
The Centre for Fortean Zoology’s team interviewed people who claimed to have seen the creature. The leader said the testimony was mostly second-hand, and a possible scale was reported to be non-biological.