Olitiau
Encyclopedia
An Olitiau is a gigantic humanoid 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.
s. Their body is allegedly black, though their wings have been described as either dark brown or red. Their lower jaw
s are said to contain 2 inch long, serrated teeth with equal spacing between each tooth.
, Ivan T. Sanderson
claimed that an Olitiau swooped down on him and his hunting companion, Gerald Russel along a mountain stream in 1932. He called it "the granddaddy of all bats".
Cryptid
In cryptozoology and sometimes in cryptobotany, a cryptid is a creature or plant whose existence has been suggested but is unrecognized by scientific consensus and often regarded as highly unlikely. Famous examples include the Yeti in the Himalayas and the Loch Ness Monster in...
bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
(or flying reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
) hypothesized to exist in Central Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. 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.
Description
Olitiau are said to have 6–12 ft (1.8–3.7 ) wingspanWingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
s. Their body is allegedly black, though their wings have been described as either dark brown or red. Their lower jaw
Jaw
The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...
s are said to contain 2 inch long, serrated teeth with equal spacing between each tooth.
Claimed Sightings
While hunting Hammer-headed fruit bats in southern CameroonCameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, Ivan T. Sanderson
Ivan T. Sanderson
Ivan Terence Sanderson was a naturalist and writer born in Edinburgh, Scotland, who became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Sanderson is remembered for his nature writing and his interest in cryptozoology and paranormal subjects.-Biography:Born in Scotland, Sanderson traveled widely in...
claimed that an Olitiau swooped down on him and his hunting companion, Gerald Russel along a mountain stream in 1932. He called it "the granddaddy of all bats".
Possibilities
- Hammer-headed fruit bats have the largest wingspan of any bat in Africa: up to 3 ft (0.9144 m). It is possible that a large Hammer-headed fruit bat, when viewed close up for an instant, can appear larger.
- Yellow-winged batYellow-winged batThe Yellow-winged bat is one of five species of false vampire bat from Africa.-Description:The yellow-winged bat has a total length of 58-80 mm and a body weight of 28-36 g. Females tend to be slightly larger than males. The wingspan averages 36 cm...
s has the largest wingspan of any insectivorous bat in Africa. Although it is only up to 16 inches (40.6 cm), the scenario mentioned earlier could play a part in explaining size and the serrated teeth of an Olitiau. Yellow-winged bats are known for their yellow, sometimes orange, wings. Sighting a bat with orange wings is not far from the red wings Olitiau are reported to have. - An unknown large bat species - Karl ShukerKarl ShukerKarl P. N. Shuker is a British zoologist, cryptozoologist, and author living in the West Midlands, England. He works as a full-time freelance zoological consultant, media consultant, and noted author specializing in cryptozoology.- Career :...
followed Sanderson in suggesting the animal may belong to the suborder Microchiroptera. - There is also the possibility that a member of one of the larger species of bats could experience abnormal growth, becoming larger than average size.
- A surviving PterosaurPterosaurPterosaurs were flying reptiles of the clade or order Pterosauria. They existed from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous Period . Pterosaurs are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight...
. Although Ivan Sanderson insisted that what he saw was a bat there is some evidence to suggest that pterosaurs had hair or hairlike structures, though there is no evidence that any were still alive in the PaleogenePaleogeneThe Paleogene is a geologic period and system that began 65.5 ± 0.3 and ended 23.03 ± 0.05 million years ago and comprises the first part of the Cenozoic Era...
, let alone today.
Popular culture
- The Sanderson incident is often used as an example of a KongamatoKongamatoThe Kongamato is a reported pterosaur-like creature said to have been seen by natives and explorers in the Mwinilunga district's Jiundu swamps of Western Zambia, Angola and Congo...
sighting. - The olitiau was the subject of Lost TapesLost TapesLost Tapes is an American horror/thriller docudrama television series that airs on Animal Planet. Produced by Go Go Luckey Entertainment, the program presents fictional found footage depicting traumatic encounters with cryptozoological creatures , including the Chupacabra and Bigfoot, and even...
, described as "Cave Demons". It was shown as a giant bat. Curiously, it is described as coming from the Tora BoraTora BoraTora Bora , known locally as Spīn Ghar , is a cave complex situated in the White Mountains of eastern Afghanistan, in the Pachir Wa Agam District of Nangarhar province, approximately west of the Khyber Pass and north of the border of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in Pakistan...
caves in AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, rather than CameroonCameroonCameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
. - It also appeared in the video game The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th SunThe Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th SunThe Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun is the first videogame of The Secret Saturdays series. It was released October 20, 2009.-Plot:...
as an ally.