Olitiau

An Olitiau is a gigantic cryptid bat (or flying reptile) found 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.

Description

Olitiau are said to have 6-12 foot wingspans. Their body is black, though their wings have been described as either dark brown or red. Their lower jaws are reputed to contain 2 inch, serrated teeth with equal spacing between each tooth.

Sightings

While hunting Hammer-headed fruit bats in southern Cameroon, Ivan 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".

Possibilities

  • Hammer-headed fruit bats have the largest wingspan of any bat in Africa: up to 3 feet. It is possible that a large Hammer-headed fruit bat, when viewed close up for an instant, can appear larger.
  • Yellow-winged bats has the largest wingspan of any insectivorous bat in Africa. Although it is only up to 16 inches, 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 Shuker suggested the animal may belong to the suborder Microchiroptera.
  • A surviving Pterosaur. 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 Paleogene, let alone today.

References

  • George M. Eberhart. Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology. Volume Two N-Z Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2002. Pp. 405-406.
  • Ivan T. Sanderson. Animal Treasure. New York: Viking, 1937. Pp. 300-301.
  • Ivan T. Sanderson. Investigating the Unexplained. Englewood cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1972. pp. 39-44.
  • Bernard Heuvelmans. Les Derniers Dragons d’Afrique. Paris: Plon, 1978. Pp.436-445.
  • Karl Shuker. The Beasts That Hide From Man. New York: Paraview, 2003. Pp.84-107. ISBN 1-931044-64-3