Monsters of Mongolia’s Gobi Desert
Those who are familiar with legendary beasts such as the Chupacabra and the Yeti are sure to have knowledge of the Mongolian Death Worm. In Mongolia, sightings of these creatures are common, and tales of their uncanny abilities are a mainstay of local culture. Simply mentioning the name of this fearsome monster is said by Mongolians to bring bad luck.
Individuals have claimed that the Mongolian Death Worm has the ability to spray a yellowish acid that is extremely corrosive and even fatal. Other reports have stated that the Death Worm has the ability to kill instantly at a distance by means of some sort of electrical bolt. It is unclear whether witnesses believe that these electrical powers are due to possible psychic abilities held by the worm or whether the phenomenon is physiological, such as the shock emitted by an electric eel. Locals have also claimed that touching any part of the worm can bring instantaneous death, though it is unclear whether this would arise from the worm’s electrical properties or from the emission of a poisonous substance on its skin.
In terms of appearance, the Mongolian Death Worm is supposedly two to four feet long, bright red in color, and quite rotund. Individuals have reported that the worms seem to be attracted to the color yellow. In Mongolian, one of its names is ‘Allghoi Khorkhoi,’ which roughly translates to ‘intestine worm,’ as Mongolians believe the worm resembles a cow’s intestine. As with most other worms, it is difficult to discern which end is the head and which end is the tail. On certain occasions, Mongolian tribesmen have described the Mongolian Death Worm as having sets of spikes that seem to emerge from both the tail and the head. Other than these spikes, the worm has no mouth, eyes or nose that are visible. Witnesses have described that the worm moves in an odd fashion, squirming sideways and rolling across the ground instead of using a slithering motion that is common to other worms and most snakes.
According to residents of Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, which is home to the fabled creature, the Mongolian Death Worm is active almost exclusively in the summer months of June and July. Apparently, the worm prefers to be active only during the warmest parts of the year, and will often emerge from the ground shortly after it has rained. The worm will typically spend the rest of the year burrowed underground, and locals believe that the worms usually create their burrows in the vicinity of plant life.
Despite numerous reports of sightings over the years, no actual evidence of the Mongolian Death Worm has ever been found. Since the fall of Mongolia’s Communist regime in the 1990s several expeditions have set out into the Gobi Desert to confirm the existence of the worm, but with no success. There are, however, several planned expeditions to the Southern area of the Gobi Desert, where most sighting reports originate.