Agogwe

## Overview and Evidence

The **Agogwe** is an ape-like creature reported to dwell deep within the forested areas of East Africa, particularly Tanzania. Also known as the Kakundakari and the Kilomba, the agogwe is one of the lesser known of the cryptozoological hominids, likely due to its remote habitat.

The agogwe differs from most other similar hominids with its small size. Whereas most 'Bigfoot'-type cryptids reportedly tower over most humans, agogwes range from three to five feet in height and usually weigh no more than 150 or so pounds, according to eyewitnesses. Its skin color is often said to be an orangish color, although it is usually obscured from view by the woolly reddish hair that covers its entire body. Other colors such as black or gray have also been reported. Another difference from other similar hominids involves its big toes, which are opposable like those of known non-human apes.

No formal expeditions to locate the agogwe are known to have been initiated, leading to a lack of physical evidence. In addition, most eyewitness accounts originate in the early to mid 20th century with very few reports in recent years, although this could also be chalked up to the remote locations it allegedly inhabits.

Some cryptozoologists, such as Bernard Heuvelmans, have hypothesized that agogwes are actually a relic population of australopithecines, a group of early hominids that modern humans descend from. While this is technically possible, the opposable big toe attributed to agogwes is not an australopithecine trait. Without physical evidence of surviving australopithecines, it is more likely that agogwes are simply misidentified chimpanzees or other monkeys.

## Alleged Sightings

### First-Person Accounts

* Cuthbert Burgoyne
* William Hichens

We were sufficiently near to land to see objects clearly with a glass of 12 magnifications. There was a sloping beach with light bush above upon which several dozen baboons where hunting for and picking up shell fish of crabs, to judge by their movements. Two pure white baboons were amongst them. These are very rare but I had heard of them previously. As we watched, two little brown men walked together out of the bush and down among the baboons. They where certainly not any known monkey and they must have been akin or they would have disturbed the baboons. They where to far away to see in detail, but these small human like animals where probably between 4 and 5 feet tall, quite upright and graceful in figure. At the time I was thrilled as they quite evidently no beast of which I had heard or read. Later a friend and big game hunter told me he was in Portuguese East Africa with his wife and three other hunters, and saw mother, father and child, of apparently similar animal species, walk across the further side of a bush clearing. The natives loudly forbade him to shoot. [sic]

Some years ago I was sent on an official lion-hunt in this area (the Ussure and Simibit forests on the western side of the Wembare plains) and, while waiting in a forest glade for a man-eater, I saw two small, brown, furry creatures come from dense forest on one side of the glade and disappear into the thickets on the other. They were like little men, about 4 feet high, walking upright, but clad in russet hair. The native hunter with me gazed in mingled fear and amazement. They were, he said, agogwe, the little furry men whom one does not see once in a lifetime. [sic]

## Popular Culture

### Television

* The agogwe appeared in an episode of *The Secret Saturdays*, a cryptid-centric cartoon that aired on Cartoon Network. It appeared in the episode "Cryptid vs. Cryptid".

## Sources

1. ↑ http://www.unknownexplorers.com/agogwe.php
2. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20100125021502/http://www.strangeark.com/reprints/beasts.html

## Gallery

### Image Gallery

An alleged photograph of the beast (image source unknown)