Jba Fofi

"The J'ba Fofi (Baka: "giant spider"), also known as the Congolese Giant Spider is a cryptozoological creature that is said to exist in the Congo, possibly representing a new species of arachnid. It is considered a cryptid and only in recent years has received publicity." said Robert B. Durham. [1]

"The J'ba Fofi is described as having a brownish body similar to that of a tarantula, with a legspan of four to six feet. Juvenile versions possess yellow coloring that turns brown as they grow older." said Robert B. Durham. [1]

History

"Sightings of the J'ba Fofi have been primarily in Africa, and achieved the most recent publicity due to the work of Mokele-Mbembe researcher William Gibbons," said Robert B. Durham.[1] William Gibbons is a creationist who is associated with the Institute for Creation Research.

1938: Congo

Reginald and Margurite Lloyd were driving a Ford truck through a trail when they reportedly spotted a spider as large as a monkey. It resembled a tarantula, but had an estimated leg-span of 5 feet. Their daughter, Maurgurite Lloyd, would later relate this story in the 1990s to William Gibbons.

1942: Papua, New Guinea

An Australian soldier at the Kokoda Trail said that he encountered a puppy-sized spider inhabiting a 10 to 15 foot sized web. It was described as being black with a bulky body, as well as hairy like a tarantula.

1948: Leesville, Louisiana, United States

William Slaydon and his grandchildren were walking north on Highway 171 to church when he motioned them to stop. After hearing a rustling in the bushes ahead, a spider described as the size of a washtub emerged and crossed the road. One of the grandchildren later told this story to his own son, Todd Partain, director of the documentary film "Eyes In The Dark: The Sasquatch Experience."

2001: Cameroon

Timbo, chief of the Baka tribe in Cameroon, tells William Gibbons that in November 2000 a J'ba Fofi had built a nest near their village.

2011: Amazon

British cinematographer Richard Terry travelled to the Amazon to investigate reports of giant spiders in the June 13th episode of Man v. Monster. At a remote village, he was informed that giant spiders lived in holes deep within the jungle. These spiders measured roughly four feet in diameter.

2013:Missouri

A man named L. Smith spots a giant spider while he was fishing. The j'ba Fofi had grabbed his water canteen, then had crawled away very fast. L. Smith said that the incident only lasted a few seconds, and describes what he saw as a large hairy spider with long legs. He also said that it "moved like a spider catching it's prey."

Habitat and behavior

The spiders are described by Baka natives as weaving lairs made of leaves and spinning a circular web between two trees. The animals are said to prey upon birds, duiker, and other small game animals. The Baka told Gibbons that these spiders are now rare due to dwindling habitat.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Durham, Robert B. (2015). Modern Folklore. Cary, North Carolina: Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1-312-90969-4.

See also

Selected external links cited in Durham's book

Bibliography

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