Mountain Nyala

The Mountain Nyala is another example of a cryptid-turned-real, a large spiral-horned antelope from Ethiopia that was considered myth by European naturalists until formally documented in 1908. Local Oromo people long spoke of a ghostly, elusive antelope inhabiting the highland forests, stories that were often dismissed until Western explorers finally confirmed its existence. The Mountain Nyala’s shy nature and the rugged terrain of its habitat kept it hidden for centuries, fueling its aura of mystery. Even today, it remains an elusive quarry for wildlife photographers and researchers, embodying how living creatures can walk the fine edge between folklore and established science, especially in remote or politically unstable regions where systematic surveys are rare.