The Kidoky is a mysterious lemur-like animal that is said to live in the jungles of Madagascar. It is very shy and very elusive and it is a popular subject of the stories and myths of the local people. While many insist that the Kidoky is a real animal, there are many others who believe it is a myth or misidentification of other animals.
| Cryptid Name: | Kidoky |
| Location: | Jungles of Madagascar |
| Category: | Primate Cryptid. |
| Description: | A lemur-like animal, about 5 feet tall, with long, dark hair. It has a whooping call that is similar to that of an Indri. |
| Size: | 5 Feet (1.5m) Tall. |
| Behavior/Characteristics: | Shy and elusive. |
| Diet: | Unknown – Speculated to an omnivore. |
| Habitat/Environment: | Jungles of Madagascar |
| Evidence: | No concrete evidence, such as photographs or physical remains. |
| Sightings and Encounters: | Many reports of sightings over the years, but no scientific evidence to support their existence |
| Skepticism/Explanations: | Misidentification of animals, hoaxes, and pareidolia (the tendency to see familiar patterns in random images). |
Kidoky Appearance
The Kidoky is described as having a human-like face with dark fur and distinctive white spots on its forehead and below its mouth. It is said to have features that are similar to humans or other primates and it is about the size of a 7-year-old child.
The call of the Kidoky is described as a long single “whoop,” which could potentially be used for communication or territorial marking.
Kidoky Behaviour
The Kidoky is very shy and will avoid humans at all costs. Although it lives in the forests it is said to prefer the forest floor rather than the trees and moves in a series of leaps and bounds along the ground. It is also said that it can stand on two legs.
It is believed to be a solitary animal although there is no conclusive evidence to prove this.
Investigations
In 1995, researchers David Burney and Ramilisonina visited Belo sur Mer in Madagascar. During their research, they recorded stories from the locals about the Kidory.
Kidoky Sightings
During their investigations, there were two notable Kidoky eyewitness reports.
Eyewitness 1
The first eyewitness report came from an 85-year-old man named Jean Noelson Pascou. He reported that he had seen the Kidoky in 1952 and although he said that the animal looked similar to a Sifaka, he insisted that it was definitely a different animal (it is from his eyewitness account that the descriptions above were taken).
Mr. Pascou could imitate the call of the Kidoy and he said that the creature would draw closer to him if he imitated it. The researchers noted that the call was similar to that of the Indri. The researchers showed Mr. Pascou a picture of the Indri but he said that it didn’t look like that but rather had more of a rounded face similar to a sifaka.
Source
Eyewitness 2
The second recorded sighting came from a man by the name of François, a woodcutter who spent a lot of time in the forests of Madagascar. He reported that he and five friends had seen the Kidoky. Their descriptions of the animal match Mr. Pascou’s description. They confirmed that they had not seen the animal climb a tree. The men demonstrated its movement and the researchers noted that the animal’s sideways leaping was very baboon-like. The men also agreed that by imitating the Kidoky’s call they could draw it closer to them.
Similar Animals
From the eyewitness accounts, the researchers compared the Kidoky to the Sifaka and the Indri. This is what they look like:
Source: Christophe Germain, CC BY-SA 4.0
Source: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0
Skepticism
Unfortunately, there is currently no scientific proof that the Kidoky does exist. While some speculate that it is a new undiscovered species, there are some who believe it is simply an existing animal that is being misidentified. And of course, there is the possibility that it is just a myth. Until more research is done, whether the Tidoky is real or not will remain a mystery.
Similar Cryptids
Kalanoro – Hominid Cryptid – Madagascar
