Expedition Alghoi Khorkhoi 2003

In search of the mythic Gobi death worm 

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Extreme expedtitions is an English team which seeks the unknown and mythical creatures all around the world. June 1, 2003 after a long preparation, the two founders, Andrew Sanderson and Adam Daviesflew arrived to Mongolia at the research of the "Alghoi Khorkhoi", the death worm of Gobi. They were accomodated by the team of e-Mongol who guided their expedition.

Impressed by the vastness of the landscapes, they started to their search in a small museum of the south Gobi (Yolin ann) where is displayed a sculpture of the Alghoi.

Then, on the basis of indications given by the guide of the museum and a local journalist specialist in the subject, they drove to the south of Dalanzagad to remote and extremely little visited areas, and met eyewitnesses having seen the animal in the past.

The team remained one the rare spot of observation under a wild burning sun with the only company of the wolves, scorpions, spiders, ticks, snakes and other dangerous small beasts but  were unlucky to see the worm.

Andrew and Adam returned to England with more information and testimonys than expected; even if they did not succeed to demonstrate the physical existence of Alghoi, testimonys collected enable them to advance the assumption that the animal would be a snake and not a digger worm like generally described. They also returned with the memory of the received reception and did not have enough words to describe the "fantastic" service of E-Mongol.

Further information about expedition 

  Complete tales and photoes on their website, click on the capture here below

  The Alghoi Khorkhoi (literally intestinal worm) is a mythical animal known by mongolians since long time but not indexed by science for the reason that no specimen could yet be captured or studied.

It is described like a big worm of approximately 80 cm length living in very remote sand areas of Gobi desert and leaving to the free air only very seldom, in summer. He is considered as a  "terrible" animal able to kill in an unexplained way any man who touch it (poison, static electricity?)

The first report on this animal came from the famous paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews which was asked to capture it by the Prime Minister of Mongolia in 1922.

The local belief of the existence of Alghoi Khorkhoi is very widespread and could accredit the assumption that an unknown animal, worm or reptile could still remain unknown by science from its great discretion and its desertic and hostile unhabitat.

Some links to learn more :

http://www.cfz.org.uk/

http://www.forteantimes.com/articles/182_deathworm1.shtml

See also the tales and photoes of the 2005 expedition

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