This illustration of the kongamato was drawn by Philippe Coudray in his 2009 book Guide des animaux cachés. This creature was claimed to be seen in Zambia and Zimbabwe, especially in the Jiwundu Swamp of Zambia. It was originally talked about in stories by the Kaondé people, however no actual sightings of a creature resembling the kongamato were claimed until the 1950s. While the Kaondé people described the kongamato as a flying lizard, the 1950s brought in sightings of pterosaur-like creatures.

While some researchers do believe in the surviving pterosaur theory, others disagree. Some believe it may just be a misidentified existing species, such as a large species of bat. Sightings appear to have stopped before 1997, as some reports state that native residents of the Jiwundu Swamp no longer recognize the descriptions of the kongamato.