Are Dinosaurs Still Alive?

Most people think dinosaurs are extinct... but they may all be wrong.

Reports of creatures whose description matches that of a living dinosaur have been reported over the years. Lots of the reports have come from the swamps and jungles of Africa, but reports have also come  from other places.

The Arica Monster has been spotted in the deserts in Arica, Chile and is thought to be a surviving dromeosaur or ornithomimid.

Ornithomimid, what the Arica monster is thought to look like

Burrunjor is described as some kind of giant lizard that is about 30 feet long(or perhaps more!) It has been sighted in New South Wales, Arnhem Land, and Cape York Peninsula. Some people think it is a perentie, which is Australia's largest lizard, or possibly a surviving megalania, an extinct giant lizard like a komodo dragon.

Burrunjor

Emela Ntouka is a creature said to be an "aquatic rhinoceros", but some think it is a surviving ceratopsian. 

Ceratopsian

Drawing of the Emela-Ntouka

Mbielu-Mbielu-Mbielu is supposedly a live stegosaur. 

The Mokele-Mbembe is the best known of the possible living dinosaurs, and is thought to be a living sauropod. Reports of the creature mainly come form Lake Tele in Congo, Africa. Numerous expeditions have searched for the creature, and one expedition is hopefully going to happen later this year or in 2015.

Drawing of Mokele-Mbembe

For more on living dinosaurs, click here.

Sauropod Dinosaur

Some other extinct creatures, like pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, saber toothed cats, megalania, and giant ground sloths are thought by some people to still be alive.

Karl Shuker has written a book on the subject of living dinosaurs called In Search of Prehistoric Survivors, which came out in the '90s and may be reissued later this year.

One creature, a fish called the coelacanth, was thought to be extinct since 65 million years ago was found alive off the coast of Africa in the 1930s. The fish now has a holiday on December 23. 

Coelacanth

Do you think dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and plesiosaurs could still be alive? If so, which kinds? Leave your answers in the comments.