Also known as Mongolian Death Worm and Olgoi-Khorkhoi ("large intestine worm").
Allegedly, a fat, bright red snakelike animal measuring two to five feet in length that supposedly has the dramatic ability to kill people and animals instantly at a range of several feet.
The Mongolian Death Worm is believed to accomplish this by either spraying an enormously lethal poison, or by somehow transmitting high electrical charges into its victims.
The worm is said to be found solely in the sand dunes of the southern part of the Gobi Desert; Allghoi Khorkhoi (local name, meaning "intestine worm," because its color and appearance resemble a living cow’s intestine) is so feared among the people of Mongolia that the simple mention of it is considered bad luck. It is believed that touching any part of the worm will bring instant death, and its venom supposedly corrodes metal.
The Mongolian Death Worm is also reported to be able to kill at a distance by means of its electric discharges.
Local folklore also tells of a predilection for the color yellow and local parasitic plants such as the Goyo. It is also believed that the worm likes to get out on the ground generally after the rain, when the ground is still wet.
First reported in the late 1920s, the Mongolian Death Worm is said to emerge during the hot months of June and July and to hibernate the rest of the year.
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