BY EMERSON LAYNE

Deep within the Gobi deserts of Mongolia, past the mountains of sand and vast wastelands, lives something almost terrifying. Deep below the sand lives a worm-like creature that is said to attack livestock and people. It spits acid, drags its prey into the sand, and bursts… electricity? Meet the Mongolian Death Worm. 

The Mongolian Death Worm, or known locally as the Olgoi-Khorkhoi, is a large worm-like creature that is said to resemble the large intestine of a person due to its bright red coloring. The Death Worm is roughly 2 to 7 feet long with a somewhat segmented body. The Death Worm is said to spit corrosive yellow acid at its victim, the acid itself is so poisonous that the prey dies instantly. The Death Worm then drags its prey below the sand to consume it. Nomads and locals of the region believe that the Death Worm has the ability to generate blasts of electricity to stun its prey. Also according to urban legend, the Mongolian Death Worm is responsible for dragging countless people and livestock to their deaths, their remains never to be seen again. 

Due to the sparse region and having been under control of the Soviet Union until 1990, not much is known about the Death Worm. Many researchers including Ivan Yefremov, Ivan Mackerle, and Richard Freeman went to search for the Mongolian Death Worm. All concluded that many locals have reported seeing the creature themselves, but ultimately all the researchers came up empty handed. Scientists believe that the Mongolian Death Worm is most likely a limbless snake or lizard that burrows beneath the sand. Scientists doubt that the Mongolian Death Worm is an actual worm, since annelids would have an extremely difficult time surviving in the conditions of the Gobi desert. It is also doubted that the Death Worm is able to generate electricity like it does in the legend. 

In pop culture, there are many depictions of burrowing worms that are based on the Mongolian Death Worm. In Tremors, Graboids are based on the Death Worm besides in coloration and size. The Death Worm made an appearance on the tv show, Lost Tapes, that featured the Death Worms attacking ATV riders in the Mongolian Desert. There was also a movie back in 2010 by Syfy called Mongolian Death Worm about an oil company awakening a nest of Death Worms. 

While it is doubted that the Mongolian Death Worm is an actual worm, it’s still a very deadly creature. So if you ever visit the Gobi Desert, watch out for flying acid.