Any pulp science-fiction novel or sci-fi movie fan would agree that a death-inducing worm would be a perfect cast on the plot of the mentioned film and novel genres. But just when you thought the Mongolian Death Worm is just a work of a fictitious mind, then think twice since there are theories and beliefs that speculates the existence of the worm in the Gobi desert.
"One of the world's most sensational creatures may be concealed amid the sands of the southern Gobi desert. ... It is said to resemble a large fat worm, up to 1 meter (3 feet) long and dark red in color, with spike-like projections at both ends. It spends much of its time hidden beneath the desert sands, but whenever one is spotted lying on the surface it is scrupulously avoided by the locals." - Karl Shuker,"The Unexplained: An Illustrated Guide to the World's Paranormal Mysteries" (2002, Metro Books)Legends say that the dreaded Mongolian Death Worm was often called olgoi-khorkhoi or loosely translated, "large intestine worm" by locals. The deadly worm can kill in several gruesome ways, including spitting a stream of corrosive venom that is lethal to anything it hits, and if that doesn't do the trick it is said to be able to electrocute its victims from a distance. Due to this powerful yet deadly characteristics of the worm, multiple expeditions were created to find the worm. But these expeditions come back home empty handed despite their numerous efforts in capturing the deadly worm.
A wide range featuring a variety of explanations have been offered for the animal's origin, including perhaps it was a misidentified or just a new species of snake. Researchers such as Shuker and author Richard Freeman concludes that the Mongolian Death Worm likely does not exist, and the belief is instead based upon sightings of either a type of limbless reptile known as worm lizard.
The search for the Mongolian Death Worm still fascinates explorers despite failed attempts made in the past, there's still hope in the upcoming explorers and researchers that the dreaded worm's origin of existence will soon be discovered and exposed to the world. But same with the hunger for information, there's also a huge chance that the Mongolian Death Worm is truly a legend after all and we just need to accept the fact that we are mystified with the urban tale of this legendary animal.