mˈækəl hɐz sˈɛd ʌv hɪz ˈɪntɹɛst ɪnðə mˈoʊkəlˈɛmbˈɛmb, “aɪ ɐdmˈɪt ðæt maɪ ˈoʊn vjˈuːz ɑːɹ tˈɪndʒd wɪð sˌʌm ɹoʊmˈæntɪsˌɪzəm, bˌʌt sˈɜːʔn̩li nˌɑːt tə ðɪ ɛkstˈɛnt ðæt aɪ wʊd ɛndˈʊɹ ɛkstɹˈiːm hˈɑːɹdʃɪp, ˈiːvən ɹˈɪsk maɪ lˈaɪf, tə pɚsˈuː ɐ dɹˈiːm wɪð nˈoʊ bˈeɪsɪs ɪn ɹɪˈælᵻɾi.”
Mackal has said of his interest in the Mokele-mbembe, “I admit that my own views are tinged with some romanticism, but certainly not to the extent that I would endure extreme hardship, even risk my life, to pursue a dream with no basis in reality.”