El Chupacabra - The Goat SuckerEl Chupacabra is Spanish for Goat Sucker, is a relatively new species Reports start from the late 80's around Central and Southern America.
The name El Chupacabra comes from the Spanish chupar "to suck" and cabra "goat", literally "goat sucker". It is a legendary creature rumoured to inhabit parts of the Americas, specifically Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the Latin American communities in the United States.
Physical descriptions of the Chupacabra vary. The most common description of the Chupacabra given by eyewitnesses is a creature about the size of a small bear, with lizard-like scales green/grey in appearance, with large dark eyes. Some also claim it has bat-like wings and a row of spines reaching from the neck to the base of the tail.
Chupacabra has been popularised by the television show "X-Files", which it featured in an episode entitled "El Mundo" in 1997.
It is widely accepted that this is a creature born from urban legends, but no scientific evidence for its existence has ever been found.
The Chupacabra is reported to feed on livestock, particularly goats, draining blood from its victims. It is also reported to be around the size of a small bear, with spines on its head and back.
Several creatures have been sighted, and a few were shot and killed, however, on examination they were found to be dogs or coyotes. The most famous Chupacabra captured was a coyote shot near San Antonio, Texas, which displayed sarcoptic mange (a flesh-eating disease) which made the poor creature look unnatural or demonic. This creature is now referred to as the Elmendorf Creature.
In late October 2010, University of Michigan biologist Barry O'Connor concluded that all of the 'chupacabras' reports in the United States were simply coyotes infected with the parasite Sarcoptes scabiei, the symptoms of which would explain most of the features of the chupacabras: have little fur, thickened skin, and rank odour. O'Connor theorised the attacks on goats occurred "because these animals are greatly weakened, they're going to have a hard time hunting. So they may be forced into attacking livestock because it's easier than running down a rabbit or a deer."
Proof of the Existence of El Chupacabra
Has the mythical El Chupacabra finally been captured? Phylis Canion from Texas, USA, discovered the body of a large creature, which had been killed on the road. Noticing that this was not an ordinary canine or coyote, Phylis, an experienced hunter, removed the head of the creature for later identification and trophy mounting.
"It is one ugly creature," Canion said, holding the head of the mammal, which has big ears, large fanged teeth and greyish-blue, mostly hairless skin.
