First Encounter: March 1995 in Puerto Rico, 8 sheep were found dead, and most peculiarly they were found with three puncture marks in their chests. It was reported they were drained of blood. Weeks later, an eyewitness described the creature with the following description:
Description: Reptilian creature with spines funning down the top of its head to its tail; large eyes; greenish skin; kangaroo type hop.
Since these dead livestock were found, several other incidents have popped up all over the world, claimed to be chupacabra attacks.
Theories: Cult sacrifices; coyotes with severe mange; alien-reptilian hybrid.
Benjamin Radford:
Benjamin Radford, after the first encounter with chupacabra surfaced, started doing his own research, gathering resources, and writing a book on the chupacabra. His findings were inconclusive. However, he brought up some good points about the chupacabra and those who have claimed to see it.
- The first witness to have seen chupacabra described it in a way that resembled Sil
from the film Species. This film was seen by the said witness before her encounter, which leads Radford to believe her sighting may be suspect. - Other witnesses that came after the first witness described chupacabra, mostly the same way, leading Radford to believe they were piggy-backing on each other, but often the sightings had an added detail, such as red eyes and wings.
- Bodies of dead livestock were not completely drained of blood like reports led readers to believe.
- All bodies of chupacabra shot by ranchers in the US have been positively identified as coyotes, wolves, or raccoons with severe mange.
Benjamin has a great article found at Skeptical Inquirer. Link is below. He also goes into the folklore of the chupacabra that is spread all over the world and the inconsistencies there are. It actually makes me less of a believer than I was…
El Vampire de Moca:
In the 1970s Puerto Rico was home to another bloodsucker, El Vampiro de Moca. Like chupacabra, it fed on livestock, and also like the chupacabra, it was explained away by stray dogs.
I want to say this in closing: though it seems that the case is closed on the chupacabra, that more than likely the problem is coyotes, a very simple solution, my question is this: why would a hungry coyote leave puncture marks into a body and not eat any of the flesh?
Sources:
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