Chupacabra spotted in Texas! These days hearing that is about as common as hearing about Big Foot being seen in the Olympic Mountains in Washington or Nessie popping her head out of Loch Ness. But this time a Chupacabra wasn’t just spotted. On September 3, 2009 a man in Blanco, Texas claims to have killed one of the legendary critters and is keeping its body at a nearby taxidermy school and pictures and video of the body of the creature was taken.
What is a Chupacabra? The name comes from two Spanish words and literally means “goat sucker”. It received this vividly descriptive name because this creature supposedly feeds by attacking livestock (especially goats) and drinking the blood. This legendary creature is said to live mainly in parts of the Americas. Most of the alleged sightings in recent years have been in Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the southwestern United States. The Chupacabra is actually considered to be a modern-day legend because biologists and wildlife officials state that any evidence of their existence is not scientific enough to establish them as being real.
The earliest and most common description of a Chupacabra is as reptile-like, with leathery grayish skin and spines or quills on the back. This version of the Chupacabra can stand on its back legs and hop like a kangaroo. Other descriptions are somewhat different and seem to be the more predominant “version” reported in recent years. Numerous sightings have been made throughout Texas, some in California, and even in Maine. But the descriptions of these creatures always seem to be along the lines of a hairless dog-like animal with spiny ridges on the back. Biologists are quick to insist that these are coyotes with mange. The alleged Chupacabra being held for study in Blanco, Texas right now fits this description and is about the size of a greyhound with long thin legs like those of a greyhond. It has no hair and appears to have blue-gray skin. It does actually appear to have a bumpy spine and no tail.
In 2007 another rancher in South Texas claims that she had what she believes to be a Chupacabra living and feeding on her ranch for many years. She says the blue-colored creature would reach into her chicken coop, pull out the head of the chicken, and suck the blood, leaving the emaciated chicken in the cage. Two dozen chickens were killed in the manner and three of the mythic creatures were spotted in the area during this time. One was hit by a car and the rancher has pictures of what she says is a Chupacabra.
The description of the creatures spotted in south Texas match the description of the one killed in Blanco, Texas just recently. Looking at the pictures taken in 2007 and the video taken of the recent “acquisition”, they do appear to be the same type of animal. However, in the case of the south Texas “Chupacabras”, a mammalogist insists that the creature was a grey fox with a case of mange so bad that it lost all its hair. So is that what we have in Blanco, Texas, also: Another poor little fox with a bad skin condition? Or is that just too much coincidence?
Do these creatures really exist? If there were only one description of a Chupacabra, this might be easier to say. There are some many different versions of what a Chupacabra looks like, how can we ever know for sure if these things are just a coyote, a mangy fox, a mutant kangaroo that lost his way from Australia, or really a Chupacabra?
© 2009, Captain Ahab. All rights reserved.
Looking at the pictures, to me the animal is a dog, which is usually black and almost hairless.
I know it’s a dog because my family used to own one, and among all other dogs we had, it was the best of all in many ways.
It’s called “XOLOITZCUINTLI” which is a Mexican Aztec-bred dog. Ours was strange to look at, but an exceptional dog. He was a playful and very strong dog. Never even tried to bite anyone, but taked good care of our home. Xoloitzcuintli with ancient Aztecs was used to take care of children (that’s what the name means). Aztecs also used the dog for food. Our dog was trained and won several dog contests (he was the only one of it’s kind). In Mexico, mainly around Mexico City, this dog is pretty common.
Thank you!
Adrian
My first thought was dog as well. It looks like the dog that won the ugliest dog in the world contest. Its head is sort of shaped like a dear. Except for the crazy canines and all…