Creature Feature: The Chupacabra

Few cryptids have gotten quite as much media attention as the Chupacabra. This mysterious creature has been terrifying people since the mid-nineties with its strange appearance and apparent love of blood. The legend started in Puerto Rico but has spread into Mexico and parts of the Southern United states.

There are two very different physical descriptions of the Chupacabra. The tradition Puerto Rican one is some sort of upright lizard with spikes down its back while the other is more similar to a hairless dog. Both versions are known for their ability to suck all the blood from their victims (usually livestock) and both are said to have large claws and fangs. A large number of farmers claim to fall victim to it after mysteriously loosing large numbers of animals during the night. The animals are found drained of blood with puncture wounds on the skin.

So what exactly is the Chupacabra? No one really knows. There were several creatures thought to be Chupacabras hanging around Texas several years ago but after testing it was discovered that the animals were simply coyotes or dogs suffering from mange. If you’ve seen photos of these creatures they are pretty scary looking-it’s easy to see how someone could mistake them for monsters. But there’s still little explanation for the original lizard-man Chupacabra stories. And there’s even less evidence to back them up. Maybe someday someone will come up with some compelling evidence for the Chupacabra but until then all we can do is wait. Or go looking for one (not recommended.)

If you are really interested in the Chupacabra legend there are several videos circling the internet claiming to show Chupacabras. While there’s no way to verify the credibility of the videos, they are fun to watch. Here are links to a couple of them.  Enjoy!

Chupacabra video

Cop camera Chupacabra