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3 November 2007

Chupacabra - Just an Ugly Coyote?

In recent weeks, the debate over whether so-called unexplained and mythical creatures such as Bigfoot and the Chupacabra truly exist has been rekindled. The air of mystery surrounding our world has not ceased with such advances in technology. Although it sometimes feels like the world is becoming smaller and smaller and less mysterious, something happens and it makes us scratch our heads and asking, "Are these creatures real, or is there a perfectly good, scientific explanation for it?"

This past summer in southern Texas several bodies of what was thought to be the infamous Chupacabra, or "goat sucker", were found in Cuero, Texas by Phylis Canion and some neighbors. Cuero is about ninety miles southeast of San Antonio. Canion retained the body of one and submitted it to Texas State University for DNA testing, to confirm what the creature was.

It turns out that Canion's Chupacabras are simply ugly, hairless coyotes. The mystery remains.

The mystery of the Chupacabra is said to have originated in Puerto Rico and Mexico and has been sighted many times over the past three decades. It gets its name from the act of sucking its victims' blood like a vampire rather than eating its flesh. Usually, the so-called Chupacabra attacks livestock like sheep and cows, or even chickens.

Usually, the Chupacabra is described as a dog-like creature, much like the animal found on Canion's ranch this summer. Other sightings describe the mysterious predator as some kind of reptilian dog with spikes or quills, claws, and fangs. A combination of these descriptions comes eerily close to what was found in Texas this summer. The mystery may simply be based on a mutant form of dog or coyote that has no hair, thus causing it to have a reptilian and scary appearance.

Or there is really a blood drinking reptile dog running rampant in South America and the southern regions of the U.S.

Additionally, Bigfoot made the news last month when a new sighting was made in Pennsylvania this past September. Hunter Rick Jacobs claims to have seen and photographed the creature on September 16th. The image is unclear, and many believe it to be a sick bear.

But, because we just don't know whether these creatures are real, sparks fly and debates are had. Scientists go crazy with their theories and dispute each other. It becomes an obsession.

But really, if we knew all the answers, where would the excitement go?

Learn more about this author, M. Lee.
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