Monstrum Athenaeum Tearing open the cryptid world of werewolves, vampires & zombies.
Related Articles
A lot of skeptics out there don’t believe in monsters (trust us…we know). They say stories of man-eating monsters and mythical beasts are merely that; stories. Yet, from all around the world, reports of such creatures keep popping up, fueling a seemingly never ending argument between the skeptics and the believers. At some point, though, you have to ask yourself – how can thousands of reports every year be false? Keep in mind, these reports are not localized, they are worldwide; requiring a considerable amount of conjecture to rationalize plausible explanations for all of them.
A case in point is the cryptid known as the Chupacabra. Its name literally translates to “goat sucker”. This is a creature of legendary and terrifying status, especially in Latino countries and Latino communities throughout the southern United States. With sightings of this unknown, mysterious, blood sucking beast ranging from as far south as the southern tip of South America, to as far north as the boards of Canada; obviously there’s something more to it than mere fantasy. Which reiterates the question: How can so many people from so many wide spread areas, also of whom have never met, share stories of similar encounters with this sinister and blood thirsty creature?
While it’s noted the Chupacabra was first reported by a farmer in Puerto Rico in 1995 when he discovered the mutilated remains of his livestock whilst doing his morning chores, there are similar reports of mutilated livestock going on for decades prior. The beast earned the name “El Chupacabra” because evidence indicated the creature drank, or sucked the blood of the livestock it had killed; much like a vampire does to a human victim. Photos and eyewitness sketches of the Chupacabra show it as a small creature with large, black eyes, and long, sharp fangs. Its color varies from grey and black to earth-tone colors, and its size is usually small with an almost emaciated look. Its long, thin, sinuous arms are tipped with pointy claws, which are no doubt used to rip apart its prey. There’s also a variation to the amount of finger/claws the Chupacabra has depending on the source. Some images show it having three clawed fingers, while others show it having five. Whatever the image, the Chupacabra is a true nightmarish terror to behold.
Scientists and skeptics have dismissed the Chupacabra as nothing more than a canine species with a really bad case of mange. For those unfamiliar, mange is a skin condition commonly occurring in dogs and other canine species which causes the fur to fall out; leaving the skin looking horrid. However, if mange was the case, then why do reports of the Chupacabra vary so widely from place to place? Although none of the reports or images produced show the elusive beast with hair, it seems premature and intellectually dishonest to pass it off as a canine skin disease. Likewise, the creatures which have been caught and reported to be the Chupacabra may very well not be what people are claiming they are. The sketches from eyewitnesses look nothing like the beasts captured or found dead, which could lead one to believe that there’s a big case of mistaken identity, or an even bigger case of wishful thinking.
A recent, well known encounter with an alleged Chupacabra occurred in 2007 in the town of Cuero, Texas. Phyllis Canion was out tending to her farm when she saw what she believed was a Chupacabra. According to Canion, the creature looked at her and then suddenly trotted away in the other direction. Canion also claimed she had been finding her chickens dead, but not eaten. It was a most disturbing scene, as the bodies of the foul were left to rot, but were bloodless as Canion reported “It appeared that the blood was sucked out it.” Perplexed by what she had found, she called her brother and explained the strange things she had saw and found. He was convinced there was a Chupacabra on the loose near her farm. Sightings similar to this have been reported all over southern Texas and neighboring states with local officials and news reporters receiving new reports of the infamous Chupacabra almost on a daily basis.
It’s interesting to note that the Texas version of the Chupacabra is very different from the original Chupacabra reported in 1995. While the Texas version of the beast loosely resembles a small, diseased canine species, the Puerto Rican Chupacabra looks more demonic in nature, like a cross between a vampire and a gargoyle. The common feature the creatures share, apart from their name, is their lust for the blood of livestock. In 1995, the first livestock reportedly found dead and completely drained of blood were goats. Since then, the general belief that the Chupacabra sucks blood from its victims has been verified by Gustavo Rodriguez, a wildlife expert in Puerto Rico. Rodriguez has personally investigated hundreds of reports of dead livestock, and claims the animals consistently had puncture wounds and were completely drained of blood.
As for the people who have witnessed the Chupacabra with their own eyes, they’re usually left with a feeling of dread. They know there is something out there stalking their livestock with an insatiable lust for blood. From Puerto Rico to Texas, from Chile to the southern tip Canada, the Chupacabra lives in the minds and hearts of farmers; both old and young alike. Some people have even used the legend of the Chupacabra to keep their children in line, as sort of a modern day boogie man. It has appeared in stories, folk tales, and television shows the world over. Whatever the bizarre, blood sucking creature may be, whether vampire, gargoyle, a canine species of unknown status, or even a sadistic alien species, the Chupacabra doesn’t appear to be going anywhere any time soon. Lock your barns…
Review Overview
Sounds terrifying if you’re a goat. There are scarier accounts in other countries of chupacabras.