Preserving the Relationship Between Mythical Creatures and Humanity
The Creature Files – Episode Six: "Hola Chupacabra"
SHOW NOTES:
Sightings Desk: Lake Norman Monster
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Read more about the Lake Norman Monster
Creature Feature: The Chupacabra
Special Guest: Chris Edge
The notorious “chupacabra,” or goat-sucker is a monstrous little beast that is known to drain the blood of its victims. It supposedly performs this macabre act through a bite to the chest. Although there are reports of animal deaths in 1975 that match the description of the Chupacabra, contemporary reports claim the first sightings of the creature occurred in the mid 1990’s in Puerto Rico where it killed eight sheep. The animals were found with those puncture wounds and were drained of blood. Gross.
Another sighting occurred months later and was linked to the deaths of as many as 150 farm animals. Since those sightings in Puerto Rico, there have been reports of the creature all over Central America, South America, the Dominican Republic, the United States, and Mexico. In the U.S., Texas has been a hotbed for sightings of the little monster.
Now if we look at folklore, we do see similar creatures in some of the mythologies of Chilote and Mapuche peoples and even the Philippines. According to reports, chupacabra stand about three feet tall and have reptilian bodies. Their legs are long, like a kangaroo, and their backs sport a row of sharp spines. The face of the monster has red glowing eyes, a protruding jaw with long fangs, and a forked tongue.
But could it just be a hairless dog? Or a coyote with a skin disease? Researchers who have studied the DNA of some of the supposed bodies of chupacabras claim they are nothing more than that...Coyotes, dogs even raccoons. So what’s the real story here? Find out in this episode of The Creature Files.