What is a chupakabra?

Answer 1

Chupacabra is a creature that resembles a living gargoyle said to exist in parts of Mexico and on the island of Puerto Rico. The Chupacabra has also been sighted by multiple eye-witnesses in Calaveras County, California. Translated literally from Spanish as "goat-sucker" (compare with chotacabras, the nightjar), the chupacabra is said to attack small livestock and drink their blood. Descriptions of this creature vary, and no one has produced undisputable evidence of its existence. Chupacabra are said to prominently appear in three specific forms. The first: a lizard-like being, appearing to have leathery/scaley greenish skin and sharp spines running down its back. It stands approximately 3-4 feet high, and stands/hops in a similar fashion as a kangaroo (in at least one sighting, the creature hopped 20 feet). This variety is said to have a sort of proboscis extending from its mouth, with a forked tongue protruding from it. The second variety also stands/hops as a kangaroo, and it has coarse fur with greyish facial hair. The head is similar to a dog's, and its mouth has large teeth. The third form is simply that of a strange breed of wild dog that is mostly hairless, has a pronounced spinal ridge, unusually pronounced eye sockets, teeth, and claws, but is otherwise a typical canine. This animal is said to be the result of interbreeding between several populations of wild dogs, though enthusiasts claim that it might be an example of an extinct dog-like reptile. The account during the year 2000 in Nicaragua of a Chupacabra corpse being found supports the conclusion that it is simply a strange breed of wild dog. The alleged corpse of the animal was found in Tolapa, Nicaragua and forensically analyzed at UNAN-Leon. Pathologists at the University found that it was just a dog; albeit a little unusual looking one. It should be noted that there are very striking morphological differences between different breeds of dogs (which wild dogs are generally descended from) that easily account for the strange characteristics of such an animal. Some believe the chupacabra is a product of "social hysteria" while others feel this is a weak explanation for the real dead animals resulting from the creature's unexplained attacks. There are many eye-witness accounts dating back many years. Semi-mythical creatures similar to the Chupacabra include the Jersey Devil, the Skunk Ape of south Florida, West Virginia's Mothman, and the Monkey-man of New Delhi. A few pictures which may be hoaxes (link below) exist of the Chupacabra. The creature is believed to be seen also in some regions in Brazil, like Varginha in the State of Minas Gerais. See also: Cryptozoology, Vampire