The mythical creature chupacabra ("el chupacabra" in Spanish) is a cryptozoological animal (an animal that may or may not exist). Chupacabra sightings have mainly centered around Puerto Rico, but have also been recorded in Arizona, Oregon, Michigan, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, Florida, Chile, Brazil and Mexico.
In April of 2010, the supposed remains of a chupacabra were stolen from a tent at a fair in San Antonio, Texas. At the Fiesta Fantasias held at the city's Market Square, Brian Stevens had been charging attendees $1 to see what he called "the only known chupacabra in the US." Stevens claims he purchased the mummified chupacabra specimen a year earlier, and that the only other two known examples of the animal are in Ensenada, Mexico. A reward has been offered for anyone with information about the whereabouts of the remains.http://www.kens5.com/news/local/Fiesta-Mystery-Chupacabra-carcass-missing-91757639.html
Background to the chupacabra
There were numerous reports of chupacabra sightings and chupacabra attacks in the early 1990s when the chupacabra was receiving more publicity than Nessie (the Loch Ness Monster) and Bigfoot, although reports date back as far as the 1950s.http://www.howstuffworks.com/chupacabra.htm
A Texas student of taxidermy claimed to have the preserved carcass of a chupacabra in his possession in September 2009. In August 2008, two sheriff's deputies in DeWitt County, Texas, videotaped what they believe to be a chupacabra running along a dirt road.
The most recent chupacabra sighting was in January 2010 by a maintenance worker at Runaway Bay Golf Course near Lake Bridgeport, Texas. The animal was identified as a young raccoon by a biologist.http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1909674.html
The legend of the Chupacabra has spawned its own film industry. Since 1996, ten films have been made with this theme.http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=chupacabra They are all horror films with some also having a sci-fi twist too. A list of films is provided below.
Chupacabra Caught on Police Car Video?
This footage, shot in 2008 from a camera installed in a police car, appears to show a chupacabra racing down the side of a road. The video quickly spread around the Internet and was shown on multiple TV programs.
Montauk Monster
The famous chupacabra has drawn comparisons to the Loch Ness Monster and the Montauk Monster. Photos of the carcass of the never-before-seen creature appeared on Gawker in July 2008. Reporters described the creature as a hybrid of a hippopotamus and reptile. A month later, a local of Montauk, New York, stated that he'd found the monster but it had subsequently been stolen from him.
Chupacabra Films
The Chupacabra has been featured in many films these are listed below:
- 2009 - Crimes of the Chupacabra - Horrorhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt1554928/
- 2005 - Chupacabra terror - Horrorhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435617/
- 2005 - Night of the Chupacabra - Sci-fi/Horrorhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0453525/
- 2005 - Bloodthirst 2: Revenge of the Chupacabras - Horrorhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455916/
- 2003 - El Chupacabra - Adventure, Horrorhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375731/
- 2003 - Bloodthirst: Legend of the Chupacabras - Horrorhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387075/
- 2000 - Legend of the Chupacabra - Horrorhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293346/
- 1997 - Guns of El Chupacabra - Horrorhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286668/
- 1996 - El Chupacabras - Sci-fi/Horrorhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0359077/
- 1996 - Ataca el chupacabras - Horror http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0358954/
Man Caught Smuggling Chupacabra at Austin, Texas, Airport
Fact or fiction? Is this an urban legend or not? Allegedly a chupacabra was shot dead at Austin Airport in September 2007. The story goes that the creature was smuggled into the United States on an incoming flight in a suitcase.
James Garcia, a TSA security screener commented after opening the suitcase: "At first I thought it was a dog or something,” said Garcia. "But that growling sound wasn’t like any dog I’ve ever seen. Just ungodly … that’s the only way I can describe it. Like some hellish creature."
The chupacabra was said to have been shot and its body taken to biological researchers at the University of Texas in Austin.
Chupacabra? Or Raccoon?
Tony Potter found a dead animal on the 14th hole of the Runaway Bay Golf Course, 85 miles to the north of Dallas, Texas, in early January 2010. Potter ruled out its being a coyote or a dog and speculated that it might be a chupacabra.
When examined by Texas state biologists, the animal was determined to be a very young male raccoon. The biologists could not determine why the animal had lost its hair, but said that biologically it was a raccoon. They said the long toes, narrow feet and shape of the skull was what confirmed their conclusion.
Another Texan Sighting
Dead Chupacabra in Texas?
Chupacabra Video and Images
Google Images: Chupacabra Images
Google Video: Chupacabra Videos
CNN Video: Is this Texas' goat-sucker? (Time: 1:34)
YouTube Video: Chupacabras (Time: 0:31)
YouTube Video: Unsolved Mysteries: La Chupacabra Part 1 | Part 2
Google Video: In Search of the Chupacabra (Time: 8:01)
References
Fast Facts
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Origin of name chupacabra
The word "chupacabra" means "goat sucker" in Spanish
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Fact:
Chupacabras have a reputation for draining the blood out of livestock
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Reported sightings
Sightings reported in South America], Puerto Rico and the southern United States
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Fact:
Sheriffs in Texas claim they have a video of a chupacabra found running
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Spanish name
"El chupacabra"
