Chupacabra Found outside of San Antonio (Decatur, Krum: 2014, eat, trailer) - Texas (TX) - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

Bulldawg82 · 09-03-2009, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chorizo

I see it very possible that a coyote with mange might be what started the chupacabra stories to begin with.

Additionally, if this IS some sort of cross between a coyote and a wolf, or a new(er) breed that is the result of some natural mutation - whose to say it can't migrate north?

I mean - it used to be that there were very few armadillos in the US. Now they are all over places like Texas and Florida, and anywhere in between. They came up from Mexico (just like the Virginia opossum).

Golden-mantled Tree-kangaroo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This was discovered just less than 20 years ago - how long had it been around before we discovered it?

While the chances of finding unknown animals are getting smaller and smaller, I believe there is still chance of finding species of animals we do not yet know about. This could be one of them.

It could just be a really ugly family of coyotes too.

Either way, it is enough to base a myth off of, if they have been pretty elusive.

Actually, the Chupacabra legend started in Puerto Rico, then spread to Haiti/Dominican Rep. and then Cuba. I think this mainland dog was presumptously given the Chupacabra title. The legends described in the island are nothing like a dog.

catriona · 09-03-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cr1039

Not sure why Johnny Redneck felt the need to poison the thing as opposed to just opening the barn door that the animal was inside of. I wonder if charges will be filed against him?

"Under Texas law, the cruel treatment of animals is forbidden. There are a number of actions that are considered "cruel", including":
(5) killing, seriously injuring, or poisoning an animal;

When I watched the online video, it sounded like the creature had been getting inside the chicken coop. Farmers/ranchers have the right to protect their live stock, so I guess JR put out the poison to kill the thing that was threatening his chickens. What bothers me is that JR could have easily killed a neighbor's pet, his own pets, or even his chickens. Should have used a live trap instead.

Chorizo · 09-03-2009, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bulldawg82

Actually, the Chupacabra legend started in Puerto Rico, then spread to Haiti/Dominican Rep. and then Cuba. I think this mainland dog was presumptously given the Chupacabra title. The legends described in the island are nothing like a dog.

The keyword here is legend.

Vlad Tepes was not a vampire, but legends turned him into the most famous one in fiction.

My point is - while the stories may say one thing, they could have been derived from something completely different.

From Wikipedia:

Quote:

The most common description of Chupacabra is a reptile-like being, appearing to have leathery or scaly greenish-gray skin and sharp spines or quills running down its back.[20] This form stands approximately 3 to 4 feet (1 to 1.2 m) high, and stands and hops in a similar fashion to a kangaroo.[21] In at least one sighting, the creature was reported to hop 20 feet (6 m). This variety is said to have a dog or panther-like nose and face, a forked tongue, and large fangs. It is said to hiss and screech when alarmed, as well as leave behind a sulfuric stench.[21] When it screeches, some reports assert that the chupacabra's eyes glow an unusual red which gives the witnesses nausea.

Let us first assume that most sightings have been at night, when this creature is said to feed.

Leathery greenish-gray skin and spines or quills running down its back.
The animal in the OPs pictures certainly has leathery looking skin, and its a dark grey looking color. Some reports of similar looking animals were said to have rather coarse hair on its spine. Remember it might be dark outside, and shadows can distort things.

Stands 3-4 high and hops like a kangaroo. A coyote standing on its hind legs would be about this height.

Take this into consideration, one night I was driving down a road that was flanked by undeveloped area, open Arizona desert, washes, and horse ranches. In the center of the road I saw what I first thought was some sort of weird hominid like creature, with fur all over it, it had its arm out grabbing at something in the median. As I got closer, then I thought it was a small child. I started to slow down a little more, and then it crossed the road quite quickly in front of me, not hopping like a kangaroo, but not running like a 4 legged animal either. It was sort of hopping along kind of like a white tail deer might, but it was also moving its legs in a fashion similar to running. At this point I had no idea what the hell I was seeing. It was a couple feet tall and unlike anything I had ever seen before. I stopped in the road where it just had walked off, and I saw it turn around and look at me. It was a raccoon.

It either had an injured leg, or was carrying something in its paws (not sure if thats possible ?) and I think that is what caused it to move the way it did.

Now, certainly is a stretch if there have been multiple sightings of the chupacabra and its hopping around all over the place - but on the other hand, lets say this is a unknown breed of dog - its locomotion could be different than normal. Its dark outside, did you really see what you think you saw?

Said to have a dog like face and nose. The thing in these pictures certainly has that.

Forked tongue and large fangs. Did you see the teeth on that thing? They are huge. I've never seen a domesticated animal with teeth that large. Never been close enough to a coyote myself to know what they're teeth look like. But someone saw this thing, never saw anything like it and told stories.

As far as the forked tongue, people telling of these sightings were probably frightened. Exaggeration is bound to happen. Also, as the story gets passed along people thinking, that it is just a story, are going to add qualities to it to make it more frightening. Great campfire material.

The hissing and screeching. Wild animals make all sorts of weird noises. Remember, wild dogs don't bark.

Sulfuric smell. There are some stinky critters out there. Could be natural, could be disease.

Eyes glowing red. Ever seen coyote eyes reflecting light in the dark? Sort of yellowish orange color. Cat eyes yellow or green in the dark, Human eyes red in a camera flash.

The nausea could come from fear, or the sulfur smell.

Stepping back from all that for a moment.

Lets say I am out in the desert near Tucson here, and the sun nearly down.

Shadow is all over the place, and in these conditions I have a hard time seeing. I can see better in the dead of night, than I can when the sun has just left the horizon but the sky is still lit by reflection off the atmosphere/clouds. Because of this, I've got the flashlight out.

I spot two reflective eyes. The general tone of everything around me is reddish or grey hues. The eyes burn a bright orange color.

I focus my light to see a dog sized animal, it is starved/emaciated, its bone structure can be seen well as it is very skinny. Shadows cause the spine to really stand out. It snarls at me and runs off. Those were some pretty big teeth!

What the hell was it? It had no hair (mange) and looked unlike any coyote or other animal I have ever seen before.

Man - I could tell a pretty good story (highly exaggerated) based on what I just saw.

TXtrkgrl · 09-03-2009, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chorizo

Dead livestock with puncture wounds in its neck. That could come from anything with sharp teeth.

Sightings: you're on edge because of the dead live stock, now you see something that does not look like anything else you've seen before. Your mind will make up stuff. Is it night? How well can you see in the dark?

Sounds like the Cullens have been hunting again