El Chupacabra

El Chupacabra (“the goat-sucker”) first appeared in Puerto Rico in 1995, killing livestock and draining their blood. The creature spread to Mexico and the American Southwest, becoming one of the most famous modern cryptids.

The First Attacks

In 1995, farmers in Canóvanas, Puerto Rico, found their goats dead with small puncture wounds and completely drained of blood. No blood was found at the scene. Similar attacks spread across the island.

The Description

Original witnesses described a creature about four feet tall with gray, leathery skin, large red eyes, and a row of spines down its back. It walked upright and had sharp fangs for draining blood.

The Spread

By 1996, Chupacabra attacks were reported in Mexico, Florida, and Texas. The creature’s appearance varied by region. In Texas and Mexico, it was often described as a hairless, dog-like animal.

The Explanations

Some “Chupacabras” captured in Texas were identified as coyotes or dogs with severe mange. But these could not explain the original Puerto Rican descriptions or the continued mystery of bloodless livestock deaths.

Assessment

El Chupacabra may represent different phenomena called by one name: mange-afflicted canids in some areas, unknown creatures in others. The original Puerto Rican attacks remain unexplained.