Flesh-and-blood chupacabras have allegedly been found as recently as June —making the monsters eminently more accessible for study than, say, the Loch Ness monster or Bigfoot. In almost all these cases, the monsters have turned out to be coyotes suffering from very severe cases of mange, a painful, potentially fatal skin disease that can cause the animals' hair to fall out and skin to shrivel, among other symptoms.
For some scientists, this explanation for supposed chupacabras is sufficient. Likewise, wildlife-disease specialist Kevin Keel has seen images of an alleged chupacabra corpse and clearly recognized it as a coyote, but said he could imagine how others might not. A layperson, however, might be confused as to its identity. Sarcoptes scabiei also causes the itchy rash known as scabies in humans.
In humans and nonhuman animals alike, the mite burrows under the skin of its host and secretes eggs and waste material, which trigger an inflammatory response from the immune system. In humans, scabies—the allergic reaction to the mites' waste—is usually just a minor annoyance.
But mange can be life threatening for canines such as coyotes, which haven't evolved especially effective reactions to Sarcoptes infection. The University of Michigan's OConnor speculates that the mite passed from humans to domestic dogs , and then on to coyotes, foxes , and wolves in the wild. His research suggests that the reason for the dramatically different responses is that humans and other primates have lived with the Sarcoptes mite for much of their evolutionary history, while other animals have not.
In other words, humans have evolved to the point where our immune systems can neutralize the infection before the infection neutralizes us. The mites too have been evolving, suggested the University of Georgia's Keel. The parasite has had time to optimize its attack on humans so as not to kill us, which would eliminate our usefulness to the mites, he said. In nonhuman animals, Sarcoptes hasn't figured out that balance yet. In coyotes, for example, the reaction can be so severe that it causes hair to fall out and blood vessels to constrict, adding to a general fatigue and even exhaustion.
Since chupacabras are likely mangy coyotes, this explains why the creatures are often reported attacking livestock. As for the blood-sucking part of the chupacabra legend, that may just be make believe or exaggeration.
Loren Coleman, director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine, agreed that many chupacabra sightings—especially the more recent ones—could be explained away as appearances by mangy coyotes, dogs, and coyote-dog hybrids, or coydogs. For example, the more than original chupacabra reports from Puerto Rico in described a decidedly uncanine creature. But, as if in a game of telephone, the description of the chupacabra began to change in the late s due to mistakes and mistranslations in news reports, he said.
Here, we compiled a running log of sightings this year. Following the tip of a Crossroads Today viewer, the news station went to the location and found an animal lying on the side of the road. Residents of Las Agujas in Olancho, Honduras worried after finding a dead bull without eyes or a tongue. According to La Tribuna , residents saw an ugly white animal prowling the pastures believed to be El Chupacabra. Residents feared that the animal — which disappeared as if by magic — would eventually hurt humans, especially children.
Specialists of the Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria Senasa dismissed Chupacabra claims and instead said it was bats that were transmitting rabies to other animals. One day he heard a loud noise that sent chills up his spine. After letting out a cry, it ran away, according to Extra. With teeth jutting out in every direction, rippled skin, and a tail like a rat or possum, Shuker said it looked nothing like a coyote.
Bunt, an early childhood educator, also saw the chupacabra this year. Facebook Twitter Email. Report: Chupacabra attacks farm animals. Times staff report El Paso Times.
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