Chupacabra

El Chupacabra, the name translated from Spanish means literally " The Goat Sucker ". The reason for this garrish name derives from the fact that the victims of this creature were, at first, usually goats who died with two puncture wounds to the throat and all of the blood drained from their bodies. The phenomenon began in 1994 on the island of Puerto Rico, where distressed farm owners began finding their livestock in this rather garrish state. The occurrences began shortly after hurricane Hugo, and led any to believe that secret genetic testing had been being conducted by the US military, and that a facility deep in the rain forest had been destroyed or damaged, and these genetically altered animals escaped. Soon after, the sightings of the creatures began to spread, first from Central America, then to South America

Mexico and to the United States. The animals is usually described as being from two to four feet in length, covered with long coarse hair or bristles, and emitting a rather foul stench like that of sulphur. There have been, of course reports of attacks on other types of animals, as well as attacks on small childeren, although I have not heard of any fatalities involving the latter. There are other theories popular on the internet about these creatures, that they are "pets" of extra-terrestrial beings etc... I suppose when dealing with an unknown, cryptozoological animal, one theory is as good as the next. The Chupabra is said to exclusively attack its victims at night, a fact that may play important in learning about them. Although there are obvious advantages to hunting at night, its easier to hide, most prey is sleeping etc.. , there is another possibility altogether which may explin this pattern in their behavior, as well as to how they remain so elusive to searchers.

It could well be possible, that like Big Foot,Yeti, Sasquash etc... that Chupacabras are mainly subterrainian dwellers, who have recently found a new, opportunistic food source. If they were adapted to living in the darkness, it would well explain their propensity for hunting under the cover of darkness. Perhaps the hurricane flooded some caverns (Puerto Rico is rich in cave systems) which forced the animals to the surface. Perhaps they have always come to the surface to feed, but the encroachment of man has forced them into our habitat, where they have found domesticated livestock as an easy, viable resource. The fact remains that the number of sightings has steadily increased through the years, as well as the range in which they are reported. There are recent reports of a dead chupacabra, road kill apparently, which may settle the issue once and for all.