Mysterious Creatures : A Guide to Cryptozoology

Chupacabras
Paranormal Entity of the West Indies, South
America, and parts of North America.
Etymology: Spanish, “goat-sucker.”
Variant names: Canguro (“kangaroo”),
Ciguapas (in Dominican Republic), Comecogollos
(“banana-tree eater”), Conejo (“rabbit”),
Gallinejo (contraction of gallina, “chicken,” and
conejo), Goatsucker, Maboya (Taíno/Arawakan,
“evil spirit”), Moca vampire, Sacalenguas
(“draw tongue,” in El Salvador).
Physical description: Height, 4–5 feet. Covered
in short, gray fur. Said to have a
chameleon-like ability to change color. Skin appears
to have darkened spots. Large, round
head. Huge, lidless, fiery-red eyes run up to the
temples and spread to the sides; white sclera not
present. Ears small or absent. Two small nostrils.
Lipless mouth. Sharp, protruding fangs.
Pointy spikes run from the head down the
spine; these may double as wings. Attached to
the spikes are fleshy membranes that vary in
color from blue to red or purple. Thin arms
with three webbed fingers. Red claws. Muscular
but thin hind legs. Three clawed toes. No tail.
Behavior: Nocturnal. Moves awkwardly with
arms outstretched or by hopping. Said to be able
to jump over trees. Kills goats, chickens, sheep,
and other farm animals and drinks their blood.
Animal victims generally have two or three circular
puncture wounds about 0.25–0.5 inches
in diameter in the neck or lower jaw; often, one
of the wounds punctures the cerebellum. In
some cases, organs are said to have been removed.
Tracks: Leaves a trail of slime and rancid
meat. Tracks vary; some near Miami were 5
inches long by 4.5 inches wide.
Distribution: Puerto Rico; Dominican Republic;
Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nayarit,
Veracruz, and Jalisco States, Mexico; Donna
and San Antonio, Texas; Miami area, Florida;
Tucson, Arizona; New York City; Cambridge,
Massachusetts; Boaco and Tolapa, Nicaragua;
Costa Rica; El Salvador; Guatemala; Calama,
Chile; Varginha and Sorocaba, São Paulo State,
Brazil; Touloes, Castelo Branco District, Portugal;
Valmaseda, in Spain’s Basque Country.
Significant sightings: In Moca, Puerto Rico, in
106 CHUPACABRAS
March 1975, something was killing cows, goats,
pigs, and geese and draining all their blood.
Deep stab or puncture wounds were found on
the carcasses, causing the perpetrator to be
christened the Moca vampire. Killer snakes and
birds were blamed, and the Puerto Rico Agricultural
Commission called on the police for a
full investigation. On March 25, Juan Muñiz
became the first human to be attacked by what
he described as a “horrible creature covered in
feathers,” forcing him to hide behind some
bushes. In April, other towns on the island reported
animal killings and attacks by a weird
bird or doglike animal or unidentified flying object
(UFO) aliens, but reports died out after a
few more weeks.
In March 1991, another rash of pig, goose,
and chicken killings erupted in Lares, Puerto
Rico. Residents reported an apelike creature,
while officials blamed feral dogs. In June 1991,
livestock predation at Aguada was accompanied
by reports of banana trees being ripped apart by
something the island press dubbed Comecogollos,
a hairy Bigfootwith glowing eyes.
Eight sheep were found dead with three
puncture wounds and drained of blood in Orocovis,
Puerto Rico, in early March 1995.
In the second week of August 1995, Madelyne
Tolentino of Canóvanas, Puerto Rico, was
one of the first to see the Chupacabras responsible
for a series of about 150 animal deaths in the
area. It was about 4 feet tall, dark gray, with
skinny arms and legs and apparent burn marks
on its abdomen. It seemed to have feathers
along its spine.
Mrs. Bernardo Gómez of Caguas, Puerto
Rico, on November 15, 1995, saw a hairy, redeyed
beast rip open a bedroom window, destroy
a stuffed teddy bear, and leave a puddle of slime
and rancid meat on the windowsill.
Residents of San Germán, Puerto Rico,
chased a Chupacabras away November 16,
1995, just as it was about to kill three fighting
roosters. It had large, almond-shaped eyes, an
oval face, and small hands protruding from its
shoulders.
On November 28, 1995, a hand- or footprint
was found after an attack at Vega Baja, Puerto
Rico. It showed 6 fingers or toes.