The Chupacabra, a creature that preys on goats (and livestock in general), derives its name from Spanish. The Chupacabra has long been a figure of myth, but it has recently gained notoriety in several countries. Is this a real blood-sucking monster, or merely a product of delusion sparked by a horror film released in the mid-1990s?
Radford, the editor of Skeptical Inquirer, published a book in the U.S. titled Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction and Folklore. In this book, Radford asserts that the Chupacabra is merely an urban legend that gained immense popularity worldwide thanks to the internet.
The imagined blood-sucking monster Chupacabra.
The author suggests that a woman named Madelyne Tolentino from Canovanas, Puerto Rico, was influenced by the horror film Species, which was widely released in 1995 and featured a monster. With a vivid imagination, she recounted her story to a local newspaper. In 1996, she was invited to the Spanish-language talk show “Popular Talk” on Univision TV, which broadcasts in the U.S. and Latin America. After Tolentino’s appearance on TV, images of the Chupacabra became known throughout the Americas.
Tolentino described the creature as being 4 to 5 feet tall, with red eyes like those of an alien, long claws, and sharp spikes on its back. According to Radford, this description is unreliable, from the number of toes to reproductive organs. Overall, it closely resembles the monsters from the aforementioned film.
Radford has dedicated many years of his life to studying the Chupacabra phenomenon. He surveyed Puerto Rico and Nicaragua, meeting and interviewing witnesses. When he met Madelyne Tolentino, she confessed that she had seen the film Species just two weeks before encountering the monster.
As a psychologist, Radford analyzed Tolentino’s description and concluded that she unconsciously incorporated elements of the monster from the film into her account of the legendary creature. Many have been captivated by legends of blood-sucking creatures, leading them to readily believe her tale.
However, José “Chemo” Soto Rivera, the mayor of Canovanas, where the rumors originated, and one of the organizers of expeditions to hunt for the monster, dismissed Radford’s hypothesis. He stated that Tolentino saw the creature after it had killed a parrot. While Madelyne may have misdescribed the animal, many others have seen it and even claimed to have shot a Chupacabra. The mayor believes that the Chupacabra truly exists and added that he would “not bother” reading Radford’s book.
The head of an animal that locals refer to as Chupacabra in Cuero, Texas, USA. (Photo: AP.)
Skeptics argue that the Chupacabra is a myth, lacking sufficient scientific evidence to prove its existence. They remain unconvinced without specific evidence, particularly the DNA of the creature.
According to Radford: “By the early 21st century, all sorts of nonsense referred to as ‘Chupacabra’ included everything from mange-ridden coyotes, bizarre dead raccoons, to even desiccated fish in Mexico, none of which have anything to do with the Chupacabra.”
To recognize a species, at least 200 individuals are needed. “If each of these monsters were as large as Madelyne described, there would be plenty of evidence of the Chupacabra’s existence on the small, densely populated island of Puerto Rico,” Radford believes.
The mysterious creature was first reported in Puerto Rico. Livestock that were found dead, allegedly at the hands of the Chupacabra, bore deep wounds puncturing the carotid artery, indicating that their method of killing was through blood-sucking.
Since most of the “victims” were goats, the creature was dubbed Chupacabra, meaning “Goat Blood Sucker.” The initial attacks occurred in March 1995 in Puerto Rico, resulting in the deaths of eight goats, each with three deep wounds on their chests and drained of blood from their hearts.
While Madelyne Tolentino described the creature as resembling a kangaroo, other witnesses claimed it looked like a rabbit, a dog, or even a giant bat. Between 1995 and 1996, up to 200 survey teams and hunting parties visited Puerto Rico to capture the monster but were entirely unsuccessful.
UFO enthusiasts speculate that the Chupacabra could be an extraterrestrial being that lacks a human form or pets brought by aliens that escaped from a spacecraft upon landing on Earth. Others argue that this monster’s appearance is a result of genetic mutation due to the U.S. having used Puerto Rico as a testing ground for radiation weapons.
As discussions about the Chupacabra continue fervently without resolution, it continues to wreak havoc. At least 19 sheep were found dead at the Las Compras farm in Argentina. A neighbor of the farm (who also lost a sheep) reported seeing dogs chasing the sheep in a panic.
