CHUPACABRA: (Canis cryptis)

First reported in Puerto Rico, the Chupacabra is described to be about the size of a small bear, with a row of spines reaching from neck to the base of the tail. In Missouri, chupacabra reports describe a large, doglike creature with no hair and a distressed skeletal appearance. Chupacabras are generally reported to being similar in size to a coyote or German Shepherd. Other reports describe a hairless creature about the size of a raccoon with human like hands. Chupacabras seem to prefer the same habitat as coyotes and raccoons and are reported to suck the milk of goats, but seem to thrive on superstition and fear. The life cycle of the Chupacabra is largely unknown, but reports seem to peak in summer, when sarcoptic mange plagues coyotes and other wildlife. Like all legendary creatures, the chupacabra legend stirs the human imagination. Every year people send reports of chupacabra sightings, along with a photo of a coyote or raccoon that look similar to the photos above.  These animals are suffering from severe sarcoptic mange and malnutrition. The chupacabra, on the other hand, is a legendary creature fabled to suck milk from goats. No wildlife biologist has ever confirmed the existence of one.