Support NeoGAF

[Ripclawe]

How disappointing

http://news.discovery.com/animals/chupacabra-mystery-solved.html#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Chupacabra Mystery Solved.

Analysis by Jennifer Viegas
Fri Oct 22, 2010 01:05 PM ET

Halloween stories about the ghostly "chupacabra" circulate every year, but now scientists have solved the mystery surrounding this legendary animal.

Instead of being vicious, fanged creatures that supposedly drink the blood of livestock, chupacabras turn out to be wild dogs inflicted with a deadly form of mange, according to University of Michigan biologist Barry OConnor.

The myth about chupacabras, also known as goatsuckers, started after reports of livestock attacks in Puerto Rico and Mexico, where dead sheep were discovered with puncture wounds, completely drained of blood. Similar reports began accumulating from other locations in Latin America and the U.S. Then came sightings of evil-looking animals, variously described as dog-like, rodent-like or reptile-like, with long snouts, large fangs, leathery or scaly greenish-gray skin and a nasty odor. Locals put two and two together and assumed the ugly varmints were responsible for the killings.

OConnor, however, and other scientists conclude that an 8-legged mite that burrows under the skin of coyotes can give these animals the "chupacabra" look.

He explains that the mite responsible for the extreme hair loss seen in "chupacabras syndrome" is Sarcoptes scabiei, which also causes the itchy rash known as scabies in people. Human scabies is an annoyance, but not usually a serious health or appearance problem, partly because our bodies are already virtually hairless and partly because the population of mites on a given person usually is relatively small---only 20 or 30 mites.

Humans have likely evolved natural defenses for this mite over the years. When we began to domesticate dogs, we likely spread the mites to them. When the mites then transfer to wild dogs, such as foxes, wolves and coyotes, the victims appear to be less able to fight them off.

"Whenever you have a new host-parasite association, it's pretty nasty," said OConnor, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and a curator in the U-M Museum of Zoology. "It does a lot of damage, and mortality can be relatively high because that host species has not had any evolutionary history with the parasite, so it has not been able to evolve any defenses like we have."

In these unfortunate animals, large numbers of mites burrowing under the skin cause inflammation, which results in thickening of the skin. Blood supply to hair follicles is cut off, so the fur falls out. In especially bad cases, the animal's weakened condition opens the door to bacteria that cause secondary skin infections, sometimes producing a foul odor. Put it all together, and you've got an ugly, naked, leathery, smelly monstrosity: the chupacabras.

But what then explains the "goatsucker" livestock attacks?

"Because these animals are greatly weakened, they're going to have a hard time hunting," OConnor said. "So they may be forced into attacking livestock because it's easier than running down a rabbit or a deer."

Wild dogs aren't the only ones to suffer from deadly mites. Mite-infected squirrels often become roadkill because they are weak and less able to scurry away from cars. In Australia, the "chupacabra" mite is killing off wombats.

"(Wombats) presumably got the mites from dingoes, which got them from domestic dogs, which got them from us," he explained.

 

[Salazar]

Scientists hate wonder.

 

[Davidion]

So what you're telling me is that X-files episode lied to me?

 

[Dead Prince]

Not going to believe them.

 

[V_Ben]

Aww, that's nowhere near as cool

 

[Oozer3993]

Next they're gonna tell me that Bigfoot is just Robin Williams on a bender

 

[MrHicks]

uuuum supposed chupa victims are animals completely drained of blood
just a few tiny fangmarks here and there and completely intact otherwise

when a dog kills/eats something it rips its prey to shreds like wolves
BS solved my ass

 

[Dan]

So basically, Occam's razor.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

What has science done. Except for ruining all the fun and mystery, I mean.

 

[Fantastical]

That's what the government wants me to think.

 

[spindashing]

Science, the ultimate cockblock.

 

[Bit-Bit]

I never understood what a chubacabra is and why it's scary.

 

[Niblet]

Nuh uh! My aunt said she and her husband saw the chupacabra one night in Puerto Rico while they were driving. They saw this big beastly shadow with glowing red eyes in the rearview mirror. There were no other cars on the road and they sped all the way home.

 

[derFeef]

So... zombiedogs?

 

[Poyunch]

I never understood what a chubacabra is and why it's scary.

Because it's scary shit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9rVmyUTXi4

 

[Mudkips]

What's wrong with him, doctor? It can't be mange. I just had him dipped!

 

[Escape Goat]

but wheres your evidence?

 

[wenis]

So when are the scientists going to be studying this new parasite and accidentally make it so it can infect humans again?

 

[teruterubozu]

Scientists are racist

 

[Oozer3993]

The jury is still out on science.

 

[Joel Was Right]

My eyes are tired but he never actually responds to the goatsucker rep, only that it may attack goats. How is the blood sucking explained by infected fangs? Article sounds like a half ass guess more than anything

 

[Lunchbox]

fuck science

chupacabra's are still mythical goat suckers to me

 

[Nizz]

So what you're telling me is that X-files episode lied to me?

Seriously! :lol I loved that episode. Scientists, the ultimate party poopers.

 

[Rafa=FedKilla]

This is like the time when I found out eye floaters weren't inter dimensional organisms that only I could see. Fucking ruined the fourth grade for me.

 

[AniHawk]

Science is like a blabbermouth that spoils the endings to movies. Well, I say there are things we don't want to know. Important things!

 

[thomaser]

Nobody is going to believe this explanation anyway, no matter how true it is.

 

[Replicant]

Scientists: we're here to destroy your childhood imagination and fantasy. BWAHAHAHA

 

[TL4E]

You can't tell me that doesn't exist, even with your science. I don't want to believe it and so it exists. In my head.

 

[dinazimmerman]

Cool. Zombie dogs are still scary enough!

 

[Davidion]

Seriously! :lol I loved that episode. Scientists, the ultimate party poopers.

"soy el Chupacabra!"

So sad, so sad.

 

[Large Professor]

Wild dogs? That's what they want you to think.

(Actually I'm buying it).

 

[Ezalc]

Yeah, well that's only what the man wants you to think!

 

[Nizz]

"soy el Chupacabra!"

So sad, so sad.

Him and his brother trying to hitch a ride.

 

[Poimandres]

uuuum supposed chupa victims are animals completely drained of blood
just a few tiny fangmarks here and there and completely intact otherwise

when a dog kills/eats something it rips its prey to shreds like wolves
BS solved my ass

THIS

I think this theory might account for a lot of apparent Chupacabra sightings, but it does nothing to explain the neat near total exsanguination found in some cattle.

This isn't particularly contentious either- these cases are well documented, and I've yet to see a reasonable explanation.

 

[Dai Kaiju]

My dog somehow contracted mange last year. The mites were burrowing into his paws and his reaction was to gnaw on his own feet until they were chewed up, bloody, and infected. It took about a month for the vet to figure out what was wrong since mange is so rare. Still, I don't recall my dog looking anything like the chupacabra sketches :lol

 

[NotWii]

You've identified the wrong suspect scientists, good job
*strokes pet Chupacabra*

 

[Zoramon089]

Nope. Bullshit. Chupacabras exist. Pluto is still a planet. Screw you guys (scientists)

 

[Zzoram]

THIS

I think this theory might account for a lot of apparent Chupacabra sightings, but it does nothing to explain the neat near total exsanguination found in some cattle.

This isn't particularly contentious either- these cases are well documented, and I've yet to see a reasonable explanation.

Vampire bats? They are known to bite livestock, their saliva is anticoagulating so the blood will flow freely for a day. They generally hunt at night and apparently their teeth are so sharp and cut skin so easily that animals won't even wake up when it happens, leading to a bunch of bats sitting on the animal drinking for hours.

If the goats were already weak or sick with something so that they can't clot after the anticoagulant breaks down, they would keep bleeding until they died.

 

[Evolved1]

My eyes are tired but he never actually responds to the goatsucker rep, only that it may attack goats. How is the blood sucking explained by infected fangs? Article sounds like a half ass guess more than anything

To me, it sounds like an educated guess.

 

[Cuban Legend]

now what am i supposed to scare my kids with so they come inside after dark

fucking scientists

 

[Snuggles]

but I think ol' Chupa is still out there, this is just a cover up

 

[Sibylus]

Nope. Bullshit. Chupacabras exist. Pluto is still a planet. Screw you guys (scientists)

If Pluto gets planet status, so should Eris.

 

[NotWii]

now what am i supposed to scare my kids with so they come inside after dark

Mothman

 

[Salsa]

Article was clearly written by the Chupacabras himself, who can shape into human form.

 

[saunderez]

What's next? They gonna try and tell me Yetis don't exist? If that's the case I don't want to live on this planet anymore.

 

[Nameless]

oops

 

[ToxicAdam]

So, why can't the infect a dog with mange to find out?


Fallengorn called this over a year ago. SOmeone award him a prize. Is it any coincidence his avatar is Egon?

 

[triplestation]

What's next? They gonna try and tell me Yetis don't exist? If that's the case I don't want to live on this planet anymore.

RRRROO!!! OF COURSE YETIS EXIST, AND SO DO CHUPACABRAS.

 

[Salsa]

So, why can't the infect a dog with mange to find out?

Because that would be sacrificing a living creature, mang.

 

[Zzoram]

Mangy wild dog mistaken for monster by people who briefly glimpse one while driving by at high speed in the dark. Yeah, sounds about right. People's visual reports of things are usually awful, they can't remember more than a few scraps of detail on what they saw so they just fill in the blanks with whatever pops into their head first.

Not sure about the "bled dry" goats, maybe something else was going on and it was mistaken for being bled out.