CHUPACABRA SPOOKS BUS

DRIVERS IN CENTRAL CHILE

      "Juan Berrios, a 40-year-old (bus) driver and old-fashioned Chilean (Roman) Catholic has never driven his vehicle again since his run-in with the monster. He reached the truck stop in a state.  His legs trembled,' said one of his co-workers, half-jokingly, at the same time he made the Sign of the Cross--just in case."

      "Until two weeks ago, the barrio Santa Filomena was nothing more than a long and lonely alleyway in the village of Viluco in Buin," a city located 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Santiago, the capital of Chile, "where the peace was disturbed only by vehicles driving past it at high speed.  The town is beginning to shake off its lethargy, not  because of the arrival of unstoppable modernity but because of the appearance of an indescribably bizarre creature that hops across the streets with some small wounded animal in its maw and which has been seen by the drivers on the Buin-Maipo route, who decided to speak after experiencing real fear."

     On (Monday) January 5 (2004) at 5:15 a.m., Berrios was driving through Santa Filomena toward the Las Vertientes (bus) terminal when he suddenly noticed a strange figure in the middle of the road 70 meters (231 feet) away.  He rubbed his eyes and kept going.  Some five meters (16 feet) away, the figure reappeared, and the shock of the horrible sight almost caused him to lose control of the vehicle.

      "'I have never seen anything like.  It had something like a dog bleeding in its muzzle, and it lost itself in the bushes in a single leap,' he told his co-workers minutes later.  He was believed, just from the expression of indescribable panic on his face. After his second road trip, he was intercepted by another driver, Juan Maulan, who took him aside and asked him to describe the monster.  After a few minutes, Maulan confessed:

                     'Yes, it's the same one. It was a bipedal animal standing 1.5 meters (4 feet, 6 inches) tall, with hind legs like those of a kangaroo, small curved hands (forepaws) ending in talons, a sharp mane (of spines) like that of a porcupine running along its back, a tail with a rattle, a muzzle like that of a fierce wolf, several rows of teeth and voracious red eyes."

      "'It jumps a lot,' said Maulan, 'It can easily jump 5 meters (16 feet). He had kept quiet out of fear of being dubbed the local madman.  'I almost died of fright.  I had to go out in the morning just like Berrios, when I suddenly saw this thing in the middle of the road.  I slowed down and the beast stared at me.  It took some time to look me up and down and then jumped aside,' he recalled very calmly, now certain that the beast exists.  Just to give the thing a name, he says it could well be the Chupacabra."

      "'I think it's a hoax.  I've been living here 35 years, and the nearest thing to monsters I've seen are old men riding bicycles,' said Rosa Marileo, widow of Roberto Nancur and mother of five children.  'This has been circulating for a long time.  Everyone says that when the monster comes out, it does so in the morning, and I wouldn't dream of walking around at that time because this street is pitch black,' she added, bringing the conversation to a close."

       At Cerro Cullipeumo (mountain) on the border of Las Vertientes in Buin, some abandoned gold mines from the 1950s could prove to be the lair of the 'Viluco Monster,' a singular beast with a kangaroo-shaped body and a wolf's muzzle that terrorizes local farmers and has a remarkable resemblance to the legendary Chupacabra.

      El Dinamita' and 'El Fena,' assistants at the Buin-Maipo bus line, claim two drivers came across the creature in lonely Santa Filomena and told (the newspaper) La Cuarta that they have been hearing stories from old-timers about a monstrous beast living in the forgotten gold mines.

      "'As soon as we're ready, we'll take a look.  The groundskeepers, old men who've worked there all their lives, always say that strange stuff goes on in that mountain.  They even say that those who poke their noses in too deeply never come back,' said 'El Dinamita,' who was itching to venture into the abandoned mines."

      Anibal Montes, also known as 'El Viejo Choclera, confirmed through stories told by Don Ramon, eldest of the group, that mystery has long surrounded Cerro Cullipeumo.

'Shadows can be seen running uphill, vanishing into the mine and disappearing.  But this is nothing new.  It's been going on for many years.'"  (See the Chilean newspaper La Cuarta for January 29, 2004, "Kangaroo-legged monster threatens Buin," and for January 30, 2004, "Viluco Monster may hide in abandoned mine." 

Update – Costa Rica, March 18^th, 2004

Chupacabras Exsanguinates Hens In San Ramon

Several groups of dead hens were bled dry in the backyard of the Rodriguez household. A nocturnal Chupacabras attack took place last Tuesday night in a chicken coop owned by Gonzalo Rodriguez of San Juan de San Ramon, Ajuela Province, Costa Rica.
Nearly 20 beautiful, plump hens - the type that takes pide in laying large eggs - were found dead and without a trace of blood, bearing twin puncture marks on their backs. The birds were completely dry. It was late at night when Rodriguez heard strange noises and a ruckus coming from the henhouse on his property - a commotion that was far from being normal. He decided to send his son to check with a flashlight to make sure thieves weren't at work.
The youth obeyed his father and flashlight in hand approached the large henhouse stealthily, becoming terrified upon seeing a strange black animal, standing some 40 cm. tall and resembling a small dog with a long tail and standing on two legs. He recalls, among what little he was able to see through the flashlight's beam, that the animal had a very long tongue. Upon seeing the light, the creature fled into the vegetation, skilfully leaping over a wall.
An inspection of the henhouse revealed that twenty hens had been slain. Police authorities of the nearby town of San Ramon were notified and officer Marcos Hernandez reported to the scene to corroborate not only Gonzalo Rodriguez's account, but the testimony of frightened neighbours.
The officer was able to ascertain that several "bunches" of dead hens lay near the property's fence. The birds were whole and the only sign of damage to them were the two small holes on its back, through which it is presumed that the strange assailant drove its fangs to remove or suck their blood.
Witnesses immediately ascribed the blame for the chicken slayings to the legendary, sinister and mysterious creature known throughout Mesoamerica as the Chupacabras.
What occurred two nights ago at the Rodriguez henhouse was immediately associated with an earlier, similar event, in which dead sheep had been found with the same characteristics: twin puncture marks on their necks or back and not a single drop of blood.
Two days ago, at the same site and to eliminate any questions, Luis Morun and Luis Angulo, neighbours of the Rodriguez family, butchered each of the animals to insure that the birds were totally dry and without a drop of blood.  
Neighbours have rejected the possibility that a weasel, wolf or hen-killing predator such as a fox could be involved. What startled them most is that formerly one or two hens would vanish - now twenty did so at the same time.

The following article was published in “El Diario (Parana-Province of Entre Ríos)”

7^th April 2004.

Is The Chupacabras On The Prowl Again?

 The legend of the infamous Chupacabras has reappeared once more in Entre Ríos, and this time close to our city, San Benito. Police sources said yesterday that last Saturday, the sheriff's office of the neighboring community was visited by a farmer from the rural area who identified himself as Emilio Fernando Kint, 59, who stated that on that day he had noticed one of his animals was missing. Immediately, he went in search of the stray bovine and found it lying in a thicket.

Upon approaching it to see what was wrong, he found that his animal was missing a left eye, hide and flesh in a 5 centimeter circumference  around its belly. What startled the farmer the most was the absence of blood on the animal and anywhere in the vicinity. Kint stated that he called a private veterinarian who visited the site and attested to the missing organs, but who was otherwise unable to offer an explanation for the animal's death.

During his exposition, the farmer also mentioned that a few nights ago he had seen strange lights in the firmament,

precisely over the place where he found the animal. He added that not far from there he found a large circle of flattened grass whose cause was unknown.

The following article was published in “El Diario (Parana-Province of Entre Ríos)”

7^th April 2004.

Is The Chupacabras On The Prowl Again?

The legend of the infamous Chupacabras has reappeared once more in Entre Ríos, and this time close to our city, San Benito. Police sources said yesterday that last Saturday, the sheriff's office of the neighboring community was visited by a farmer from the rural area who identified himself as Emilio Fernando Kint, 59, who stated that on that day he had noticed one of his animals was missing. Immediately, he went in search of the stray bovine and found it lying in a thicket.

Upon approaching it to see what was wrong, he found that his animal was missing a left eye, hide and flesh in a 5 centimeter circumference  around its belly. What startled the farmer the most was the absence of blood on the animal and anywhere in the vicinity. Kint stated that he called a private veterinarian who visited the site and attested to the missing organs, but who was otherwise unable to offer an explanation for the animal's death.

During his exposition, the farmer also mentioned that a few nights ago he had seen strange lights in the firmament, precisely over the place where he found the animal. He added that not far from there he found a large circle of flattened grass whose cause was unknown.

April 27th, 2004 - NEW CHUPACABRAS ATTACKS IN SOUTH AMERICA

Arturo Strange is adamant. He insists that it is not common for a dog attack to result in all of their prey bunched up, as he has seen inside his henhouse -- one chicken piled on top of another. Furthermore, he maintains that "there is a hole in the back through which the creature came in. As far as I know, dogs don't dig and travel underground."
A henhouse suffered a bloody attack in this area and this time 25 hens were the victims--along with don Arturo Strange's wallet. The owner of the birds is a long-time resident of the Pudeto Alto sector in Ancud, a region where the urban borders the rural. It cannot be said that the rooster stirred things up in the small henhouse, since he too paid with his life for being at the wrong place at the wrong time.    
No one can disabuse Strange of the notion that the animal that killed his birds is a strange beast--the Chupacabras itself. He is so convinced by this that despite having lost all of his birds, he has summoned a veterinarian to conduct an analysis. This has happened only two days after a mink was shot in the outskirts of Llanquihue. On that occasion, 14 birds were shot by the animal, who is known for sucking blood and entrails out of its victim, which led people to believe that the Chupacabras was involved.
In what is now being known as "the Ancud Case" it is possible to believe that the Chupacabras was actually involved. Veterinarian Andres Norambuena visited the scene of the attack at 13:00 hrs. at 772 Pudeto Street. Without discarding any speculation, the professional has ventured with some certainty that a dog could be involved. But Strange is unconvinced, since he insists that "the only dogs I heard barking yesterday were my own. The hens didn't make a sound; they were nice and quiet."
Another person living in the same household corroborates this thesis. The only thing that the veterinarian is willing to consider with a fair amount of convicition is an attack by a mink, but given the area's physical characteristics and the density of buildings and human presence, this is doubtful. "Minks attack massively, but I think this would be the first such report ever known here. In other places there is considerable carnage, since [the mink] is a rather aggressive animal when it attacks. But we're in a city. It's unlikely that it would ever come here," Norambuena observed, returning to his original idea: "But this attack can be attributed to an animal with a larger muzzle, such as a dog."
The owner of the property says that there are wild creatures in the area, such as mountain cats and foxes, which have been seen around where he lives, so he does not discard the possibility of minks or the Chupacabras.
Strange's beliefs have been corroborated by local residents, particularly on Las Americas street, where two residents have witnessed an unknown animal. The creature was described as having "an elongated body, pointy head, slanted eyes and stands on two legs...I only saw it for a few seconds," says Jacqueline
Cordero, one of the locals, who  only six months ago saw an unidentified creature that she believes claimed the lives of six young chickens.

Chile - April 28th, 2004  Sheep Found Dead With Wounds On Head, Neck

 The legend of the Chupacabras acquired relevance yet again among farmers of the western sector of Chilean after a hellish vision shattered the day for a farmer in the El Huape sector.
Every morning, Jorge Huichalaf visits the pasture where he keeps his 75 sheep. It is easy to imagine his shock when he found that 15 of them were dead, showing wounds on their heads and necks.
While the likeliest explanation, by virtue of cases that have occurred before, can be found in canine attacks, the affected livestock owner indicated his surprise at the nature of the injuries.
Even though no formal report was presented to them, sanitary authorities learned of the case and manifested their concern over possible damage to smallholders and their herds. Without commenting on the species of the aggressor(s), experts coincided that the theory of the dog attack represents the likeliest explanation.
              "There has been evidence of wild packs in the El Huape and San Nicolas sectors. These can engage in violent activity, particularly if a fierce leader emerges from the pack," said Jorge González, head of the Zoonosis Unit of the
Undersecretariat of the Environment. Sergio Donoso, a veterinarian at Concepcion University, agreed that is possible to explain violent acts by dogs when they act as a pack.
           "There are different ways in which cats and dogs attack. While the former usually go for the neck and tend to asphyxiate their victims, canines bite and tear," said the vet.

Update – Chile, April 30th, 2004

 
CHUPACABRAS IN PROVIDENCIA?
 
A group of workers made a strange discovery: they came across three carcasses of a strange animal while they worked at a house located on Calle Condell in the commune of Providencia. The three skeletons at first sight are reminiscent of the image of the feared "chupacabras".
               "All three were the same, without any front legs. We were told to dispose of them, but we were stunned and are still confused...they can't be rabbits by their shape: the teeth, the long legs and the fact that they lack hands," said one of the workers to Chilevision Noticias.
The animals have skulls similar to a cat's, fifteen ribs, large fangs separated by a one centimeter gap and only two hind legs. 
              "We'd all like this to be a chupacabras or the offspring of a chupacabras. I'd be famous, but I don't know if that would be the case," said the worker.
The skeletons will be examined by  veterinarians of the University of Chile.

Citizen of Parral claims he was assaulted by two beasts looking like winged dogs

Fear and incredulity will increase even more in Parral when this news becomes known.

Specialists of the Legal Medical Service (SML) concluded yesterday that what attacked peasant Juan Roberto Acuna Pereira on Sunday morning was an animal, but belonging to an unknown species. The resident claimshaving been attacked that fateful night by two beings resembling dogs, but winged and with demonic strength. This was the incredible result reached by the analyses performed by forensic doctors of Cauquenes upon the wounds suffered by the Parral resident on his arms, chest and legs, and which were the subject of local and national media headlines yesterday, including EL CENTRO newspaper.

The oral report was received last night by the district attorney in charge of the case, Ricardo Encina. The official reported that "the injuries inflicted upon the Parral resident are compatible with those caused by an animal, without specifying what type. We are trying to deterime if there is involvement by some person, but if animals are involved we cannot continue our research, since that would fall to other specialists," admitting that he is faced with a very complex case.

Encina looked into the case afer Acuna reached the Reina Luisa Carabineros (state police) station in a state of terror on Sunday, reporting that two "winged dogs" -- one large, one small -- had attacked him on his way home. Such was their strength that the shocked peasant had to jump into a nearby canal (Canal Fiscal) to escape from his attackers.

The description of the unknown animals coincides with the one delivered Friday by a resident of the town of Buenos Aires, who claims having seen two flying creatures taking off when he went out to investigate why his dog was howling disconsolately, coming across dozens of chickens torn to shreds.

Encina acknowledged that the tests did not included the risk of possible infections, for which reason the victim's biological processes will have to be monitored, adding that only a doctor will be able to ascertain the peasant's condition.

DIARIO EL CENTRO visited the man's home last night in an effort to find out his reaction to the doctor's report, but Acuna refused, saying he was tired of so many visits by the media and interviews. He added that some journalists urged him to fly to Santiago de Chile for tests, and he refused. In spite of this, he said that the experts suggested to him the possibility that the attack had been perpetrated by a mountain lion, which he flatly rejected, insisting in the "winged dog" story.The sense of mystery and fear has increased among Parral's citizenry and puts to rest the series of jokes that circulatd on Sunday and yesterday, when the fantastic events became widely known.

A cab passenger says that he reached the local train station at 9 o'clock at night. He hailed a cab to go home and remarked to his driver that the streets were desolate. The cabbie replied that people were scared of having "The chupacabras" appear before them, alluding to the mythical creature usually blamed for animal deaths and exsanguinations.
There were those who associated this attack with the nervousness seen in recent nights among dogs, hens and geese in Parral. A homeowner said that she felt a commotion in her henhouse and found it odd, since at that time of night the hens were asleep. Scared, she took a flashlight to see what was going on. She thought to talk to a neighbor, but thought twice about it because she was afraid of being laughed out. The Parral resident claims having heard "the chupacabras" flying off.

Another resident added that yesterday morning the geese were also restless. The fact occured near Canal Fiscal, where Acuna was attacked on Saturday night. He pointed out that he heard two shots fired, which he attributed to someone trying to scare off the alleged animal. The subject couldn't even be obviated in the courts. Court Attorney Roman Lazagy joked with D.A. Ricardo Encina, saying: "If you're in charge of this investigation, I don't give you more than 7 days to apprehend the Chupacabras", causing peals of laughter in the courtoom.

Panic in Parral - 14 sheep are found dead!

Fourteen sheep died inexplicably last week, but that wasn't enough for two families of shepherds from Parral to make a formal report of the event, despite the fact that the animals' bodies were found torn and bloodied but without any traces of a predator that would have feasted on them.

Everything changed in the last few hours, when word spread of the attack on farmer Juan R. Acuna Pereira by creatures unknown to doctors, and that he described as 'winged dogs.'"

The (sheep) deaths occurred at Las Cabras farm and at a smallholding located near the commune's hospital. The affected parties say they gave no special importance to the event, but in view of all that has been published, they became afraid and decided to come forward.

In the first case, eight sheep were found drained of blood, at the rear of the Inapar Corporation. The family running the premises, facing the hospital, recorded the dead animals on their camcorder to leave a document for the owner of the property and the animals, in the hopes of avoiding any misunderstandings later.

Ever since the Acuna case became known, members of the family have chosen to leave their clothes hanging outside after nightfall instead of going out and risking a similar attack. That is the level of their fear."

"'They can't be dogs,' they said, requesting anonymity, since 'dogs will eat the sheep, not bleed it. This is the work of a strange animal.'"

The affected parties said they decided not to report the incident to the Carabineros (Chilean national police) because over 40 dead hens had been found under similar circumstances last year (2003), and they remember that the police had told them not to go out at night, since a strange dangerous species could be on the loose."

The second case corresponds to the death of six sheep in the Paso Hondo rural area on the way to Cauquenes, on the Las Cabras farm. A person came to the door to confirm that (second) report:

“Yes, six dead sheep were found in the pasture, but it was never known what killed them. I can't explain it. All I know is that they had very little blood, because they were brought in for the dogs, and their (fleece) hides were removed.'"
Claudio Bravo, mayor of Parral, said:
“I have no greater opinion than what has appeared in the media. I think calm should reign, first and foremost. These cases are isolated and infrequent. The fact is that we don't know--until the investigation is well underway, if we are facing a new species or a normal, everyday species. I call on the community to remain calm.'"

But he also joked:

“If the Chupacabra has done anything positive by its presence, it's that we have fewer people on the streets at night, which I think is good. I hope the Chupacabra won't attack decent folks, only the delinquents who are up to no good in Parral.'"

"The Parralinos” (residents of Parral) interpretations of the event range from skepticism to the Bible.
Nora Retamal, a secretary to Senator Jaime Naranjo, has a view of the phenomenon that she relates to the Apocalypse:
“That book (Revelations) tells us that different things will come to pass. We know that the forces of evil present themselves in different guises. God wants us to be ready to witness some odd things."

Fidel Sanchez, who keeps his hand on the local society's pulse, thinks that most Parralinos believe that the attack on the farm was the work of Chupacabras, adding that others believe it was just a dog:

“All of these things give me goose pimples. The fact that there could
be a mysterious creature wandering the night that could attack you...all I can do is go to bed early.”

UFOs SEEN REPEATEDLY OVER TOWN IN ARGENTINA

 "The UFO phenomenon in the town of Gobernador Ugarte (population 300)," located about 150 kilometers (90 miles) west of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, "is ongoing. Strange lights and maneuvers were reported this past weekend."

"One worker told the strange story of how his truck lights turned on and off by themselves as he stopped at a local ranch. Some residents say this is quite normal in the area, while others express their fears."

The Argentinian newspaper "La Manana spoke yesterday (Monday, July 12, 2004) with Hector Labaronne, who has been filming UFOs for three years with his family. The La Esperanza ranch is where the greatest number of (UFO) sightings and ground prints have been reported in recent times. The family possesses over five hours of video recordings of the lights and objects that appear in the night skies."

"The significance of these events has led to the screening of a 90-minute video of the Ugarte sightings," which will take place "on August 16, 2004 at the 8 p.m. in the Sala Pablo Picasso in Buenos Aires."

"La Manana ; 'How long have you been recording UFOs?'"

"Hector: 'More than three years now. The video to be shown in Buenos Aires is just part of the five hours we've
recorded. Almost all of the images are similar, except that some are on different days and nights.'"

"La Manana: 'How long since the last sighting?'

"Hector: 'We saw the lights last night (Sunday, July 11, 2004), also on Saturday (July 10, 2004), and there are some things that occur that are beyond the norm, For example, last Friday (July 9, 2004), one of the rangers who lives in a shed had a strange experience. At around 1 a.m., he saw a light, went outside, and realized that his truck lights were on. He went to turn them off but noticed that the pickup truck's lights weren't on. (Meaning the dashboard light switch was set on OFF--J.T.) The lights themselves went out in the meantime. He thought it might be a loose wire and went to bed again.'"

"'About an hour later, he woke up to find his truck lights on again. This happened four times successively. He didn't go out after that because he was scared. The next day, he reflected about this event, and some people told him that there were 'flying saucers' in the skies over the area, or that strange lights are often seen.'"

"'He says that when he went to bed, he felt as though someone was running at the edge of the shack. We still don't know what it is, but we're sure there's something to it.'"

"'The lights fly right over Ugarte--many people of the town are seeing them. Since it is a normal occurrence, no one pays them much attention. A large flying red light 100 meters (330 feet) over Ugarte is a normal thing.'"

"La Manana: 'What time of year does this most often occur?'"

"Hector: 'The cooler it gets, the lower they fly. They can move some 30 to 40 centimeters (12 to 16 inches) over the ground. They don't leave traces. What we see are lights and sometimes a solid object, like a suspended deep bowl. We've had them close, but when we get closer, they move away--this happens always. They don't come over to where we are. They always avoid us.'"

"Research and inquiries have revealed (UFO) sightings in previous decades. In the 1950s, personnel from the Estancia San Jose del Socorro (ranch) reported the surprising appearance of several circular marks (crop circles--J.T.) near a eucalyptus forest. In the summer of 1971, a 12-year-old boy witnessed the low-altitude flight of a strange aerial artifact. In the mid-1990s, a local resident claimed having been taken aboard a spacecraft, providing details of his experience and shiny marks on his arms."

"Gobernador Ugarte is located on Route 51 between the cities of Chivilcoy and 25 de Mayo" in Buenos Aires province in eastern Argentina. (See the Argentinian newspaper La Manana of Buenos Aires for July 13, 2004, "UFOs seen near 25 de Mayo." Muchas gracias a Scott Corrales y Gloria Coluchi para esto articulo de diario.)

BRILLIANT WHITE UFO SEEN NEAR SAO PAULO, BRAZIL

On Thursday, July 15, 2004, farm workers in the Serra da Cantareira, a mountainous region north of Sao Paulo, Brazil, the largest city in South America, "spotted a UFO in the sky at approximately 7:08 p.m. The object, which rotating on its own axis,' hovered briefly over the mountainside before flying away."

"One witness said, 'The object appeared to be self-illuminated.'"

Brazilian ufologists called the event "the most exciting UFO incident in Sao Paulo state in years."

Later the same evening, at 11 p.m., "a flight of black helicopters flew over Taquaritinga, S.P.," located about 300 kilometers (180 miles) northwest of the city of Sao Paulo. "There were seven helicopters, arrayed in a without (navigational) lights." (Muito obrigado a Atilio Coelho, Roberto Santram e Brunilda Barros para esas informacoes brasilienses.)

"Winged Dogs" were Chupacabras?

Juan R. Acuna Pereira, the Parral resident who was assaulted by two strange beings qualified as “winged dogs”, said yesterday (Sunday, July 11, 2004) that the creature is identical to one shown in an image presented by Corporacion GEO, depicting the mythical Chupacabras, and which was done based on statements from others who have suffered similar attacks.

      "'It had no fangs, and it was just like a dog, and with short ears, just like a dog, and it stood on two legs and had shiny eyes,' he said, confirming the computerized image belonging to Corporacion GEO.  He insisted that the (creature) is just like a dog and without the fangs shown in a Mexican photo last week.  The only difference is that the beleagured Parral native saw both animals as black in color and flew around."

Despite his silence to the media, the victim's days haven't been peaceful.  His wife says that Juan doesn't sleep at night and, when he manages to do so, he has nightmares and delirium all night.  Sometimes he wakes up shrieking 'Attack!  Attack!'"

What they are hoping is that a (medical) specialist will offer him some assistance, since, after the night of horror, Juan doesn't dare go outside after dark, not even to the outhouse.  He is with someone at all times, whether a brother or his brother-in-law.  He will not remain home alone.

Juan Acuna said that a friend of his, Jorge Vejar, told him a dog was found dead in a field" outside Parral, near Temuco in southern Chile, "without a drop of blood.

When they opened the door to see what happened, the other dogs entered the house and hid under the chairs, visibly frightened and unwilling to go outside."

The Chilean newspaper "El Centro also had access to a report by Susana Soto Yanez, the woman who offered first aid to Acuna" after the attack.  "The victim's brother-in-law's spouse revealed that the attack by the 'creatures' occurred near 1 a.m.  Her relative (Acuna) was fleeing from the bridge along the side of the canal, calling for help, at a time at which they were both asleep."

Susana Soto did not understand, much less believe, the story that some winged dogs had attacked her relative. After changing his clothes and dressing his wounds, because he had arrived practically naked at the house, she went out to find a cell phone to summon an ambulance, without positive results.

She says that she retraced her relative's route from her house to the side of the canal towards the bridge and noticed some strange noises, but she says she entrusted herself to God, and nothing happened.

Unable to achieve her goal, she returned home and asked her husband--he had had a few drinks, she admitted, to go and find an ambulance.  The husband covered the same route as his wife, when upon reaching the bridge, recalls

Marcelo Alberto Gajardo, he suffered a surprise attack on his foot by one of the 'winged dogs.'"

He shouted in such a way that he managed to scare off the 'critter.'  Gajardo described the incident: 'It was a thing that attacked my foot and hurled me backwards. Good thing I was wearing leather boots.  I looked and saw it was flying. I let out a shout, and it let go of me. There were two of them.  They were small, but they vanished.  I didn't see if they flew off or not - they just

vanished all of a sudden.  If I don't scream, I told myself, I'll die right here...and I don't blame this situation on any rooster!"  (See the Chilean newspaper El

Centro of Talca for July 12, 2004)

Scientists baffled in Chile

Specialists from the Museum of Natural History" in Valparaiso, a seaport city in Chile, "are subjecting a carcass found in Cerro Cordillera to a battery of tests.

The situation came about a few days ago (Monday, August 2, 2004) at the house of Manuel Otazo, who found the corpse of a strange animal inside the doghouse belonging to one of his animals.

"'We perceived the foul smell and thought at first that someone had thrown away fish by-products. But then we saw that our pet (dog) was frightened and didn't want to go into his doghouse. Upon inspecting it, we came across the monster,” said Sonia Valdivia, the tearful homeowner.

Manuel Otazo explained that the animal had a small head and red fur, with large fangs, claws and hands resembling wings, different from any rodent or known domestic animal.

Otazo said:

“At night we could hear noise on the rooftop, and hens and rabbits died recently at a neighbor's house. We think it could be the Chupacabra or one of his relatives that was wounded and came to die in our pet's doghouse. After burying it, the owners subsequently contacted the Museum of Natural History in alparaiso, who transferred the specimen to their facility."

The animal is submerged in a special brine. Fernando Soto, professor of biology, reported that the carcass, in an advanced state of putrefaction, will be

submitted to a treatment based on choleopterids that devour flesh to recover the skeleton. The bones will be compared to the anatomies of known specimens.

Despite the a priori examination performed on the animal, Dr. Soto noted that, while it could be a dog or cat, he was surprised by some strange features, such as the absence of incisors, the size of its extremities, and the color of its fur.

The Museum of Natural History says that it isn't so unusual to run into strange specimens in the area. Only a few months ago, they received the carcass of a pig with three eyes.

“The owners, who were from Cerro Baran, decapitated it at once," Dr. Soto said, "Because they thought it was a thing of the Devil rather than a genetic aberration."