Subject: Chupacabra

Cryptid Class: Reptilian Cryptid

Threat Level: Mild

Description: The nocturnal blood-sucker of South America, El Chupacabra is a reptilian cryptid that is a member of the Iguania suborder (which includes iguanas, chameleons, and other squamate reptiles). They stalk the night for an easy meal, earning them the moniker of “goat sucker”. They have been an ever-present nightmare for farmers for decades, wreaking havoc on livestock and draining blood. Chupacabras are a more recent discovery, becoming a pop culture phenomenon after the 1990s. They can’t take all the credit, though, with coyotes and feral dogs playing a large part in the slaughter. One way to tell if it truly was a chupacabra attack is by how clean the surrounding area is, as they can’t afford to waste a single drop of blood when feeding. Also, it tends to happen in more secluded areas near the forests, which is where chupacabras reside.

Diet: El Chupacabra are exclusively sanguivores, surviving off a diet of blood. Normally, they would prey on native fauna further inland in South America, such as wild pigs and capybara, but livestock such as pigs, goats and chickens proved to be much easier prey. They need to consume on average 2000 calories a day to maintain their body weight. Since blood is normally about 900 calories per liter, chupacabras have to consume roughly 2 to 3 liters of blood per night.

Distribution: Although the first noted sightings of Chupacabra occurred in Puerto Rico, they actually originated much further inland in South America. Their habitat resides mainly along the rainforests surrounding the Amazon basin. In fact, they’re not native to Puerto Rico, at all. This is mostly due to the lack of larger prey animals on the island nation, with many theorizing that chupacabras were brought over by accident when transporting livestock.

Physiology: The Chupacabra has a slender body with large, spine-like fronds growing along its back and neck, much like their iguanids relatives. Their forearms are proportionally longer and more muscular than their hindlegs, as well as having hook-like claws at the end of each digit; this is necessary for snatching and holding onto prey while feeding, as well as climbing trees to make their nest. Their eyes are large in proportion to their head, making their night vision highly above average. Their tongue acts like a lancet when feeding, piercing a prominent vein in the neck or thorax to draw blood. The tip of their tongue ends with a thick layer of keratin that ends in a sharp point. A remarkable feature of the chupacabra is that they lack any kind of mandible, instead having a funnel-like design shaped with cartilage and soft tissue. Due to their relatively jaw-less skull, they are incapable of chewing food, instead relying on a set of serrated teeth to slice open their prey and suck up their blood. Their teeth are specially designed, to, as their serration allows blood to travel upwards into the mouth via capillary action. When feeding, its abdomen will expand in order to accommodate the amount of blood it ingests; however, this makes it difficult for the chupacabra to move easily after feeding, so it slinks off to rest while it digests its liquid lunch.

Note: These truly are fascinating creatures, not just because of their physical features (or lack thereof), but also because of how they have shaped pop culture throughout South America. Because of their notoriety, they have given more focus on the study of cryptids in general. It also becomes abundantly clear that we have to protect the Amazon more than ever to preserve these wonderful creatures.