East Texas Mystery Animal Identified
Posted by: Craig Woolheater on January 22nd, 2006
KLTV Tyler Longview reports that the strange animal shot in Angelina County last week was a coyote or feral dpg with sarcoptic mange. Link to the original story reported here earlier in the week. I predicted then that it was a mangy coyote. I imagine that we will see lots of these stories claiming the animals are Chupacabras, it makes for a more sensational TV news story.
"This occurrence crops up from year to year , its not common but it does, its either a coyote or a feral dog or occasionally it could be a feral dog-coyote hybrid with sarcoptic mange, a disease" he says.
Researchers have even caught glimpses of hairless coyotes on motion sensor cameras used documenting wildlife. But others are not convinced, thinking it to be the mythical "Chupacabra" a bloodthirsty predator of Mexican lore. Hundreds have called and e-mailed with their own explanations of what the animals is, calling it a "New Jersey devil", a kangaroo dog, even an ancient sphinx.
Co-founder of Cryptomundo in 2005.
I have appeared in or contributed to the following TV programs, documentaries and films:
OLN's Mysterious Encounters: "Caddo Critter", Southern Fried Bigfoot, Travel Channel's Weird Travels: "Bigfoot", History Channel's MonsterQuest: "Swamp Stalker", The Wild Man of the Navidad, Destination America's Monsters and Mysteries in America: Texas Terror - Lake Worth Monster, Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot: Return to Boggy Creek and Beast of the Bayou.
If it had wings then for sure the “Jersey Devil”.
Exactly what causes Sarcoptic Mange?
Sarcoptic mange is the name for the skin disease caused by infection with the Sarcoptes scabei mite. Mites are not insects; instead they are more closely related to spiders. They are microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye.
Adult Sarcoptes scabei mites live 3-4 weeks in the host’s skin. After mating, the female burrows into the skin depositing 3-4 eggs in the tunnel behind her. The eggs hatch in 3-10 days producing a larva which, in turn, moves about on the skin surface eventually molting into a “nymphal” stage and finally into an adult. The adults move on the surface of the skin where they mate and the cycle begins again with the female burrowing and laying eggs.
Just what the hell is a ‘kangaroo dog’ anyway?
Hi:
I am a skeptical person. Of anything except my eyes.
What are hooves doing on a coyote?
By the way, are they gonna give the thing back to the kid?
DR
That animal didn’t have hooves, if you look at the pictures closely, it was just the feet that were smooshed together from laying on it’s side for a few days. You can see the toes and claws on the feet.
refresh my memory, aren’t Chupacabras suppose to make 1 or 2 puncture holes and then “suck” out all the insides of their victims? Did these people check this poor, ugly thing for just such an ability? I don’t know how anyone can say that the elmendorf beast, that is what this is about, could just be a dog with mange. The lower jaw is shorter than his snout, his hind legs are longer, his canines come from the lower jaw and his metabolism is out of this world. Why doesn’t anyone just put out a critter trap with meat in it and catch us one? Dog with mange or not, this one needs to be studied.