Theories about the chupacabra's nature have ranged from the plausible to the far-fetched, with some speculating that sightings might be attributed to diseased canines such as coyotes with severe mange, whose bald and leathery appearance could misconstrue them as something more sinister. However, this mundane explanation fails to satisfy the whispering masses, for whom the chupacabra is a creature of the night, a living symbol of the unknown.