Cattle mutilation

[[File:KenRommel.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Ken Rommel speaking about cattle mutilation at [[CSICOP]] in 1983]]
{{Ufology}}
{{cquote|The [[Bullshit|fact]] that [[Conspiracy theories#Misperception of social systems|the authorities]] are [[WOMBAT|still turning their backs]] [[Manufactroversy|on numerous events over many decades]] and some farmers have been visited by [[men in black]], there are [[Confirmation bias|obvious signs]] of [[Conspiracy theory#Unified Conspiracy Theory|covert military scientific groups or indeed aliens]] acting outside of our normality.

The number of cases are [[Selective reporting|huge ! and ongoing]].{{sic}}

There are many other [[Appeal to emotion|strange and frightening]] events which occur at cattle mutilation sites with [[UFO]]s, [[Lights in the night|strange lights]], silent [[black helicopters]], [[bigfoot]] and other [[Alex Jones|non human humanoids]] present or visiting farmers.

I draw a [[Pseudoskepticism|clear distinction]] between this and the [[Satanic ritual abuse|animal mutilations from satanic cults]] and attacks by other animal types which are [[Burden of proof|very clear from the evidence]].|||busa, "Senior Member", [[David Icke]] forums<ref>[http://www.davidicke.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1061638556&postcount=35 David Icke's Official Forums &mdash; View Single Post &mdash; Cattle mutilations: aliens?]</ref>}}

'''Cattle mutilation''' refers to livestock (usually cows, allegedly sometimes horses or other animals such as pets) allegedly found dead with unusual trauma &mdash; with organs removed and blood drained. 

Popular suspected culprits include [[Extraterrestrial|aliens]], "the military" (despite countries of origin varying greatly), and [[cult]]ists of various kinds, [[Satanic Panic|Satanic]] or otherwise. Silent [[black helicopters]] are often claimed to be involved, and often a general mythos regarding other [[fringe]] elements is painted up as also having been present at the same site or indicative of the mystery of the location itself.

==Natural causes==
The rationalistic explanation is usually that &mdash; aside from the fact that a vast number of these reports are pure conjecture and word of mouth &mdash; the times when anything tangible is ever sourced, the animals were partially eaten by scavengers who ate the soft parts first, then the corpses were left in the hot sun for extended periods, as it is a normal occurrence in nature for corpses to go through various stages of asymmetrical decompositional change, i.e. affected greatly by the environment, which is well known to produce strange-looking carcasses that are ripe for paranormal explanation.<ref>{{wpa|cattle mutilation}}</ref><ref>[http://www.skepdic.com/cattle.html "Cattle 'mutilation'"], [[The Skeptic's Dictionary]].</ref> Some incidents may be genuine acts of animal cruelty by human perpetrators.

An example of this process of decomposition is visible here,<ref>[http://i.imgur.com/S6Hn8i6.jpg '''Viewer warning: Graphic image''', as far as naturally deceased sheep go]</ref> as a drowned sheep has been partially preserved in a bog. Only the parts that were sticking up above the surface were exposed to oxygen and general decomposition, while the submerged parts are preserved for the time being.

==Human causes==

While many cases have been traced to Edward Scissorhands' enthusiasm for cow tipping, cattle mutilation can also be explained as insurance fraud.  Ranchers' insurance policies generally do not cover deaths due to negligence such as disease or poisoning, but do cover human attacks. If the parts of a cow that show disease are removed, the remains can be claimed as a loss.

==Woo==
[[File:SuperSpaceInvaders'91.jpeg|thumb|200px|right|Fortunately, mankind has developed defenses against the evil aliens that steal and mutilate cattle.]]

An investigation by the [[FBI]] in 1979 concluded that most 'mutilation' incidents were the result of natural deaths and predation, but some cases included anomalies that were not readily explainable.<ref>{{wpa|cattle mutilation}} for a more detailed summary of the findings and links to online copies of the FBI documents.</ref> Of course, such simple admissions of the limits of an honest investigation are red meat to conspiracy hounds, [[Confirmation bias|who take them as admission of positive findings]].

This phenomenon has become something of a specialty for woo-journalist [[Linda Moulton Howe]]. It was the theme of her 1980 video documentary ''Strange Harvest'', and she has followed up with many reports since then. Howe favors the [[aliensdidit]] theory.

==See also==
*[[Chupacabra]]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Paranormal]]
[[Category:Ufology]]
[[Category:Horror]]

Categories: Paranormal, Ufology, Horror