Texas' Blood-Sucking Monster Vallarta Living | Art Talk | March 2006 Texas' Blood-Sucking Monster Joy Victory - ABC News "The Harvest" by artist Carlos Gomez features El Chupacabra, a monster rumored to feed on livestock along the U.S.-Mexico border. Gomez recently created a series of works about the creature. (Carlos G. Gomez) In south Texas, its frightening name resurfaces in the news every few months - especially after another neighborhood pet or farm animal mysteriously dies. "El Chupacabra," they say, "is back." Parents are cautious, warning their children to stay inside at night or risk a face-to-fang encounter with the chupacabra - a red-eyed, spiky-haired, blood-sucking creature with a green-blue tint to its hide. The chupacabra haunts the minds of the residents in La Frontera, the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. Here, an amalgamation of cultures blend, represented by Gulf shrimp tacos, polka-inspired Tejano music, and young, white girls who also hold quinceneras, the Mexican teen rite-of-passage celebration.

Amid this mostly peaceful cultural mishmash, the chupacabra - translates to goat-sucker - replaces the boogeyman. Rumored to be originally of Puerto Rican folklore, the chupacabra and its reign spread to Central America in the '80s and '90s, and has moved northward through Mexico and Texas, where it has quickly been embraced and has lately been portrayed in artwork and film. Is It Real? Like other mythic monsters, the chupacabra has its believers - just ask Webmaster and science-fiction buff Dave Pettis. "I just believe there can be something out there like that," said Pettis, who lives in Northern California. "I don't think every animal in the world has been classified." Pettis said he gets lots of e-mails from people. Some are curious about the creature, while others want to submit their own sightings. "Some people think it's some [lab] experiment that escaped, but other people think it's some animal that's been around for a long time, like in South America. The clearing of the rain forests has made it come out," he said.

The Mexican Boogeyman It's these sorts of theories that make anthropologist Tony Zavaleta chuckle. He loves the chupacabra myth, but it's for different reasons. It's simply a great part of Mexican-American folklore, he said. While the chupacabra is by far the most popular myth, it is just one of several indigenous monsterlike creatures. There's also El Cucuy, or a small humanlike demon that also goes after kids at night. "It's so universal. ï¿½ Every group of people, regardless of where they are, they have what I define or describe as the boogeyman - the story you use to keep children in line and inside at night," said Zavaleta, a professor and vice president for external affairs at the University of Texas at Brownsville. Zavaleta's favorite encounter with the chupacabra came while walking through Mexico City a few years ago. He spotted a mask for sale - one that looked partly like a chupacabra and partly like the Mexico president at that time. He had to laugh. "It's the metaphor for the evil president: the blood sucker," he said.

The Whimsical Monster High in the mountains of northern Mexico, not far from the Texas border, many of the farmers do not laugh about the chupacabra, said artist and fellow Texas professor Carlos Gomez. There, the chupacabra is blamed for killing cattle and other livestock. While traveling around the El Cielo cloud forest a few years ago, he tried to joke with the locals about the blood-sucking monster. He received a cool response. "There had been some sightings. People were panicking," he said. "Their livestock is their livelihood. They really depend on that." His trip inspired him to create a recent set of paintings about the chupacabra. Instead of portraying it as a monster, he took a whimsical approach, defying local perceptions. "Some are old. Some are young and showboating," he said.

"Some are blue with red moles, or red with freckles." A Cult Favorite Henry Serrato, who works for a south Texas television station and is an amateur filmmaker, also took a whimsical approach with his mockumentary or documentary spoof titled "The Search for the Chupacabra." Blending real in-person interviews with fictionalized accounts, his film highlights some of the absurdities of the science-fiction fan world - such as the time a real film crew showed up in south Texas ready to film scenes about sightings of a giant Pterodactyl-like bird last spotted there in the '70s. "The crew shows up in 1996 - 20 years too late. Here was a crew going around interviewing about the big bird, and everyone wants to talk about the chupacabra," he said. "It's reached cult status," he said of the chupacabra. Just a Coyote? Lately, there have been signs that the chupacabra myth may die out before reaching worldwide fame. Several carcasses of supposed chupacabras have been brought to the attention of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. And its official determination?

The animals were nothing but coyotes with severe cases of sarcoptic mange, a nasty skin disease that leaves the animals emaciated and partially hairless with bluish skin. It's a plausible explanation for why people may let their imaginations wander, said Danny Pence, a professor of parasitology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock. He was talking to the San-Antonio Express-News. "If you never worked with them or seen them, they do look strange," he told the newspaper. But Pettis, the chupacabra Webmaster, isn't convinced. He has seen several pictures of the carcasses. "It didn't look like a coyote. Its back legs were too long," he said. Texas' Blood-Sucking Monster - ABC News Texas' Blood-Sucking Monster In south Texas, its frightening name resurfaces in the news every few months -- especially after another neighborhood pet or farm animal mysteriously dies.

"El Chupacabra," they say, "is back." Parents are cautious, warning their children to stay inside at night or risk a face-to-fang encounter with the chupacabra -- a red-eyed, spiky-haired, blood-sucking creature with a green-blue tint to its hide. The chupacabra haunts the minds of the residents in La Frontera, the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. Here, an amalgamation of cultures blend, represented by Gulf shrimp tacos, polka-inspired Tejano music, and young, white girls who also hold quinceneras, the Mexican teen rite-of-passage celebration. Amid this mostly peaceful cultural mishmash, the chupacabra -- translates to goat-sucker -- replaces the boogeyman. Rumored to be originally of Puerto Rican folklore, the chupacabra and its reign spread to Central America in the '80s and '90s, and has moved northward through Mexico and Texas, where it has quickly been embraced and has lately been portrayed in artwork and film. Is It Real? Like other mythic monsters, the chupacabra has its believers -- just ask Webmaster and science-fiction buff Dave Pettis.

"I just believe there can be something out there like that," said Pettis, who lives in Northern California. "I don't think every animal in the world has been classified." Pettis said he gets lots of e-mails from people. Some are curious about the creature, while others want to submit their own sightings. "Some people think it's some [lab] experiment that escaped, but other people think it's some animal that's been around for a long time, like in South America. The clearing of the rain forests has made it come out," he said. The Mexican Boogeyman It's these sorts of theories that make anthropologist Tony Zavaleta chuckle. He loves the chupacabra myth, but it's for different reasons. It's simply a great part of Mexican-American folklore, he said. While the chupacabra is by far the most popular myth, it is just one of several indigenous monsterlike creatures. There's also El Cucuy, or a small humanlike demon that also goes after kids at night. "It's so universal.

… Every group of people, regardless of where they are, they have what I define or describe as the boogeyman -- the story you use to keep children in line and inside at night," said Zavaleta, a professor and vice president for external affairs at the University of Texas at Brownsville. Zavaleta's favorite encounter with the chupacabra came while walking through Mexico City a few years ago. He spotted a mask for sale -- one that looked partly like a chupacabra and partly like the Mexico president at that time. He had to laugh. "It's the metaphor for the evil president: the blood sucker," he said. The Whimsical Monster High in the mountains of northern Mexico, not far from the Texas border, many of the farmers do not laugh about the chupacabra, said artist and fellow Texas professor Carlos Gomez. There, the chupacabra is blamed for killing cattle and other livestock. While traveling around the El Cielo cloud forest a few years ago, he tried to joke with the locals about the blood-sucking monster. He received a cool response. "There had been some sightings. People were panicking," he said. "Their livestock is their livelihood.

They really depend on that." His trip inspired him to create a recent set of paintings about the chupacabra. Instead of portraying it as a monster, he took a whimsical approach, defying local perceptions. "Some are old. Some are young and showboating," he said. "Some are blue with red moles, or red with freckles." A Cult Favorite Henry Serrato, who works for a south Texas television station and is an amateur filmmaker, also took a whimsical approach with his mockumentary or documentary spoof titled "The Search for the Chupacabra." Blending real in-person interviews with fictionalized accounts, his film highlights some of the absurdities of the science-fiction fan world -- such as the time a real film crew showed up in south Texas ready to film scenes about sightings of a giant Pterodactyl-like bird last spotted there in the '70s. "The crew shows up in 1996 -- 20 years too late. Here was a crew going around interviewing about the big bird, and everyone wants to talk about the chupacabra," he said. "It's reached cult status," he said of the chupacabra. Just a Coyote?

Lately, there have been signs that the chupacabra myth may die out before reaching worldwide fame. Several carcasses of supposed chupacabras have been brought to the attention of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. And its official determination? The animals were nothing but coyotes with severe cases of sarcoptic mange, a nasty skin disease that leaves the animals emaciated and partially hairless with bluish skin. It's a plausible explanation for why people may let their imaginations wander, said Danny Pence, a professor of parasitology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock. He was talking to the San-Antonio Express-News. "If you never worked with them or seen them, they do look strange," he told the newspaper. But Pettis, the chupacabra Webmaster, isn't convinced. He has seen several pictures of the carcasses. "It didn't look like a coyote. Its back legs were too long," he said. 0 Shares Call for general knowledge questions! : JetPunk Which country's dictator is known as "Dear Leader"? North Korea Who played Jack Sparrow in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise?

Johnny Depp Which branch of mathematics solves equations and uses variables like x? Algebra Where is the "Underground City", the world's largest underground complex? Montreal What military campaign unexpectedly sacked Constantinople in 1204 AD? The Crusades What is the subject of Paul Cezanne's painting "Victoire"? A mountain What type of renewable energy is supported by the Rooftop Initiative? Solar energy What is the 13th constellation of the zodiac, sometimes included due to its closeness to the ecliptic? Ophiuchus Who is the author of stories about Jemima Puddle-Duck and Peter Rabbit? Beatrix Potter What African-American civil rights organization was founded in 1909 following the Springfield riots? NAACP What artist, famous for depicting Marilyn Monroe, had a studio called The Factory? Andy Warhol In what country would you find Thrace? Turkey In what war did Edward the Black Prince oppose Joan of Arc? The Hundred Years' War In what movie did Heath Ledger play a pauper posing as a tournament knight? A Knight's Tale Which of the Bronte sisters wrote Jane Eyre? Charlotte What is the name for an electrical device that regulates heartbeats?

Pacemaker Which NFL team plays in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome? New Orleans Saints In 2011 New York City issued its first ever mandatory evacuation order following the landfall of what hurricane? Irene Which layer of the Earth's atmosphere contains the Van Allen radiation belt? Magnetosphere Which river on the Iowa/Nebraska border is nicknamed the "Big Muddy"? Missouri In what country would you find Timbuktu? Mali Which nation has been ruled by the Alaouite Dynasty since the 17th century? Morocco What is the name for the ratio of a circle's circumfrence to its diameter? Pi What US TV show is based on Cecily von Ziegesar's book series including "All I Want is Everything"? Gossip Girl What Truman Capote movie depicts Holly Golightly's love for a New York jewelry store? Breakfast at Tiffany's During what dance do participants put various body parts "in and shake it all about"? Hokey Pokey What dance phenomenon began as the result of a 1994 hit single by Los del Rio? Macarena What Tchaikovsky composition celebrated Napoleon's failed invasion of Russia?

1812 Overture What military device is traditionally used as a musical instrument during performances of the 1812 Overture? a Cannon What former Rhode Island governor and disastrous Union general was most famous for his distinctive facial hair? Ambrose Burnside Which US Civil War general died after being shot by his own troops? Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson Eastern gray, red and flying are variants of what rodent species? Squirrel What South American rodent is prized for its fur? Chincilla What is the name for a blood-sucking monster common in Mexican folklore? Chupacabra Which US president was also a successful peanut farmer? Jimmy Carter In which country did PM George Papandreou's attempts to reduce national debt lead to riots? Greece Which Italian prime minister was accused of an inappropriate relationship with a Moroccan teenager named Ruby? Silvio Berlusconi Our 10 Favorite Monsters Our 10 Favorite Monsters By Benjamin Radford, Live Science Contributor | March 1, 2011 01:39pm ET MORE Credit: Kenneth Carpenter Monster madness Mankind has always had a fascination with monsters.

Mythologies from around the world include stories of strange and terrifying creatures, including the half-bull, half-human Minotaur of Greek myths, the living clay Golem of Jewish traditions, British elves and Chinese dragons. Though these monsters are obviously fiction, only a century or two ago belief in the beasts was common. Modern monsters aren't quite so fantastic, and while most people doubt their existence, some are certain that unknown monsters inhabit our pale blue dot. It seems that every few months, monsters of one kind or another make the news. Sometimes it's a new fuzzy home video of something in the water at Loch Ness; other times it's a hunter's photo of what could be a Bigfoot — or a mangy bear. Whether these monsters exist or not, the mysteries will always be with us. 2 of 12 Bigfoot Bigfoot is of course the world's marquee monster, having had pizzas and monster trucks named after it. Bigfoot is known not for what it is (since no one knows for certain what it is, or if it even exists), but what it supposedly leaves behind: large footprints. Bigfoot's high profile is largely due to a short film taken in 1967 in Bluff Creek, Calif.

This is the classic footage of Bigfoot, showing a furry, man-sized creature walking across a clearing. The film has never been proven authentic, and many suspect a hoax. It is also odd that the film remains the best evidence for Bigfoot 40 years later, despite the fact that video cameras are better, cheaper and in more hands than ever before; surely if it was not a hoax someone would have recorded a film as good or better since then. Perhaps Bigfoot's most amazing quality is its ability to leave no hard evidence of its existence . No teeth, bones, live nor dead specimens have been found. By one estimate, there should be hundreds of thousands of Bigfoot in North America, yet not one of them has been hit by a car, shot by a hunter, or found dead by a hiker. 3 of 12 Vampires A century after Bram Stoker modeled his Dracula character after Romanian national hero Vlad Tepes, interest in vampires has never been stronger. From Dracula to the "Blade" films, from Anne Rice novels to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," no single monster has captured the public's imagination the way vampires have.

At once both sensual and scary, vampire lore has inspired a thriving goth subculture. Despite strong evidence that vampires are a fictional creation, some people even claim to be vampires, conducting arcane rituals and consuming blood from willing donors. Let's hope they show up for the blood drive! 4 of 12 Werewolves The fearsome werewolf is a fascinating blend of man and beast. Some believe that a werewolf terrorized the French countryside in 1764, when a strange wolflike creature killed dozens of villagers; the fictionalized story was depicted in the film "Brotherhood of the Wolf." The werewolf is only one variation of lycanthropy, the ancient belief that certain people have the ability to change into animals, either at will, on certain dates, or on full moons. Witches and vampires, for example, are said to become cats, bats, and wolves on occasion.

While the werewolf's origins are unclear, an unusual disease that causes excessive body hair (called hypertrichosis) may have contributed to belief in werewolves — in fact sideshow performers with the disease were once exhibited as werewolves or "wolfmen." The connection with the full moon likely came about because of wolves' and dogs' tendency to bark at the moon. But stories of silver bullets didn't arise until much later. 5 of 12 Credit: Kenneth Carpenter Loch Ness Monster No list of monsters would be complete without the beastie said to inhabit Scotland's Loch Ness. While Nessie is the world's most famous lake monster, it is far from the only one. In fact, there are hundreds (by some counts thousands) of lakes across the globe said to harbor monsters. The earliest eyewitness account of the Loch Ness monster dates back only to May 1933. Since that time, the monster — real or not — has been a major tourism boon for Inverness and other towns along the lake. People have repeatedly searched Loch Ness for over 70 years, trying to verify the occasional sightings, photos, and videos.

In 2003, a team from the BBC scoured the lake using 600 separate sonar beams and satellite navigation; they turned up no monsters. Still, the public's interest in Nessie remains high: A film about the monster opened Christmas day in 2007 and earned $2.4 million. 6 of 12 Sirens A distant cousin of the mermaid (in folkloric terms anyway), the sirens were beautiful, alluring women who dwelled near rocky cliffs and sang to passing sailors. According to legends, the hapless seamen would become enchanted by the sirens' song, following the mellifluous melody to their deaths as their boats crashed upon the rocky shore. It is an ancient morality tale about the evils of women, but not all sirens were so comely. Other accounts depict sirens as half-bird, half-woman creatures who would lure travelers to their doom with harps instead of their voices. In Greek myth, Odysseus escaped the sirens by having his sailors plug their ears with beeswax, though in modern times doctors recommend soft foam earplugs for sailors who may encounter these dangerous monsters.

7 of 12 Chupacabra Bigfoot is named after its big footprints, and the dreaded chupacabra is also known for what it leaves behind: dead animals. Though goats are said to be its favorite prey (chupacabra means goat sucker in Spanish), they also have been blamed for attacks on cats, sheep, rabbits, dogs, chickens, ducks, hogs and other animals.(There is no record of a chupacabra attacking a Bigfoot, though I'd like to see that.) Descriptions of chupacabras vary widely, but many accounts suggest that the creature stands about 4 to 5 feet tall. It has short but powerful legs, long claws, and terrifying, glowing red eyes. Chupacabras first gained wide notoriety in 1995 in Puerto Rico. No one knows for certain why or how the chupacabra suddenly sprang into existence, but many Latin Americans believe it is the unholy result of secret U.S. government experiments in the jungles of Puerto Rico. It had a heyday of about five years, when it was widely reported in Mexico, Chile, Nicaragua, Spain, Argentina and Florida — almost exclusively in Spanish-speaking areas.

While widely regarded as a myth , occasional chupacabra sightings are reported in the United States, primarily in Texas and New Mexico. 8 of 12 Credit: Benjamin Radford Champ Often referred to as "America's Loch Ness Monster," the mysterious creature in Lake Champlain (which borders Vermont, New York, and Canada) is called Champ. Descriptions of the beast vary widely, but is it said to be anywhere from 10 to over 100 feet long, have dark skin covered with several humps. Its head supposedly resembles a snake or dog. A photograph claimed to be of the monster was published in The New York Times in 1981, giving the monster national notoriety, and was considered the best evidence for Champ — in fact for any lake monster. Ironically, the photograph that propelled Champ to stardom was later revealed in a 2003 investigation to be almost certainly an image of a floating log instead of a lake monster. While Champ sightings have waned in recent years, the legend is kept alive by the local minor league baseball team and the Vermont Lake Monsters.

9 of 12 Credit: AP Photo Giant Squid The giant squid is the only top 10 monster that is known to be real, though for centuries its existence was often rumored. Ancient sea stories told of the fearsome Kraken, a huge many-tentacled beast , said to attack ships and sailors on the high seas. Biologists finally verified the existence of a true sea monster : the mysterious giant squid Architeuthis. Dead specimens periodically wash up on the world's beaches, most often on islands whose name begins with "New" — Newfoundland and New Zealand. The largest giant squid specimen was estimated to be 65 feet long, but the monster remained elusive until 2004, when Japanese zoologists filmed a giant squid at depth for the first time. The creature was about 26 feet long, was found nearly 3,000 feet below the surface. 10 of 12 Dragons Perhaps the oldest monster of folklore, there are many variations on dragons and giant serpents. The Bible's Book of Isaiah describes Leviathan, a monstrous sea serpent dragon.

Some of the most developed dragons come from Chinese cultures; in fact for centuries some rural Chinese dug up (and made tea from) dinosaur bones, believing they were from dragons. The West is rich in dragon folklore as well; stories of a Christian martyr named George who slew a fearsome dragon later became known as Saint George the Dragon Slayer. While dragons are ancient, they are more popular now than at any other time in history, appearing in role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons and popular films such as "Lord of the Rings." 11 of 12 Ogopogo Canada reputedly has more lake monsters than any other country, boasting no fewer than a dozen in its cold waters. It's no surprise, therefore, that Lake Okanagan, located in British Columbia, might be home to one of the world's top 10 monsters. The lake monster, dubbed Ogopogo (from an old music hall song) is unique in that native Indians in the region used to make live sacrifices to a water spirit in the lake as they crossed in boats near the reputed home of Ogopogo , Monster Island. Though any connection between the Indian legend and a modern monster is pure speculation, many eyewitnesses continue to report odd things in the lake.

According to John Kirk, Ogopogo expert and president of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, there is far better evidence for the existence of a mysterious monster in Canada's Lake Okanagan than at Loch Ness. So if you happen to vacation on Okagangan's shores, bring your camera! 12 of 12 10 Legendary Monsters of North America: Part One | Mental Floss 10 Legendary Monsters of North America: Part One Image credit: Like us on Facebook Legendary monsters "exist," if only in legend, all over the world. The series of monsters continues with a look at a few strange stories from North America. 1. Chupacabra Chupacabra means goat sucker. The legendary animal is said to roam through Mexico, southwest USA, and Puerto Rico as well as other areas. The Chupacabra is blamed for mysterious livestock deaths, and examples of Chupacabras have been found and photographed, usually dead. The creature is described variously as resembling a hairless bear, sometimes with spikes on its back, or a hairless dog-like animal. Some of the carcasses and photographs have been studied and turned out to be coyotes with a severe case of mange .

Image by DeviantART member Raenyras . 2. Loogaroo Loogaroo are demons that haunt the West Indies, particularly Haiti, Grenada, and the Dominican Republic. The name is a corruption of loup garou, the French werewolf. The Loogaroo is sometimes described as a witch or a vampire, but often is a shapeshifter that holds all the attributes of other monsters. This monster sucks blood from innocent victims, which is given to the devil in exchange for magical powers. The Loogaroo is closely related to the Soucouyant of Trinidad and Guadeloupe. If the Loogaroo sucks out too much blood, the victim will die and become a Loogaroo himself. 3. La Llorona La Llorona means "the weeping woman." This legendary ghost of New Mexico was once a beautiful woman named Maria. She rejected most of her suitors, and married the most handsome young ranchero around. They were happy together for a time, and she bore two sons. But the handsome husband grew bored and turned to other women and ignored Maria.

He even preferred the company of his sons over her, which drove her to a jealous rage one night and she threw the two boys in the Santa Fe River and they drowned. In another version of the story, the children died while Maria was away cavorting with other men. Either way, she was responsible for their deaths, and could not bear the guilt. Maria walked the riverside in her white gown, crying for her sons, until she died of starvation on the river bank. Her ghost came back and continued the vigil, wailing and screaming in the night. Now called La Llorana, she attacks those who venture to the river at night, looking to kill people in her grief. The tale is also told along other rivers of the Southwest, and is used to scare children away from the dark, dangerous waters. Photograph by Flickr user Mikamatto . 4. Hodag The Hodag (Bovinus spiritualis) is a ferocious animal native to Wisconsin. The black Hodag was first discovered in 1893 and is the largest of the several Hodag species. It has two horns and a series of spikes along its spine.

There are also the Sidehill Dodge Hodag, the Cave Hodag, and the Shovel-nose Hodag. See more pictures of the Hodag. 5. El Sombrerón El Sombrerón is the man with the big hat. He is short and wears a thick belt and heavy boots. The legend in Guatemala tells of him always wearing a black hat, while he victimizes young women. The legend goes that a young girl named Susana in La Recolección – yeah, she had pretty hair and big ol’ peepers (that means eyes) – was admiring the moon and stars from her balcony one night when she was approached and serenaded by a man in a big hat. Worried and upset that their daughter was outside so late, Susana’s parents forced her to come inside. The man in the hat returned and serenaded her each night, making it impossible for her to sleep, and whenever her parents would try to feed her, she’d find the food contaminated with dirt.

Fed up, the parents cut the girl’s hair and had it blessed by a priest – naturally, this caused the goblin to stop bothering her, either because of the holy water or because he didn’t like chicks with pixie cuts. El Sombrerón has a habit of braiding the hair on horses and dogs when no one is around. A similar goblin is also called Tzizimite, and other names depending on the local language. The legend casts him as a general bogeyman of Mexico. A similar legend in El Salvador is called Cipitio , who is a short boy with backward feet, and, of course, a big hat. El Cipito pursues pretty girls and torments them if they reject his advances. Altogether, this useful tale is told to keep young girls from flirting with strange men. 6. Skunk Ape The Skunk Ape appears now and again throughout the American Deep South, from Oklahoma to North Carolina, but most sightings have been reported in Florida. The creature gets its name from its awful odor. In 2000, an anonymous letter accompanied several photographs purporting to show an ape in Myakka City, Florida.

The writer of the letter seemed to think this was an escaped orangutan, but no missing ape was reported. Later, an investigation was launched over a horse that was injured by an unknown animal in the same area. Photograph by David Barkasy and Loren Coleman . 7. Gowrow The Gowrow was first reported in Arkansas in 1897. It lives in the lakes and caves of Arkansas and got its name from the horrible sounds it makes. The Gowrow was described as a twenty-foot-long reptile with enormous tusks that ate livestock. One enterprising Arkansan claimed to have captured a Gowrow, and would let the public see it for a small price of admittance. But just before the reveal, he announced the Gowrow had escaped. The audience was so busy running in terror that no one asked for their money back! Image by Gustav . 8. Jackalope The Jackalope (Lepus temperamentalus) is a cross between a rabbit and an antelope (or sometimes a goat or deer) seen over most parts of the United States. Jackalopes only mate during electrical storms. They can be caught by using whiskey as bait, which will render them easier to sneak up on.

Jackalope milk is supposed to have medicinal qualities. The legend of the Jackalope may have come from sightings of rabbits infected with the Shope papillomavirus , which causes hornlike growths. The Jackalope is rumored to be extinct , but can be seen in taxidermy shops everywhere. Photograph by Flickr user Paul-W . 9. The Loveland Frog Loveland, Ohio, has multiple sightings recorded of an unusual reptile, which has become known as the Loveland Frog . The most famous sighting was by police officer Ray Shockey in 1972 . He saw an animal lying beside the road, and when he approached, it got up on two legs and ran away! He described it as three to four feet tall, about 60 pounds, with a face like a frog or lizard. Officer Mark Matthews had a similar encounter a couple of weeks later. The story grew as it was retold, and the original officers say they never thought the creature was a monster, but possibly an escaped pet. However, there have been other sightings, particularly one from 1955.

A businessman reported that he saw three creatures beside the road that were three to four feet tall and had wrinkles on their heads instead of hair, and webbed hands and feet. The most bizarre thing about the earlier sighting is that one of the creatures waved a wand that emitted sparks! Image by Cathy Wilkins . 10. The Beast of Bladenboro The Beast of Bladenboro is a huge catlike monster. Beginning in late 1953, Bladenboro, North Carolina was the scene of unexplained attacks. A farmer saw a beast resembling a cat carry his dog off. Several dog carcasses were later found drained of blood. Hunters came from all over the country to hunt the “vampire beast” until the small town got sick of the hoopla. A bobcat was then shot and displayed, and the world was assured that the beast had been found. Although some reports have surfaced that the beast remains active, it hasn’t stopped Bladenboro from hosting an annual festival centered around the legend -- which is this weekend. A list of ten monsters of North America leaves a lot of favorite monsters out, so expect part two of this post next week! Read the entire series on Legendary Monsters . More from mental_floss...

The Top 5 Latino Horror Legends & Monsters | Culture | Remezcla The Top 5 Latino Horror Legends & Monsters Trending 10 Reasons Why Latinos and Filipinos Are Primos Film News By Julia Taveras | 4 years ago Check out our updated list with even more monsters and legends here . In true Latin Alternative style, this Halloween Remezcla is celebrating the more obscure legends & monsters used by parents throughout Latin America to scare young boys and girls – and also twenty-somethings. I’m definitely still scared. Last year, Matt Barbot gave you a detailed-CSI piece about El Chupacabras , plus we’ve seen the lil’ goat sucker even in NYC . And since La Llorona is getting her spot on NBC, we decided to focus on a few other monsters & legends that might be a little more off the radar: 1. El Cuco or El Viejo del Saco (Chile, Cuba, Mexico) Though perhaps the story itself originated in Almería, Spain, El Hombre del Saco is well known throughout Latin America, as there are many versions of the tale.

According to a Spanish legend, Francisco Ortega, aka el Moruno, was a man sick with tuberculosis at the beginning of the XXth century. He was desperately looking for a cure for the disease, so he sought help from a Curandera. She told him he would be cured by drinking the blood of children and rubbing his fat on his chest. And so, el Moruno kidnapped a 7-year old boy, Bernardo, in a cloth bag, to slit his underarm and drink his blood. El Cuco is known for walking up and down the streets at night with a black bag, scouting for those children who roam the streets or misbehave. There’s that “Duermete niño, duermete ya; que viene el cuco, y te comerá!” that many of you may or may not have heard as kids. Oh also, in espanglish zones such as some border regions of Mexico he is known as El Sacomán. Way to modernize El Cuco, that’s better than any DJ name. 2. Luz Mala (Argentina & Uruguay) Luz Mala is a folkloric myth from the gaucho era.

It’s not an actual character but, literally, a fluorescent beam that shines a few feet above the ground during the night. Supuestamente, the peasants who saw the light at the horizon of dry hills were scared of it because they thought those where “lost souls” who hadn’t received a christian baptism. They say that those who dare to look under the light can find metal objects or indigenous artifacts, but of course, looking at the light comes with lethal consequences, Icarus. Supposedly a deadly gas emanates from the found objects, killing whomever discovers it. Here’s a short “ documentary ” about Luz Mala to put you to sleep well tonight. 3. El Silbón (Colombia & Venezuela) According to legend, El Silbón is the ghost of a young man who killed his father, stripping his guts for not having brought back the deer guts he had asked for. Rude, take it easy on papi , I’d tell him. But then the story complicates: as retribution, the young man’s grandpa orders him to be tied up to a post and whipped, his wounds washed with gin.

In vindictive fashion, the young boy was tossed in a cage with two rabid and hungry dogs. Then, grandpa cursed the young boy to carry his father’s bones for all eternity. Make whatever Oedipal interpretation you want, but be sure to watch for El Silbón‘s call: His whistle is described similar to the musical notes: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si; in that order, rising the pitch until fa, and then lowering it till si. If you hear El Silbón‘s musical whistle from up close, there’s no danger; however, if you hear it far away, run to your nearest chamana. Fun fact: El Silbón takes vengeance on “mujeriego” men (aka, he’s on to you Alejandro Fernandez !) 4. La Ciguapa (Dominican Republic) You may or may not remember hearing that “Mi Ciguapa Linda” Chichi Peralta merengue over and over at your cousins’ weddings ( I STILL LOVE IT ), but La Ciguapa is no linda.

The distinctive fact of this magical woman, like Chichi Peralta says, is that she walks “con los piesitos para atras y para alante la carita!” As in, picture a tan, long haired naked woman (whose night howl resembles a baby’s shriek) roaming the mountains with her feet facing backwards. If you ever see a Ciguapa, they say, never look her in the eyes or you will-be-enchanted. Though she may seem timid, La Ciguapa seudces those of the opposite -male- sex, luring them into the woods and causing them to disappear. A similar one-legged version from Colombia is called La Patasola . 5. El Cadejo (Guatemala & El Salvador) Known in some variations throughout South América, El Cadejo is the manifestation of a big, voracious black dog with red fire-like eyes. According to some versions, El Cadejo appears to victims at exactly medianoche. If you’re a good person, a white dog, the counterpart of El Cadejo, will appear to defend you. If, on the contrary, you’re not a good person, there’s some ripping to shreds that might happen.

They say that El Cadejo Malo roams the streets to snatch away”young maids” with braided hair. So watch out La Llorona guanabees.

Question: What is the name for a blood-sucking monster common in Mexican folklore?
Answer: Chupacabra