What Is This Mysterious Creature Found in San Antonio?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ivan Seeking
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Animal Strange
AI Thread Summary
A mysterious animal found near San Antonio has sparked debate over its identity, with suggestions ranging from a hairless Mexican dog to a coyote with mange or even a hybrid creature. Weighing only 20 pounds, the animal's remains have been examined by experts at the San Antonio Zoo, who believe it may be a mix of dog and coyote. The quality of images shared in news reports has been criticized, leading to calls for clearer pictures and DNA testing to confirm its species. The discussion also touches on the broader implications of such findings, particularly concerning local wildlife health, as the presence of mange could indicate a larger issue affecting animal populations. Additionally, the conversation has veered into related topics, including the liger—a hybrid of lion and tiger—and the fascination with unusual animal sightings, often linked to folklore like the Chupacabra. The ongoing investigation aims to clarify the animal's origins, with DNA results pending.
Ivan Seeking
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Gold Member
Messages
8,194
Reaction score
2,488
A Hairless Mexican dog, a coyote with mange, an armadillo without a shell, a hybrid? An interesting story with a [dead] body for evidence.

Be sure to watch the video.

...People at the San Antonio Zoo say they have not seen anything like it. Terry DeRosa with the zoo says at a feather-light 20 pounds, he thinks it might be a wild mexican dog. [continued]

http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=FAE91F84-A264-4AC3-8EA4-9097690CDEFC
 
Last edited:
Biology news on Phys.org
Can't they put up some larger pictures?
 
Ivan Seeking said:
A Hairless Mexican dog, a coyote with mange, an armadillo without a shell, a hybrid? An interesting story with a [dead] body for evidence.

Be sure to watch the video.



http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=FAE91F84-A264-4AC3-8EA4-9097690CDEFC
That animal looks like the one from an xH outer space, just compare the picture of their faces, you will see what I mean..
 
I have no idea what you are talking about.
 
:confused: why are ALL the newsitems about sex/death/abuse? typical..
 
Monique said:
funny that they put such grainy pictures up.. it looks just like a dog to me :confused:

Here's an update to the story.. they even got a 'liger' animal in there
(cross tiger and a lion) :-p
http://video.woai.com/viewer/viewerpage.php?Art_ID=23556&tf=woaiviewer.tpl

The face doesn't look like a dog's face to me...except maybe a little like a Chihuahua. What surprises me is that people at the Zoo couldn't be sure. Can't they do some kind of simple test to show whether or not its a breed of dog, or is DNA the only method beyond visual identification for something like this?

An interesting note about the Liger: I will probably get this backwards, but the gene that controls growth is found in the female lion, and in the male tiger. So, if we cross a male lion, with a female tiget we get something absolutely amazing - the biggest kitty cat I have ever seen! I think it may weigh almost twice as much as a normal lion or tiger. I saw a short nature diddi on this quite some time ago so the exact details are a bit vague. Must google.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ivan Seeking said:
The face doesn't look like a dog's face to me...except maybe a little like a Chihuahua. What surprises me is that people at the Zoo couldn't be sure. Can't they do some kind of simple test to show whether or not its a breed of dog, or is DNA the only method beyond visual identification for something like this?

An interesting note about the Liger: I will probably get this backwards, but the gene that controls growth is found in the female lion, and in the male tiger. So, if we cross a male lion, with a female tiget we get something absolutely amazing - the biggest kitty cat I have ever seen! I think it may weigh almost twice as much as a normal lion or tiger. I saw a short nature diddi on this quite some time ago so the exact details are a bit vague. Must google.

Hey! I saw the same program about the liger. I don't remember if you have the parent's sexes right, but yeah that was really neat, because the gene that limited growth was in the parent of each species that they *didn't* use to breed. Really neat! Remember the shot where it was standing with its paws on the table, and how tall it was??

With this "chupacabra", like you said, why can't they just get some DNA and compare it whatever breed of C. familiaris (dog?)? I don't see why it's so difficult, the profs at my university compare DNA of plants all the time.
 
Monique said:
:confused: why are ALL the newsitems about sex/death/abuse? typical..

Because it grabs attention :-) Who wants to watch news about the worlds biggest cookie?
 
  • #10
Maybe some social or political topics would be in place.. I was actually curious what's going on in San Antonio.. that's why you'd usually watch the news.. well.. I won't be stopping by when I'm in the neighbourhood :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
  • #11
aychamo said:
Hey! I saw the same program about the liger. I don't remember if you have the parent's sexes right, but yeah that was really neat, because the gene that limited growth was in the parent of each species that they *didn't* use to breed. Really neat! Remember the shot where it was standing with its paws on the table, and how tall it was??

and the guy is standing on the picnic table and holding the meat as high as he can, and the Liger stands up and takes it with its mouth. :surprise:

That is one big animal! AMAZING!
 
  • #12
Monique said:
Maybe some social or political topics would be in place.. I was actually curious what's going on in San Antonio.. that's why you'd usually watch the news.. well.. I won't be stopping by when I'm in the neighbourhood :rolleyes:


chicken of tham thar chupacabras are yeh? :biggrin:
 
  • #13
omg [PLAIN]http://www.tigers-animal-actors.com/pom/liger.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #14
Yes that would be the one. Incredible isn't it?
 
  • #15
Monique said:
Maybe some social or political topics would be in place.. I was actually curious what's going on in San Antonio.. that's why you'd usually watch the news.. well.. I won't be stopping by when I'm in the neighbourhood :rolleyes:

Are you in San Antonio often? ;)
 
  • #16
Monique said:
Maybe some social or political topics would be in place.. I was actually curious what's going on in San Antonio.. that's why you'd usually watch the news.. well.. I won't be stopping by when I'm in the neighbourhood :rolleyes:

It's bland and boring as hell. Don't speed, either. The cops are ruthless.
 
  • #17
Yes, but can you still legally drink while you drive? For me, many years ago at least, that defined Texas.
 
  • #18
It's impossible to tell anything from those pictures...those have to be some of the worst quality photos I've ever seen, and no way to even enlarge them. I'm sure they could just do a DNA test to confirm it's a dog if that's what they think it is. Looks emaciated...ribs and hip bones just sticking out...or has it been dead a while?

Hard to believe it was doing that good of a job catching chickens if it looks so scrawny. Wonder if he really got the right culprit there.
 
  • #20
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #22
DNA Testing Underway
...Biologists dug up the animal's remains for DNA testing, a process that could take up to six weeks...

http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=317D3A73-8413-449D-A218-DEE30F924E81
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #23
S.A. Zoo Weighs-In on Chupacabra Debate

...Bones from a mystery animal shot by an Elmendorf rancher have been taken to an expert from the San Antonio Zoo. But can he tell what it is? John Gramieri, the Mammal Curator at the San Antonio Zoo, doesn't think it's the Chupacabra. It's definitely unique, but he thinks it's a mix between a dog and a coyote. [continued]

http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=4E470718-F7B0-48AB-AC65-C5A1108E62B0
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #24
A second mystery animal killed?

We're still waiting on the DNA report from the first animal, but there may be a another...

LUFKIN, Texas -- Local animal experts are having a hard time identifying a strange looking animal killed in Angelina County on Friday -- an animal that looks eerily similar to the as yet unidentified "Elmendorf Beast" killed near San Antonio earlier this year. [continued with good pictures]

http://woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=EBC8FC7B-ED5D-46A5-8DA4-3C6F6C31975E

If the link doesn't work then try again later - it is a good. The story is linked at Coast to Coast AM which is famous for swamping servers.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #25
Well, at least we finally get to see some clear, close-up photos! That article is right, it looks like it's been dead for days, not hours! Demodex mange...yipes, that's pretty nasty stuff and will kill an animal. I think that article gets to the important point, it's more of a concern to find out what these animals are infected with than whether it's a dog or coyote. If you've got wild animals around spreading a serious infection of mange, the local livestock farmers need to know to watch their herds.
 
  • #26
Whatever the results the finding will be interesting nonetheless. Either we have some new species or we have some seriously sick animals. If this is the fables "Chupacabra" maybe that isn't such a good thing if they are being found. Although you would wonder how something that has been stories for years would all of a sudden just pop up out of no where.
 
  • #27
I found some upclose photo's...
http://www.unknowncountry.com/lufkin_images.phtml
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #28
It's a fox with mange. I'll pull a link if needed later.
 
  • #29
I didn't spot anything except unsubstantiated statements as such. Where did you find this?
 
  • #30
I am wondering if this story is getting confused with the Maryland story.

UPDATED: 11:57 am EDT August 2, 2004

GLYNDON, Md. -- The mystery may be over as one of the creatures roaming through central Maryland was finally captured on Saturday.

According to the veterinarians at Falls Road Animal Hospital, the animal was a male red fox. However, Dr. Michael Herko -- a vet at the animal hospital -- and the man who caught the fox say it is not the mysterious creature videotaped in July, but a relative.

...Animal control officers took the creature to the Falls Road Animal Hospital. They determined it was a fox with sarcoptic mange[continued]

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/3604238/detail.html

Here is a picture of a Red Fox with mange.
http://www.bto.org/gbw/mammals/species%20accounts/redfo.htm
It should be relatively straightforward to identify a fox. The conspicuous features are the slender muzzle, erect black-backed ears and long, bushy tail. Individuals suffering from mange (see photograph below) may have patches of fur missing and in some cases the tail is far from bushy. Fresh fox droppings (known as scats) are black with a characteristic odour. They often have a characteristic twist in them, which helps distinguish fox droppings from those of dog.

There are reports of similar sightings from many parts of the country. Maybe a real problem for the fox population?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #32
Last night Howe reported that one Veterinarian examined the most recent kill and declared it to be a coyote with sarcoptic mange, genetic anomalies, and possibly a damaged jaw. DNA results from the Elmendorf kill are still pending.
 
  • #33
What was that creature which shot the first beast?
 
  • #35
The final comment of we don't need DNA identification based off my observations of a long deceased animal rubbed me the wrong way.
 
  • #36
So now they think it was a coyote but aren't sure? I still want to know about that DNA. They still think there were anamolies.
 
  • #37
...The first round of DNA tests on the Elmendorf beast came back inconclusive because the animal had been dead for too long. Stacy’s hoping that new DNA tests will help explain the animal's origin. [continued]
http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=AA3ED460-09FB-46CB-AAA5-27A353AA1186
 
  • #38
“I don't think it's an alien, but I wonder about that spaceship [Space Shuttle Columbia] that blew up over here. Something might have come out of it, and caused some type of genetic problem,” Stacy theorized.

Hmm... Obviously a true scientist at work...
 
  • #39
Yes I really hated to cite her at all. Unfortunately this was the only recent update on the DNA test. By alien I hope she meant not indigenous to the US.

She is allegedly an experienced Vet assistant or something similar. She is probably qualified to talk about animals but as for her radiation theory... :smile:
 
  • #40
Another one found in Texas

It's happened again -- another mysterious creature has popped up. This time, here in San Antonio. A coyote? A Chupacabra?

"I happened to be looking out my window and saw what I thought was a fawn in my backyard," said a homeowner who didn't want to be identified.

What he found was a blue-grayish animal with very little hair, a long tail, fangs and long claws. [continued with video]

http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=90BEAC88-E5DD-4B7A-A287-BBB622ACA55F
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #41
i think it looks mor like a shaven baby kangaroo if you look at it's hind legs they do not look like any breed of dog's legs that i have seen the way the muscles developed on the hind legs it looks like it carries most of it's weight on them or most likely stands on them it could have looked like a dog while running as young kangaroo's of families of kangaroo's usualy uses their front legs or arms as a support while running as they have not quite learned how to stay on the hind legs.
 

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top