Robert Friedman

The chupacabras, or goatsucker, is said to be a small, vicious creature with kangaroo—like legs, a spiky spine, and red, glowing eyes. Its first widely known appearance was in Puerto Rico in 1995, where it supposedly killed livestock with a puncture wound to the neck and then drained its prey's blood. Despite many reports from people who claim to have seen the chupacabras, many experts believe it is a myth. In the following article, San Juan Star reporter Robert Friedman discusses some theories about why people believe in the chupacabras. He reports that several experts believe that legends of bloodsucking creatures symbolize the fear of poor people that the economic system is sucking away their livelihood and even soul. Others believe that the chupacabras phenomenon represents anxiety over epidemics such as AIDS. Some scientists, however, dismiss...