Has the Chupacabra Come to St. Louis?

A Valley Park woman may have spotted a mythical beast here in St. Louis. No, not Bigfoot, or the Loch Ness Monster, but a chupacabra--a "large, doglike creature with no hair and a distressed, skeletal appearance." The chupacabra, which the Missouri Department of Conservation assigns 'legendary' status, has a vampiric thirst for animal blood.


The beast is "reported to suck the milk of goats, but seems to thrive on superstition and fear," the Missouri Department of Conservation says. Sightings of the creatures peak in the summer when mange cases in coyotes become frequent, according to their website.

The Valley Park woman told FOX2 that she spotted the animal near the Old Lake Hill Speedway Property. 

The Missouri Department of Conservation responds to the photos: "Every year people send us reports of chupacabra sightings, along with photos that look like the one below. The animals in the photos turn out to be dogs or coyotes suffering from severe sarcoptic mange and malnutrition. The chupacabra, on the other hand, is a legendary creature fabled to suck milk from goats. No wildlife biologist has ever confirmed the existence of one."

View photos on FOX2 and decide for yourself.