A Texas family believes they have finally captured the elusive chupacabra.
The mythical creature, which legend says kills goats and other cattle, has never been proven to exist, but many people have often claimed to have hunted the animal of which there are many different descriptions.
Jackie Stock said her husband, Arlen Parma, captured their animal on their Ratcliffe property Sunday. They are seeking confirmation that they've made the once in a lifetime discovery, TV Station KAVU-TV reports.
"He called me to come and look, and I said 'Bubba that looks like a baby chupacabra,'" Stock told the station.
The dark, hairless animal that looks like a large dog is now in a cage and appears fairly peaceful as he eats a diet of corn and cat food.
I said 'Bubba that looks like a baby chupacabra.'
Parma said he has hunted for 20 years and isn't sure what type of animal it is.
"A coon doesn't make that noise, or a possum. What makes that noise? I guess a chupacabra does," Parma told the station.
Many people have claimed to have captured a chupacabra in the past. The animal is typically considered to be hairless, but many experts say would-be chupacabras could just be animals with mange, a skin disease caused by mites that causes animals to lose their hair.
Brent Ortego, a wildlife diversity biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife, said the Ratcliffe animal was likely a dog, fox or coyote that has mange.
He says he does not believe a chupacabra exists.
"It's never been proven to be a unique species. It was always something out there that allegedly was said to cause harm to people or livestock," Ortego told the station.
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