Beware the Chupacabra

Who’s or Whose?

Who’s is a contraction of “who is” or “who has.”

Who’s coming to the game?

Whose is used to show possession. Whose phone is that?

Ask anyone who’s/whose ever heard a twig snap in a dark forest: The night is full of frights. And of all the creatures that prowl the darkness, the scariest just might be the chupacabra, who’s/whose giant eyes glow red and who’s/whose foul stench will make you gag.

The chupacabra is a vampire-like monster that drinks the blood of farm animals. It is said to have sharp fangs and claws and long spikes running down its back. Some say it stands 5 feet tall and hops on two legs like a kangaroo. Others say it walks on all fours. 

As you may have guessed, the chupacabra is a cryptid, like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster. That means it’s a creature some claim is real—but who’s/whose existence has not been proven. 

Chupacabra stories tend to follow a similar pattern: A farmer wakes up in the morning to find all the farm animals dead, seemingly drained of all their blood. There is no sign of struggle and no evidence of an attack except for two or three bite marks on the animals’ necks. 

Sightings of the chupacabra, who’s/whose name means “goat-sucker” in Spanish, have been reported in parts of Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and the U.S. Most famously, in 1995, the beast was blamed for the deaths of hundreds of animals in Puerto Rico.

Over the years, all sorts of creatures have been blamed for mysterious attacks on farm animals. Could aliens be responsible? Or bats? Scientists believe one of the most likely explanations is that many “chupacabras” are actually coyotes suffering from a disease called mange. Mange causes animals to lose their fur. Mange also thickens skin—and the infected skin can produce a powerful smell. What’s more, sick coyotes may be more likely to feed on livestock than wild animals, because farm animals make easier prey.

But then again, who’s/whose to say the chupacabra definitely isn’t real? After all, there may not be any proof that the chupacabra exists—but there’s also no proof that it doesn’t!