any trackers around?

[Kali]

I've got a neighbor who is having problems with a chupacabra.

he finally sent me a picture of a track he saw. unfortunately it is in granitic sand and not very good. I think I know what it is but wondered if anybody else might have the same guess.

this is from southeast Arizona about 4600 feet elevation, manzanita oak grassland foothills, lots of big granite boulders/bedrock exposed, some permanent water in a few spots almost year round. otherwise livestock water always available.

I won't go into all of what he thinks he sees or hears going on, but will say there is digging involved. big round shallow holes.

[NYC_SKP]

1. Nope. Chupacabra don't have four toes like that.

And that's too small.

UNLESS.... it was an adolescent chupa that suffered the loss of one toe!

[Kali]

2. I think there are 5 toes

and I bet the hind foot looks different (much longer)

Oh man! this guy - I think he is spending way too much time alone. He told me the creature scares the two mountain lions that live on the roof. he can hear them shiver. this is a rammed earth house. (there are not 2 mountain lions on anybody's roof) it also has been herding and chasing and killing our calves. (there are no missing calves, no holes in the fence where it chases them through every evening, and no carcasses anywhere)

tonight it took 6 calves up a fenceline as usual, but this time I was up on the highway with binoculars and could see the whole area. nothing. I did find about 10 head calmly grazing in a corner about a 1/2 mile from where he was imagining this (though right near where he said the creature had gathered the 6 calves to herd up to the hill where it runs them through the fence). they were not agitated or behaving in any way out of the ordinary.

he has also seen a (or maybe 2) jaguars. (we are talking within 1/4 mile of I-10, there are no jaguars within 20 miles of here)

[NYC_SKP]

3. Jaguars on I-10? Well, there must be a few.

Of the four wheeled type.

Any chance that the guy is older and suffering a bit of dementia?

My stepfather was talking about dead bodies under the bed and dogs and kids standing right there in the room, before he passed.

[Kali]

4. around here it is probably meth, but I don't know for sure

no he isn't older! he is my age! that is YOUNG, dammit!

[NYC_SKP]

5. Meth and Chupacabras!

Name of the Band I will form after the breakup of "Oops I pooped my pants".

[Eleanors38]

6. Jaguars' range includes this area, as does the coues deer range.

Just a coincidence, I'm sure.

[Kali]

9. mule and white tail are what we have around here (mostly mule)

eh, this is pretty hostile area for jaguar - Interstate 10 less than a 1/2 mile away and plenty of road noise.

[Eleanors38]

10. Biggest threat to FL panthers are the Interstates & the main state hiways.

Apparently, FL's practice of building underpasses for wildlife is working as there are other states immulating the practice. Panther numbers are creeping back up; bears are well up and beginning to be a nuisance, esp north of the Ocala Nat'l Forrest. Some evidence panthers are working up from the Everglades again.

[meathead]

7. That looks like a badger print

The 5th claw print is ill defined

http://www.northumberlandbadgergroup.org.uk/mambo/images/stories/badger%20print.bmp

[Kali]

8. I think it is a coati.

we have badgers in our lower flatter country, but I haven't seen them up in the rocks like the area the track is in. still you could be right. whatever it is it sure doesn't weigh 200 lbs like the guy thinks.

[passiveporcupine]

11. do you have chupacabradillos there?

[Kali]

12. no but we have chupaskunkas!

they are black and white and sometimes get stuck in the trash can.

[passiveporcupine]

13. I've got those here too.