UFO Roundup

Chupacabras Run Wild in Southern Brazil
UFO Roundup, Vol. 2, No. 31, Aug. 3, 1997

Chupacabra seems to have found a home in Brazil. During the past month, there have been dozens of sightings in the rural districts of the states of Minas Gerais (M.G.) , Sao Paulo (S.P.) and Parana. During the week of July 25, many dead animals were discovered in Betim and Nova Contagem in Minas Gerais under "circumstances that are extremely mysterious and defy the investigators." On Saturday night, July 26, 1997, a farmer in Nova Contagem reported that he'd entered his chicken house and found every one of the fowl lying dead. The same night, in Betim, M.G., rancher Leandro Amador found dead goats on his property. All had been killed with a blow to the maxillary bone, and all had a distinguishing mark on the ear. Amador told the Brazilian newspaper O Estado de Minas, "The whole situation is unreal." Also in Betim, farm worker Tolentino Antonio de Oliveira telephoned his "patrao" (boss) that night and reported find a goat dead and drained of blood. The animal had strange marks on its ears, and several bones were broken. Ricardo Cicarelli, owner of eight goats, was the first victim of the current flap. He told the newspaper, "no explanation was made so as not to alarm the populace." He added, "I am preparing to slay the beast."

Meanwhile, in the state of Sao Paulo, the month of July ended with a host of animal deaths attributed to the Chupacabra. According to the newspaper Correio Braziliense of Brasilia, D.F., 21 ducks, 20 chickens and 12 other fowl were killed in Baixada Santista, S.P. The first attack in July occurred at Praia Grande in Sao Paulo state, followed by a second at Jardim Mulvi, S.P. during the week of July 14. Five days later, another reputed Chupacabra attack took place in Caroara, a barrio of Bertioga, S.P. Curiously enough, all of the attacks took place in barns or sheds or pens that were securely locked. In Praia Grande, 10 ducks were killed. Another 11 were killed in Bertioga. According to veterinarian Dr. Ines Matsumoto of the Mascote Clinic, the ducks all died of internal hemorrhaging, which was caused by extensive squeezing. On July 20, there was an attack on 20 chickens at a home in Iriri, another barrio of Bertioga. Dr. Matsumoto told the newspaper that the injuries sustained by the fowl are inconsistent with wounds inflicted by jaguars and other felines. The Jardim Mulvi case is being investigated by Wallacy Albino of the Grupo Ufologico de Guaraju (GUG). On Sunday, July 27, 1997, in Minas Gerais state, Sr. Amador was interviewed by a team from the Centro de Investigacao Civil de Objetos Aereos Nao-Identificados (CICOANI). The group arranged for animal cadavers to be sent to Belo Horizonte, the state capital, for lab tests. (See the newspapers O Estado de Minas for July 29, 1997 and Correio Braziliense for July 31, 1997.)