History Main / Chupacabra

The Chupacabra is sometimes known as the [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Chupacabras]]. This is in fact the original form of the name in Spanish; this type of compound word in Spanish (verb + noun) usually has the plural form of the noun (other examples: ''el abrelatas'' "the can opener", ''el sacapuntas'' "the pencil sharpener", ''el tocadiscos'' "the record player", ''el pisapapeles'' "the paperweight").

Some examples of series that have made references to the Chupacabra:

* ''{{Diablo}}'' has a Scavenger-type boss monster named El Chupacabras.

* In [[{{WesternAnimation/Archer Archer]], Pam refers to herself as "...like some kind of Chupacabra. But for dicks"

* In [[{{WesternAnimation/Archer Archer]], Pam refers to herself as "A Chupacabra, but for dicks"

The Chupacabra is sometimes known as the [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Chupacabras]]. This is in fact the original form of the name in Spanish; this type of compound word in Spanish (verb + noun) usually has the plural form of the noun (other examples: ''el abrelatas'' "the can opener", ''el sacapuntas'' "the pencil sharpener", ''el tocadiscos'' "the record player", ''el pisapapeles'' "the paperweight").

* In {{Occult Academy}}, Maya and the gang investigate mysterious cattle mutilations near their school. At first, they dismiss it as a bad-natured prank. [[spoiler: The chupacabra eventually kidnap Ami, and it's up to the rest of the gang to save her.]]

* In the horror anthology ''Tropical Tales Of Terror'' The Chupacabras were actually a hidden race of intelligent, predatory birds.

* One of the three leaders of the Yuumajuu in ''{{Tensou Sentai Goseiger}}'' is [[spoiler:Buredoran]] of the Chupacabra.

* In the [[TheElderScrolls Elder Scrolls]] series of games, a chupacabra like monster called a "Hunger" appears as regular enemy in Morrowind and in the Shivering Isles expansion pack for [[TheElderScrollsfour The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion]]. More so resembling their counterpart considering they posses strong "Drain Health" spell and attack with their tongue.

* In ''{{Sluggy Freelance}}'', while avoiding Bun-bun, Aylee goes to pick up a tray of drinks for the group. The waitress is terrified and stammers "Do not eat me, chupacabra!" to which Aylee cheerfully responds "Do not eat ''me'', senorita!", thinking it's a normal human greeting. She later resolves to use one of Bun-bun's greetings, "your money or your life!"

[[folder:WebOriginal]]

* ''DextersLaboratory'' had an episode that claimed Dexter had created it (to scare off Deedee) but it had escaped to Brazil.

* The ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' episode "The Curse of the Chupacabra" features Jackie and El Toro fighting one of these while in Mexico and El Toro being scratched by it causing him to become one himself, until the curse is broken.

* In ''FalloutNewVegas'', [[ConspiracyTheorist No-Bark Noonan]] confuses a Nightkin for one of these.

* Chupacabra is one of the many mythical and folkloric beings that appears in ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei: StrangeJourney''.

* In the manga of ''AzumangaDaioh'', when the girls are planning to go to the zoo to see real pandas instead of just pictures, Osaka thinks of something else she wants to see. When she remembers, what she says is translated as "the chupacabra". (The anime version of the same scene says something else, and the original version says she wanted to [[MyLifeFlashedBeforeMyEyes see her life flash before her eyes]].)

* Chupacabra is one of the many mythical and folkloric beings that appears in ''ShinMegamiTensei: StrangeJourney''.

* ''TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'' has one come out of a cursed video tape and try to suck Billy's brain.
--> "That poor thing, it's going to starve."

An [[UrbanLegends Urban Myth]] monster of Latin American origin, believed to suck the blood of livestock animals, especially goats (thus the name, which is Spanish for "[[AccidentalInnuendo Goatsucker]]".) Combines old VampireTropes with modern UFO mythology.

The myth began in Puerto Rico during the 1970s. At the time, there was a rash of animal slayings, mostly farm animals that had bled to death. This caused some people to (halfway seriously) think some kind of vampiric creature was on the loose; it became known as "The Moca Vampire" (Moca being the town were the attacks started.) The attacks eventually stopped as mysteriously as they begun. The local yellow journals, of course, exploited them to the hilt.

In the 1990s, the attacks started happening again on Puerto Rico. This time, people started calling the "monster" El Chupacabras, later shortened to just Chupacabra (supposedly, Silverio Perez of the comedy group LosRayosGama coined the name.) A magazine called "Revista OVNI" (UFO Magazine) came up with the theory that the creature could have been created by aliens (likely inspired by the American cattle slayings theory.) They also provided an artist's conception of what it looked like -- showing a creature resembling a skinny, big eyed [[TheGreys "Grey" type alien]] but with fangs, claws, scaly skin and a ridge of spines along the back. Despite having no actual evidence for any of this, people embraced it, and the current concept of the Chupacabra was born. The slayings were never officially resolved, though reportedly an American expert on animal attacks identified them as being caused by wild dogs, based on some pictures of the carcasses he saw.

* It appeared in one episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'': It comes out of the TV screen while Billy is watching a magical videotape. It latches onto his nose. Grim presumes that it's trying to eat his brains, and Mandy thinks it'll starve. Of course, Billy being [[RalphWiggum what he is]], doesn't know what it is and can't even pronounce its name ("Chupa-ma-flablah").

In the 1990s, the attacks started happening again on Puerto Rico. This time, people started calling the "monster" El Chupacabras (later shortened to just Chupacabra). A magazine called "Revista OVNI" (UFO Magazine) came up with the theory that the creature could have been created by aliens (likely inspired by the American cattle slayings theory.) They also provided an artist's conception of what it looked like -- showing a creature resembling a skinny, big eyed [[TheGreys "Grey" type alien]] but with fangs, claws, scaly skin and a ridge of spines along the back. Despite having no actual evidence for any of this, people embraced it, and the current concept of the Chupacabra was born. The slayings were never officially resolved, though reportedly an American expert on animal attacks identified them as being caused by wild dogs, based on some pictures of the carcasses he saw.

* ''DextersLab'' had an episode that claimed Dexter had created it (to scare off Deedee) but it had escaped to Brazil.
* ''{{Sealab2021}}'' had an episode titled "Isla de Chupacabras."
* The monster also appears in an episode, "Dia de Los Dangerous!" of ''TheVentureBros'', inexplicably leaping from Brock's car to attack Dr. Venture. Apparently, Mexico is full of them. Amusingly, Dr. Venture had earlier declared them to be nonsense.
* In ''{{Futurama}}'', the Planet Express crew ventured into the sewers where the inhabitants lived in fear of a vicious monster they called El Chupanibre.

* It appeared in one episode of ''TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'': It comes out of the TV screen while Billy is watching a magical videotape. It latches onto his nose. Grim presumes that it's trying to eat his brains, and Mandy thinks it'll starve. Of course, Billy being [[RalphWiggum what he is]], doesn't know what it is and can't even pronounce its name ("Chupa-ma-flablah").
* On ''MayaAndMiguel'', the title characters tried to claim that they had one as a pet. Then, it turned out that there really was one in town.

* Appears in GeneratorRex as one of the few creatures not affected by the nanites

* They're an tough enemy in [[{{Ptitledjnkibne}} Let's Go Find El Dorado]], that can kill off one of your party members on contact with your wagon.

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The myth became surprisingly popular across Central and South America over the years, and even in the Southern United States, with people claiming to have actually seen the creature. It also has been featured on several TV shows and movies, effectively being treated as the Latin American equivalent of [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti Bigfoot]].

* Numerous obscure little gooror films, including:

* ''Chupacabra Terror''.
* The "Mongo Chupa" segment of ''Terror Overload''.
* ''[=GoatSucker=]''.
* ''El Matadero''.
* ''Mexican Werewolf in Texas''.
* ''El Chupacabra''.
* ''Legend of the Chupacabra''.

* The monster also appears in an episode, "Dia de Los Dangerous!" of ''The Venture Bros''. Apparently, Mexico is full of them.

* Greasels from DeusEx.

* In ''YoungJustice'', [[TheFlash Impulse]] raced over to Puerto Rico to look for one after reading a cryptozoology book - [[http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/2817/impulsechupacabra.png lifting rocks and animals while calling out for it]].

* The ''JackieChanAdventures'' episode "The Curse of the Chupacabra" features Jackie and El Toro fighting one of these while in Mexico and El Toro being scratched by it causing him to become one himself, until the curse is broken.

* The monster also appears in an episode, "Dia de Los Dangerous!" of ''The Venture Bros''.