U.S. man possibly captures mythical chupacabra on camera, but does not believe it

Retired wildlife biologist Jack Crabtree may have photographed the elusive chupacabra, but he doesn't believe it.

Crabtree and his wife, Linda, spotted the hairless creatures lurking by a creek near their Texas home on a few separate evenings at the beginning of July. Linda took some photos and Jack passed them on to the local paper.

"It was immediately clear to me it was a coyote with a severe case of mange," he told ABC's Good Morning America.

While he thought he was passing the photos on as a joke, the paper ran a serious headline that sent believers of the mysterious creature into a frenzy.

"I've been amazed with the fascination people have with chupacabras and other mythical animals," Jack told ABC.

Chupacabra literally translates as goat sucker. The mythical creature is rumoured to live in all over the Americas, although most sightings seem to come in Puerto Rico, Mexico and the southern U.S.

The first reported attack happened in 1995 when eight sheep were found dead in Puerto Rico. Each had three puncture wounds in the chest and their blood had been drained.

The first sighting was in 2004 when a Texas rancher killed a hairless creature, but it was later determined by DNA testing to be a coyote with mange, a skin disease caused by parasites.

Even though Jack does not believe it is a chupacabra, he set out a humane trap hoping to catch the animal. If it is a diseased coyote, he hopes someone will be able to help.

(Image screen capture from YouTube clip posted by bombaadi)