Oct 31, 2023 - News
Chupacabra beats Bigfoot for Best Cryptid title
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Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
Move over, Bigfoot. Miami's very own Chupacabra has been crowned the Best Cryptid by Axios readers from across the country.
- After four rounds of voting, Chupa beat Bigfoot in the title fight by 27 votes.
Flashback: The first Chupacabra spotting happened in Puerto Rico in 1995 amid a wave of livestock killings.
- The mythical creature then sparked pandemonium in Miami, when the Chupacabra was blamed for killing dozens of farm animals in Sweetwater in 1996.
Yes, but: Miami police and experts concluded that a large dog was behind the attacks, and a University of Miami professor even broadcast a necropsy of a dead goat on live TV.
Go deeper: Want to explore the myth behind our favorite blood-sucking beast? Check out this short video explainer, this book and this article.
- Of note: A HistoryMiami exhibit, "Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids," delves into the Chupacabra craze and other cryptids, like Florida's Skunk Ape. It runs through March.
Thanks to everyone who participated!