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MYSTERY CREATURE SHOT AND KILLED IN EAST TEXAS

(Original headline: Experts Identify Mysterious East Texas Animal )

Wildlife experts say they are sure the mysterious animal killed in Angelina County this week, is a common species. It's conjured up the wildest and worst fears of people, but a hairless animal may be very explainable. Dr. Billy Higginbotham with the Texas A & M Research Center in Overton says we're probably dealing with something we're very familiar with.

"This occurrence crops up from year to year , its not common but it does, its either a coyote or a feral dog or occasionally it could be a feral dog-coyote hybrid with sarcoptic mange, a disease" he says.

Researchers have even caught glimpses of hairless coyotes on motion sensor cameras used documenting wildlife. But others are not convinced, thinking it to be the mythical "Chupacabra" a bloodthirsty predator of Mexican lore. Hundreds have called and e-mailed with their own explanations of what the animals is, calling it a "New Jersey devil", a kangaroo dog, even an ancient sphinx.

"People enjoy summarizing what it might be" says Higginbotham.

But if it's a hybrid or new species, that presents another concern by health officials.

"Lets say that they did find out that yes you do have a new species in the area from an animal control standpoint the first thing that we would want to know is does this creature possible carry rabies" said Kevin Cummings of the Longview Environmental Health Department.

But Higginbotham remains confident.

"We don't have a new species on the loose in East Texas" he says.

Higginbotham says if you should see one of these "hairless coyotes", you should not be alarmed. Just notify the Parks and Wildlife Department in your area. Bob Hallmark reporting.

(Original headline: Mysterious Dog-Like Creature Shot And Killed )

Over the last few years we've shown you pictures of a mysterious dog-like creature found in East Texas' woods.

This weekend, two brothers were out hunting squirrels when they were surprised by a very similar animal. The brothers shot it and killed it. It has leathery skin, long teeth, and hind legs longer than its front legs. One of the brothers, Kolby Russell, said this isn't his first run in with the creature. "I had chased it a couple times earlier, about a month ago, and my friends didn't believe me, I finally showed them and they did." So is it just a mangy dog?

"I've seen mange before and he has a body kind of built like a coyote, but he's real skinny", says the other brother, Coty Russell.

The Russell family is sending photos to the county's animal control department to see if they want to examine it. in the past, East Texans have e-mailed us that similar creatures were just dogs with mange, a coyote crossbreed, or the mythical mexican creature, the chupacabra. Click here for video report

See earlier reports of this creature in FS Crypto files.

.:Story originally published by:.
KLTV7 Jacksonville / TX - Jan 17.06

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