Chupacabra. Chile

Angol, 07.04. 2005

I am interviewing Mr. JOSE CEA BENAVIDES, 54, married, middle school graduate, forestry technician, residing at Colo-Colo 1341, who states the following:

"Between 1980 and 1985 I worked at Fundo Los Aples 3 in the Nahuelbuta Mountains engaged in forestry development. I pursued the same activity from 1986 to 88 in Fundo Tranicura, Alboyanco Sector; 1989-93 at Fundo Estados Unidos between Traiguén and Purén; 1994-96 at Fundo Pangal and Pan de Azúcar; 1999 at Fundo Las Acequias and 2000-2004 employed by Ahuile and Co. My reason for stating all this is to point out that I have worked for many years in timber extraction and I know all the wild animals that exist in the vicinity of Angol.

"However, on Monday, September 20, 2004, during the fading hours of the afternoon, shortly after sunset, I was returning alone from visiting some properties of mine in the Deuco Sector, some 6 kilometers SW of Angol, driving in my pickup. Some 500 meters before reaching the junction with the road linking Angol to Los Sauces, I pulled over at the edge of the dirt track, beside a yellow iron gate on the right side of the road, in order to urinate.

"Having completed this act, standing on the front right side of the vehicle, I realized that a very strange animal was heading my way from a distance of some 30 meters. I shall describe it later. I started walking around the pickup, along its rear, and later decided to walk toward that animal, which had progressed some 10 meters from where I stood. Seeing my movements, it stopped and went back "SIDEWAYS" without turning its back until it reached a pine tree, facing me, NEVER TAKING ITS EYES off me.

"At that moment I boarded the pickup and returned to Angol.

"At no time did the animal - or whatever it was - make a show of aggression toward me. Rather, it was friendly but shy. To tell the truth, it didn't frighten me at all.

"What was strange was its shape: I figured it to have a height of 1.5 meters, solidly built, seemingly very strong, sturdy, with a body completely covered in black or dark fur, about a geme long (geme- unit of measure designating the distance from the outstretched thumb and forefinger of a hand). It stood erect. Its arms were short and kept them always to its torso. Legs were strong and straight. I never saw it flex its knees. Its back was straight despite the erect gait. The head was smaller in proportion to the body: it had two ears, erect and pointed like those of a horse. It had a trunk or slender muzzle measuring some 10 to 15 centimeters long. I couldn't make out any eyes, possibly due to the hairiness of its head, nor could I see a nose below the aforementioned protuberance. Its shoulders were normal, like those of a man. Short neck. I couldn't make out fingers on its hands or toes on its feet. I think it could be mistaken for a slender-headed bear. The short arms were gathered over its abdomen.

"I was able to see it clearly thanks to the light, its proximity, and because the terrain is scraggy, with scattered pines and a lack of scrub vegetation. What struck me was its erect gait. Another strange thing was that when it walked sideways toward the pine, some 10 meters distance, the ground under its feet RESONATED, as though its footsteps REVERBERATED, showing it was quite heavy. The ground was dry.

"My footsteps could not be heard. Due to its corpulence I think the animal weighed many kilos. I cannot find another explanation.

"The animal remained beside the pine tree; I boarded my pickup truck, and returned home to Angol."