[Editor's Note: As usual, officialdom dismisses the cattle mutilation epidemic by blaming the usual suspects - the red muzzled mouse, vultures and foxes. Argentina is experiencing a repetition of the events of 2002, which were 'explained away' at the time by SENASA, the government's agricultural service]
Source: Todo Noticias (Argentina) and Pablo Omastott (FAO)
Date: 8.7.2018
Argentina: No Chupacabras - Authorities Disclose Cause of Santa Fe Cattle Mutilations
TN.com.ar received an explanation from SENASA - animals feed off corpses by eating soft tissue.
It wasn't the Chupacabras. It wasn't a Martian or a giant bat, as local residents had it half-seriously and half in jest. The suspects responsible for mutilating seven cows in Colonia Duran, Santa Fe, were local predators.
This was confirmed by Juan Dalla Fontana, animal health coordinator of the SENASA regional center, to TN.com.ar "This is a critical period of winter. The cold and drought we're experiencing was the worst in 50 years, causing animal deaths. Fauna begins to degrade the carcasses - it's part of the natural process," he explained.
After the cows' deaths, different theories made the rounds as to the reason for their mutilations. All of this was made clear by the expert. "When an animal dies, it lies exposed and is attacked by predators, which are numerous in the Santa Fe region, for example, wild pigs, vultures, foxes, the red-muzzled mouse and pumas," he added.
There was a similar situation 12 years ago in the Province of Buenos Aires. Experts also reached the conclusion that carrion animals were responsible for eating the dead animals' remains.
So the myth of the Chupacabras or paranormal phenomena is discarded. At least for now.
[Translation (c) 2018 S. Corrales IHU with thanks to Pablo Omastott)