Mystery Creature in Maryland

Aeolius · Jul 26, 2004

Too bad it couldn't be a thylacine.

Umbran · Jul 26, 2004

My veterinarian/fiancee has now seen the clip. The basic things were:

1 - definately looks like an animal with mange. This makes the "mane" and odd looking tail less strange. An animal can look like it has much different proportions with fur.

2 - that film really isn't good enough to go speculating on the exact breed, especially with the mange issue

Desdichado · Jul 26, 2004

I've seen an awful lot of mangy feral/semi-feral dogs in Argentina, and I certainly don't recall any of them developing hyena-like hair patterns or body structure. What it usually does is cause their fur to fall out and their skin to develop wrinkled, scabby patches. I'm not doubting that the creature is probably mangy, but it's still pretty darn mysterious, whatever it is.

Piratecat · Jul 26, 2004

I think it's a cross between a capybara and a chupacabra. El chupacabra del diablo!

Hand of Evil · Jul 26, 2004

While it does look like a dog with mange it also looks like a burned animal, which is sad.

Angcuru · Jul 27, 2004

Psht. We're all thinking that it's a low level druid checking out the locals.

I'm just the first to say it.

Umbran · Jul 27, 2004

Joshua Dyal said:
I've seen an awful lot of mangy feral/semi-feral dogs in Argentina, and I certainly don't recall any of them developing hyena-like hair patterns or body structure.

My point is that it doesn't really have hyena-like structure or hair patterns. The darned thing has pretty much no hair on the back end. That's not hyena like. It makes it look like it has a ruff, but really, it's just that the head and neck are the only places that have hair left.

And again, without fur, the body proportions of many normally furry animals look wrong. Go check out a shaved persian, and you'll see what I mean. That "hyena-like head" isn't really all that far from a bull terrier, for example. And most canids actually have reasonably long necks - they just look proportionately shorter if they're covered with thick fur.

And, you note how the report says words to the effect that no experts can figure out what it is. Note also how there's no quotes from experts saying that? Dubious reporting style.