What is the chupacabra?

The chupacabra, literally 'goat-sucker' in Spanish is a legendary creature in the folklore of parts of the Americas. The first reported sightings were reported in Puerto Rico in 1995. The names from the creature's reported vampirism. The chupacabra is said to attach and drink the blood of livestock, including goats.

The physical characteristics of the creature vary from story to story, some describe it as reptilian and alien like (in Puerto Rick and Latin America), generally as a large, heavy creature the size of a small bear with a row of spines reaching from the neck to the base of the tail. Other reports claim that it's more dog-like (in the Southwestern United States).

All of the current reports are anecdotal and disregarded as uncorroborated or lacking evidence. Some even claim that the sightings in northern Mexico and the southern United States are canids afflicted by mange.

What do you think? Could the chupacabra be real?