Magical animals? More like diseased animals.

[Oceansong-Direwolf]

Salve, everyone! I have put together a list of commonly mistaken animal diseases for cryptozoological and mythical animals.

Chupacabra? More like a mangy coyote.
This is most common mistake. In pictures of hairless animals, people note that it's canine-like but think it's the cryptid chupacabra, wich roughly translates to "sucker of the goats."Coyotes (and other canines) get a disease called "mange", a furless disease. Other animals like felines get this, too. Once in 2010, a hairless animal was found. It was taken to a vet and proved it was a raccoon with mange. Mistakes like this happen often.

Unicorn? More like a single-horned ungulate.
The mythical unicorns were said to be pure white horses with a single horn coming from it's forehead. They only came to fair maidens and let the maidens stroke and befriend them. But of course, the unicorn doesn't exist. But there is a disease where horned animals, such as ibexes, grow with only one horn. It's a rare thing to happen, though.


These are all I could come up with. If you have anymore, share and I'll add it!

[wolfyattitude]

It is said that the Loch Ness Monster is and eel with it's head above the water, but I'm not surem I hope not, I love Nessie!

[lightshadowwolf223]

It is said that the Loch Ness Monster is and eel with it's head above the water, but I'm not surem I hope not, I love Nessie!

I agree as for the chupacabra i'll never stop searching for one. And when i prove it exists the people on WQ will be the first to know.

[wolfloversk]

Jackalopes: There's actually a disease (Shope papilloma virus) that causes growths to form on the head of the rabbit, which look remotely like antlers. Unfortunately it's usually fatal, and the animal is rendered unable to eat.

[Toralu]

Yeah I've heard of those C: They are quite strange but turns out their just normal animals.

[Legendary-Taco]

Thanks for posting, Oceansong-Direwolf! ^^ Guess you learn something new every day, eh? :3

[lightshadowwolf223]

I am going to soon upload my collection of monster sightings and photos to the web i will make sure to give a link!

[Oceansong-Direwolf]

Jackalopes: There's actually a disease (Shope papilloma virus) that causes growths to form on the head of the rabbit, which look remotely like antlers. Unfortunately it's usually fatal, and the animal is rendered unable to eat.

Now that is very interesting. It's quite sad though... how rare is it? Or is it very common?

[lightshadowwolf223]

Hers that link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/67700617@N02/?saved=1

Please remember that these images are not mine. I will upload my own soon.

[Hala]

Hey there. This actually is about the unicorn. It isnt as mythical as people think. What was said about them being single-horned ungulate can be completly true but I have another explination.

There is a disease and I believe it is called Cutaneous Horns, which I believe is most common in humans but can exist in other mammal species (I dont believe it exists in anything other than mammals... Though reptiles can have horns of their own but that is natural for them). It is where a horn pretty much grows anywhere on their body. Foot. Hand/paw. Head. So I believe that the myth of the unicorn was started from a horse who had a Cutaneoous Horn.

[lightshadowwolf223]

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/ff333

Lol if this was a dog with mange, that still does not explain its odd muzzle shape. The second i saw this picture i knew it wasn't simply mange.

[Black Velvet]

Jackalopes: There's actually a disease (Shope papilloma virus) that causes growths to form on the head of the rabbit, which look remotely like antlers. Unfortunately it's usually fatal, and the animal is rendered unable to eat.

How awful! I never heard of such a thing before, but I guess that's where the legend sprouted... no pun inteded.

And as for that disease for the unicorns, I do remember seeing a goat with one horn on his forehead somewhere. I think I saw a wax figure of it in the Dallas Wax Museum's Ripley's Believe It Or Not' exhibit.

[Kyrarah]

Hum... What about were wolves? Oh, las, thank you for sharing this with us. c:

[Hala]

The legend of were wolves is an easy one... The is a condition where a person can be born with extra hair, like an animal would be... It is known as hypertrichosis, or also simply Werewolf Syndrome.

There is also a condition to explain vampires... I forget the name of the condition and I don't know how to explain it well but it would require a person to prettymuch drink blood or their body would turn against them. I think there is also something about sensitivity to light... I will try to find more on this later.

[greatdragon108]

Wow, the thing about werewolves I knew, but the vampire it completly new to me. I searched it up, it's called Porphyria. Nothing about blood, but the victims often suffer from psychotic behavior and hallucinations. The sunlight part is true though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porphyria