- Source: El Independiente (La Rioja Province, Argentina)
- July 30, 2002
-
- ULAPES -- Barely 6 km east
of this community, more precisely at the small ranch known as Las Raladas,
located on Route 33, which links it to San Solano, two mutilated bovines
were found showing signs that are identical to the cases depicted on television
and which have occurred elsewhere in the country.
-
- The case involved a pair of yearling heifers who were
missing ears, part of their jaws, tongue, a single eye, the udders and
their reproductive organs.
-
- Ranch owner Ramon Mercedes Acevedo told El Independiente
--which was able to ascertain the high strangeness of these events--that
these are very "strange" cases since after having worked so many
years in the field, he has never seen anything quite like it.
-
- The edges along which the organs were perfect circles,
and the jawbone was completely relieved of flesh or hide, as though the
bone had been boiled to remove the flesh. Despite the fact that 5 days
have gone by since the animals died, they were still not decomposed nor
did they show signs of rigor mortis, suggestive of a natural death.
-
- The cattleman noted that it is his belief that the animals
are completely bloodless, since despite the fact that one of them had been
eaten by his dogs, foxes and vultures, there was no blood evident, and
the muscles were clearly visible, as is the case with animals prepared
for human consumption.
-
- The case caused a sensation many residents reported to
the site to form dragnets, combing the area to no avail in search
of tracks, caves or marks which could lead to a logical explanation for
the subject. The place where the animals fell dead is covered in vegetation,
making it impossible to reach by vehicle, but the ground is sufficiently
soft so that tracks can be detected, should there be any.
-
- "This just had to happen to me," bemoaned Acevedo,
faced with the loss of two female bovines.
-
- Local residents remarked that strange lights were seen
over the hills of Ulapes during those days, and Jose Nievas said as much
last Sunday, when he was in Aguayo and on the way back to Ulapes, saw two
large lights moving swiftly over those mountains.
-
- "I don't believe in witches," said another
local cattleman. "But they exist, all right."
-
- Translation (C) 2002 Scott Corrales, IHU.
- Special thanks to Gloria Coluchi
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