Animal Mutilations

South American UFO Flap – Update

Venezuela – December 2002
South America’s UFO flap is still going strong in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. Numerous sightings have been reported in Caracas recently. On Friday, December 13, 2002, at 6:30 p.m., Prof. Amelia  Santodomingo observed a giant luminous sphere with multicoloured lights hovering over the Paseo de Los Proceres.  Later the same evening, three witnesses observed the same luminous sphere over the barrio Galipan area in the vicinity of Cerro Avila. The large object flew circles above this area, then retreated towards the mountains where it finally disappeared.
On Monday, December 16, 2002, at 7:07 p.m. according to Marisa Rodriguez, editor of the magazine “Too Much”, singer Deborah Sachs and her agent, Ingrid Angulo, observed a strange object suspended silently in the south-eastern sky, displaying intermittent red and yellow lights in the form of a wedding ring. This UFO rose in the air to an altitude of about 400 feet above the buildings in the Los Riscos area of Caracas. The object finally disappeared over the horizon.

Update UFOs over Buenos Aires

Saturday, January 11, 2003, beginning at 8:30 p.m., numerous “flying fireballs” were seen over Buenos
Aires, the capital of Argentina. According to Argentinean ufologist Ricardo E. D’Angelo, “Right now, Buenos Aires is experiencing a massive wave of UFOs, possibly the most intense of the past few years.
“Balls of fire, crossing the sky at high and low altitudes and in all directions, were observed by thousands of Portenos (slang word for residents of Buenos Aires–J.T.) and videotaped between 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
I myself counted 23 of them in the sky at one time, and I am accustomed to seeing satellites pass overhead. These were definitely not satellites.
The balls of fire were three to four times more luminous than Venus. They appeared repeatedly over La Boca, San Francisco, Santa Fe, the Avenida Nueve de Julio and other sections of the city.
Many of the fireballs had small pulsing lights at their outside edges–colourful blue at the tips but also red and green. Later in the evening, ten of the phenomena crossed the sky from one side to the other, entering heavily-populated barrios in which they were witnessed by many people. Their speed varied greatly, ranging from hovering stationary to showing a very high velocity at times, appearing  and disappearing without any regard for logic.”

January 17th,2003 – NECOCHEA (Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Hugo Exequiel Reinoso, an electrical technician by trade, observed a strange light of considerable proportions from the door to his house at 22:00 hours. The circular object moved from south to east at a constant speed and velocity, stopping abruptly at a given point in the sky before changing course and heading north. The object could was observed clearly in the night sky. It made no noise whatsoever during the observation, which lasted approximately 15 seconds. This UFO sighting can be added to the one which occurred a few days ago, when several people observed three (3) large multicoloured orbs flying over the sea and the city.

Update: March 6th, 2003, RUFINO, ARGENTINA

On March 6, 2003 at 7-35p.m. several people present at the motorcycle  racetrack of the Ben Hur Sports Club (south-eastern Rufino, Santa Fe Province) observed a strange white light moving over the city moving from the south to the north. Witnesses stated that the light was lower than the normal flight altitude at which aircraft fly over the city and was much brighter than a star – the object travelled horizontally to the ground, at great speed. It made no sound whatsoever and the possibility that it could have been an artificial satellite was discounted as it travelled at low altitude and at very high speed. The object eventually vanished.

Update Argentina – 31st March 2003

New Mutilations in Rio Cuarto

A mare which belonged to livestock rancher Daniel was discovered dead with mutilations on its jawbone.
No traces of blood were found and the incisions practiced on the tissue were perfectly cauterized.
The animal was found 7 km. SE of the town of Villa Valeria in the Province of Cordoba, Argentina, some 120 km SE of Rio Cuarto, along Rt. 35 which links Cordoba to La Pampa.

Preliminary reports state that the animal did not suffer from any illnesses whatsoever beyond some slight hip problems. Police officers from Villa Valeria were continuing enquiries.

UPDATE: Argentina, April 13th 2003

Mutilated Animals Found near Cuchillo Co

Pampan cattlemen of the Lihuel Calel department, are expressing concern at the discovery of several repeated animal mutilations in their rural area.
Cattlemen from a broad section of the Lihuel Calel department are worried about the return of cattle mutilations. A young rancher whose property is located on Provincial Route 13, 60 km west of Cuchillo Co, remarked that two mutilated cows and a calf were found on his property last year. The rancher also noted that there was a case involving the mutilation of a wild boar cub.
Highly concerned, he added:
“It seems that they’ve taken against me now, because in 15 days they mutilated six calves, all of them black, plump, weighing between 160 and 220 kg., which were in an open field. The last one was found last Thursday some 500 meters from the street and some 4 kilometres from the house, while I was away in General Acha. The same occurred on Friday with a sheep.”

He remarked about the condition the animals were found:
“Some were male and others female, but similar incisions can be found in all of them — perfectly [even] and cured, as though cauterized. They were missing their tongues, jaws, ears, eyes and hide in a stretch from the front (sic) to the start of the chest. The females were missing their udders and the males their testicles. I turned one of these over to remove its ribs, but one of them, which was under the body, was cracked and was “mashed”, as though it had experienced a powerful blow.
I removed two ribs for the dogs, which eat it, but since it was hanging from a hook in the shed, [it emanated] a strong smell of ammonia and sulphur which became unbearable.”
He added that his remaining animals grazed far from the mutilated one.
He stated that:
“Some cattlemen do not believe that natural deaths are involved, nor mutilations by carrion animals and much less by the long-muzzled mouse. This is a subject that deserves far deeper study to put an end to it, as it affects us financially. Scientists from a foreign power could be involved, performing the mutilations for analysis. We base this on the fact that some “lights” have been seen over the area during the night.”

Finally he remarked:
“A rancher from the area found that cow belonging to another pasture had been deposited on his property. For this reason we request whoever is responsible to look into these events and research them thoroughly.

Update – 29TH April, 2003

The following article was published in the Omaha World-Herald – Nebraska April 29, 2003
Reward grows in mutilation of cattle
By Paul Hammel – World-Herald Staff WriterVALPARAISO, Neb. – A reward fund rose Monday to $6,000 and investigators enlisted the help of a Las Vegas organization in hopes of solving two mysterious cases of cattle mutilation  northwest of Lincoln. Saunders County Sheriff Chuck Lacey said that, so far, there were few clues about who killed and mutilated two 1,200-pound cows and a bull calf at the Benes Cattle Co. on April 5 and April 7. Lacey and an official with the Las Vegas-based National Institute for Discovery Science said the Valparaiso cases have an advantage over dozens of other reported cases of cattle mutilation – vehicle tracks and footprints.”It’s unusual in cases that we know of to find tracks of any type,” said Dr. Colm Kelleher, administrator of the 7-year-old private science institute that investigates anomalies such as cattle mutilations.

Kelleher said he is unaware that any case of cattle mutilation has been solved since the incidents first made headlines in the 1970s.

“Tracks are a good start,” he said. “So is the reward.”

The $6,000 reward for information is being offered by Nebraska Crime Stoppers, Saunders County Crime Stoppers, the Saunders County Livestock Association, the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Association, and the Benes family. It is twice the initial reward. Lacey said the reward reflects how seriously the mutilations are being treated by cattle producers.

“There’s no brotherhood among burglars and thieves, so I can’t believe we don’t have a constructive lead yet,” he said. “Maybe it’s coming.” So far, Lacey said, he has gotten only one small lead.

“Mainly it’s people from all parts of the United States telling us it’s the government . . . but nothing constructive,” the sheriff said. “We know its people and they drive cars.”

Three separate sets of footprints and vehicle tracks were found in the snow on April 7, when a 2-year-old cow was found dead at the Benes farm. The animal appeared to have died of electrocution, and an attempt had been made to cut off one of its teats. Two days earlier, a cow and a bull calf were found dead in the same pasture. The testicles, anus and meat from its hindquarters were cut off the calf, which appeared to have had its blood drained. The cow, which appeared to have been electrocuted, had one teat cut off.
The sheriff said the Las Vegas group may be able to shed more light on how the cows were killed. Particular toxins, Lacey said, have been associated with cattle mutilations.
Kelleher, whose organization investigates scientific anomalies such as cattle mutilations and alleged UFO sightings, said his group will analyze tissue samples from one of the dead cows as well as photographs of the mutilated animals. He said only minimal tests will be possible because the tissue arrived so long after the incident.

Kelleher, a doctor of biochemistry, said the Valparaiso case is intriguing because of the burns left in the cows’ mouths and the discovery of the tracks. He said there is no proof that such mutilations are linked to UFOs, but there was a rash of UFO sightings during some mutilation cases in Montana in the 1970s. Although he wouldn’t rule out cult activity in the Valparaiso case, Kelleher said previous mutilations have not been linked to occult groups.
He said his group’s goal is to investigate scientific anomalies that mainstream organizations ignore in hopes that it will lead to new discoveries.

The following article was published in The Hounslow Guardian (UK)
Friday 2nd May 2003

UFO Abduction Possible In UFO Case

The oddest case dealt with so far by the new head of the RSPCA’s team of animal welfare officers in south west London was a butchered cow in Osterley Park.
Until his promotion, Mark Buggie, 35, was an RSPCA inspector and worked for eight years in Woolwich and five years in Brixton. Before joining the RSPCA, he was in the army and worked as a search dog handler. He and his dog were mainly on Royal duties, hunting out explosives and drugs.
Mr Buggie, who lives in Upper Norwood, said:
” When I left the army it seemed a natural progression to join the RSPCA as it is the leading organisation, working with animals which had a career structure.”

Mark is married to Jade who works at the RSPCA’s call centre. The couple have a seven-year-old daughter Emily and a four-year-old son Alexander. In his new role Mark will be in charge of seven inspectors and ten ambulance drivers.
He said: ”I am delighted with my new role and I am really looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead. We have an excellent team and I hope to continue and build on the high standard of service we provide to animals and residents.”

Mr Buggie revealed that the team is currently very busy. He said: ”It goes in fits and starts but currently we are busy dealing with a spate of complaints about dogs left on balconies. Genuine cruelty cases are few and far between. We dealt with one last week where a man kicked a dog to death, but most cases are due to ignorance rather than cruelty. A lot of it is ignorance. People do not take their animals to the vet to get them treated and we also deal a lot with of care in the community people.”

One of the oddest cases Mr Buggie has had to deal with was a cow butchered in Osterley Park.
He said: “It was absolutely bizarre. The cow had been butchered and all the meat taken, but whoever did it would have to have caught the cow, because it was not hand tamed, and then walk for at least two miles with the meat. It was just bizarre and looked as though the cow had been sucked up by UFOs, the meat stripped off and the carcass dropped down again.”

Update – Argentina

May 24th, 2003

TWO MORE CALVES FOUND MUTILATED

Field researchers specializing in the subject of animal mutilations–Raul Chaves and Ester Urban, pointed out that “so far this year we have accounted for some 60 mutilations in La Pampa and Buenos Aires.” They noted that “thanks to the fact that they already know us and know that we research the subject, cattle ranchers inform us when mutilated animals are discovered.
We then obtain samples which we send to the University of Buenos Aires and document everything on videotape.”

They referred to the two most recent cases — on May 16th and 17th, respectively — between 45 and 30 kilometers away from Santa Rosa. The first of these took place in the “El Martin” ranch 45 km northwest of the Pampan capital and involved a year-old calf weighing 200 kgs.

On the left side of its head, the absence of the outer ear was evident along with the entire inner ear, its eye, and an oval- shaped flap of skin, measuring some 30 cm. in diameter. The absence of vulva, edge of the anus, hyoides, larynx, pharynx and a segment of the trachea, as well as part of the upper muscular mass, was also noted.

The entire animal found on May 17 was found on a rural property located 30 kilometers north of Santa Rosa. It was a 2 year-old calf weighing 250 kg. missing half of its tongue with a cauterized incision and missing the left ocular orb. The field researchers noted that in both cases samples were secured for subsequent study and analysis by professionals.

UPDATE: May 26, 2003 – Argentina

UFO FLEET OVER NECOCHEA

Sunday, May 25, a witness observed the movements of ten anomalous objects of considerable size, white in color, in the vicinity of the Port of Necochea-Quequén (Argentina).
The eyewitness is an engineer with the Necochea Power Station, belonging to the Centrales de la Costa Atlántica S.A. (CCASA) company. The objects were seen between 8-20p.m. and 8-30p.m. and maneuvered in absolute silence,vanishing in the direction of Parque Miguel Lillo in Necochea.

Animal Mutilations: What We Don’t Know

Source: National Institute for Discovery Science
George E. Onet, D.V.M., Ph. D.

For over thirty years, ranchers, veterinarians and official investigators have been searching for explanations for animal mutilation cases. Local authorities, FBI, Bureaus of Special Investigators, and ad-hoc committees have conducted intense investigations to gain more understanding about these phenomena. Unfortunately, the results of these investigations did not provide the public with solid answers to their questions.
Ranchers continued to feel helpless, confused, and frustrated, while their resulting economic losses caused serious concerns.
In 1975, Colorado Governor Richard D. Lamm called animal mutilations “one of the greatest outrage in the history of western cattle industry.” (1)

Scientists involved with researching animal mutilations have attempted to provide logical explanations, and in some cases, these explanations were contradicted by the evidence gathered by police investigators. Generally, scientists attributed mutilations to commonly accepted factors such as natural causes, predators, and scavengers. These explanations have caused dissatisfaction among ranchers and some investigators.

Although some official investigators had been around livestock all their lives, they stated that they have never seen the characteristics that are now attributed to animal mutilation.
They concluded that at least a part of the animal mutilations were “definitely not made by predators.” (1) Sometimes, investigators were puzzled by their findings. Even today, some animal mutilation cases are simply classified as unexplainable.
(2)

The investigation of animal mutilations and the peculiar circumstances in which they occur require gathering of physical evidence immediately after the event, but this is not always possible. Published data on animal mutilations have been used to establish patterns. (3,4,5,6,7,8)

Those who decide to study the subject are still faced with several crucial unanswered questions. Some of the most significant are:

What causes the death of animals that are found mutilated? Some evidence suggests that the mutilation takes place after the animal has died. Otherwise, the body and the surrounding areas would be stained with a great deal of blood because if the animal were alive, the heart would continue to pump blood through the open vessels. Reports reveal that compared to the severity of the wounds, blood traces are scarce.

Natural causes of death in animals include: infectious diseases, severe accidents, poisoning, bloat, birth-related accidents, predators, electrocution, etc. which can be diagnosed through macroscopic examination and laboratory analyses. In most mutilation cases, it has been reported that animals died suddenly. This is based on the testimony that they were seen by the owner in good health and body condition shortly before being found dead.

If predators caused the death, teeth marks would be found around the hocks and the nose because those areas are usually attacked first. Tissues would be torn, arteries and veins would be open and bleeding would take place which would be easy to see. Especially during the winter season, blood traces are easily detected on snow covered terrain. In other seasons, the soil and vegetation in the vicinity of the carcass would show tracks, hoof prints, and/or signs of ante-mortem struggle signs which are difficult to miss.

During an investigation, authorities will conduct a thorough examination of the mutilated body and the surrounding areas using more or less standard procedures. Their findings are documented in legal reports. If no signs of predator attack or ante-mortem struggle are revealed, then the question is: how did the animal(s) die? One answer is natural causes, but if natural causes were not evident, the animals may have been euthanized somehow and mutilated later. What could have silently killed them without leaving any traces on the body and in the inflicted tissues?

Regardless of the cause of death, normally there is an agony phase during which the animals display contractions in different parts of the body, especially in the legs and in the neck muscles. Pedaling, for instance, will cause tracks on the soil which would be noticeable. If tracks are not present, then the animal(s) probably died instantly without going through the agony phase. Possible causes of an instant death are lightning, gun-shots or paralyzing factors. Weather conditions, characteristic lesions on the body, and signs in the surrounding area can confirm or exclude the possibility of lightning. Gun- shots can be easily detected through a thorough necropsy. Paralyzing factors are more difficult to identify. However, a
laboratory examination would have a good chance to clarify such a suspicion. If none of these possibilities exist, what else could be responsible for the death?

Special attention should be paid to situations when more than one animal is found dead under similar circumstances. When three or four animals are found in the same position, as if they were walking in the same direction, or when the position of their legs suggests that they were running, then the question remains what caused the sudden death?

Some reports have mentioned that mutilated animals were found laying in the middle of perfectly round areas where the vegetation looked as if it had been burned. What could have caused this strange occurrence? Other reports mention that large allegedly mutilated animals (cows, steers) had all four legs fractured with no plausible explanation. If one or two legs had been broken, it could be easier to understand.

According to a recent report (private communication, Dec. 1996), issued by the Criminal Investigations Division in Fort Pierce, Florida, tissue and blood samples from a mutilated animal were submitted to a state diagnostic laboratory. By using gas chromatography, they found three unusual compounds in the liver and the aortic blood: Furaltadone (an antibacterial compound),Oxipronolol acetate (a beta blocker), and Amphetamine (a psychotropic drug).(9) How did these chemicals get into the blood stream when the necropsy report did not mention signs of intravenous injection? Their presence suggests, however, human intervention.

What is the logical explanation for the missing body parts and the way in which they were removed? The most plausible interpretation which has been reflected in veterinary reports is that animal mutilations are the work of scavengers. The kind of tissues removed suggests a preference for soft easily accessible body parts (teats, udder, tongue, external genitalia, ears, etc.). In such situations, it is likely that the animals died of
natural causes and were scavenged afterwards. However, scavengers do not kill animals.

A strange feature in animal mutilation reports is the apparent precision by which the tissues were cut. Examination of the remaining tissues gave investigators the strong impression that they were cut with surgical precision. However, how this was performed could not be established with certainty. In some instances, the edges of the remaining skin looked so regularly serrated that it could not be caused by a predators bite or tearing.(8) For example, portions of 20-25 cm skin edges were straight and regularly serrated, which suggests the use of an instrument. What kind of surgical instruments could have been used to leave this kind of cut?

In some cases, it was suspected that laser beams were used.(7,8) However, with currently available laser technology, cutting a 3- 5 mm thick cow hide would require equipment weighing several thousand pounds. How could that equipment have been deployed and used in usually remote areas without being seen or leaving tracks in the surrounding environment?

Is the blood in the mutilated animals indeed missing? Some reports have stated that blood was missing from the body or was only present in small amounts. In 1971, an Idaho veterinarian necropsied a purportedly mutilated horse and found that all internal organs, including the heart and the lungs, had been completely desiccated.(8) At necropsy, by compressing parenchymal tissues such as liver, lung, and kidney, one would expect that a certain amount of blood is expressed even if post- mortem coagulation or haemolysis had occurred. This is true under normal conditions when animals die without being exsanguinated.
If massive ante-mortem bleeding had taken place, these organs would appear pale and the amount of blood obtained by compression is significantly reduced. But if there is no indication of extensive internal or external haemorrhage which is capable of draining blood from the circulatory system, then the lack of blood looks peculiar.

The main task would be to establish whether the blood was removed by artificial means. A thorough examination of the central and peripheral circulatory system, including the heavily vascularized tissues, should establish the correlation between the macroscopic aspect of the tissues and the microscopic
images, which give more detailed information on the status of the capillary vessels and their blood load.

What are the morphological changes in the tissues from mutilated animals? In some cases, tissue samples were examined in well- established diagnostic laboratories. Histology performed on over thirty skin samples from the excision lines by Dr. Altshuller, a Colorado pathologist, revealed lesions suggesting overheating.
Although there were no data on the degree of autolysis of the samples, collagen and haemoglobin were significantly changed in the proximity of the excision. (7,8)

In a 1991 report, the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory of Corvallis (Oregon State University) determined that skin sections from a suspected mutilated steer showed lesions consistent with electro-surgical excision.(10)

Another element that could bring a better understanding of these kinds of processes is the bacterial load of tissues. Post-mortem decomposition usually involves a variety of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria which cause tissues to decay. Compared to the surface of the affected skin, where numerous bacteria can be
identified in the areas of coagulation necrosis, there is no such bacterial population. What could have caused such morphological skin changes? Only further systematic histological and molecular biology examinations, to study intimate cellular and chemical changes, could give valid clues on how these lesions were inflicted.

What causes the domestic and wild animals in the vicinity of mutilated animals to behave strangely? Anecdotal reports from ranchers indicate that after an animal has been mutilated the rest of the herd behaves strangely and will keep their distance from the carcass for days. They look afraid and are in visible distress. A Utah rancher reported that the horse he was riding became very nervous when it saw a mutilated cow. The horse started to snort and would not go near the cow.

Wild animals, including predators, scavengers, and birds seem to display a similar reaction to mutilated carcasses. According to ranchers, mutilated animals will remain untouched even in areas where wild animals are commonly seen. On a Utah ranch, a carcass of an allegedly mutilated cow was in the same position with intact hide, except for the initial missing body parts, for over 9 months. The animal was laying in a wooded area which was populated with coyotes and other predators.

Animals that die of natural causes do not seem to trigger the same type of reaction from other animals. On a recent trip to a Nevada ranch (Dec. 1996), a dead cow was found on a pasture close to the highway. The cause of death appeared to be dissocial. Part of an oversized calf was engaged in the pelvic tract, but the birth could not be finalized. The exhausting efforts of the cow resulted in her death. The carcass was not
removed for over ten days. Animals grazing in the immediate area were not bothered by the carcass.

What causes the disappearance of animals? The disappearance of animals can be attributed to a variety of causes such as rustling, running away, predator attacks, etc.

When animals are stolen, a legal investigation is usually initiated. In some cases, tracks or other clues lead to a firm conclusion that the animals were stolen even if perpetrators are not identified.

When animals run away, there are indicative signs such as broken fences and tracks. Later recovery of the animals is a chance to verify such situations.
When predators are the cause of animal disappearance, different tracks are left behind such as blood, hair, skin portions, body parts, foot prints, etc. In most cases, it is not difficult to come to a conclusive answer from these findings.

Reports of unusual animal disappearances have been filed with sheriffs departments and other investigators.(1) Certain cases were finally clarified, but there were situations in which no traces could be found and the cases remained unsolved. In the last couple of years, there have been some reports of disappearance of large numbers of animals under circumstances in which theft was ruled out by authorities.

Could individuals or cult organizations be involved with animal mutilations? Over the years, investigators have focused on the possibility of certain individuals or groups being involved with animal mutilations. Officials have even obtained confessions.
However, the confessions came from imprisoned persons who were seeking lenient treatment. If satanic cults were involved, this would not explain the widespread and high incidence of mutilation cases throughout the years. In spite of all police, FBI, and other investigators efforts to gather solid evidence, no one has ever been arrested or convicted for such a crime.(1)

In order to answer these questions, thorough clinical, morpho-pathological and laboratory examinations need to be conducted.
Only by carefully analyzing the results of such scientific research can pertinent conclusions be drawn. By looking for intimate changes in tissues from mutilated animals, down to cell and molecular levels, can valuable findings be correlated to help us define what in fact had happened to these animals. The first requirement to accomplish such a goal is to have necropsies performed as soon as possible after the animals death, and to have proper tissue samples collected for complex laboratory analyses. The second requirement is to perform an expanded array of tests when the animal tissue samples are in pristine condition. No matter what the outcome of an in-depth research on animal mutilations would be, economic losses and ranchers worries make searching for the answers to these questions perfectly justified.

An important conclusion from a recent National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS) survey indicates that necropsies were never performed and samples were not collected for laboratory analysis on any of the reported animal mutilation cases. This suggests an urgent need for veterinarians involvement in investigating animal mutilations.

We hope that we will acquire more information on this matter with future endeavours. By expanding our inquiry, and with the help of bovine veterinary practitioners, we hope to have a broader picture of the facts as far as incidence, patterns and ways of investigating such cases are concerned. Unfortunately, there still lingers among veterinary practitioners the practice of choosing the most conventional explanations, even if no concrete evidence supports them. This tends to obscure the real circumstances and causes of animal mutilations. By preferring to follow commonly accepted diagnostics, veterinarians are inclined to simplify the process of justifying the cause of death and avoid being exposed to additional, sometimes unpleasant questioning.

Acknowledgment: Sincerest thanks to the President of NIDS, Mr. Robert T. Bigelow, for his steady support and to the NIDS staff for promptly reviewing and editing this material and for their valuable suggestions.

Human Mutilations

There has been a limited amount of evidence which suggests that the mutilation phenomenon is not restricted to animals but may include humans we include the following link which leads to a website covering this most disturbing of subjects.