Bilk

Magazine Overview

This issue of Bilk, number 72, published bi-monthly in July 1996 by Ulrich Magin in Germany, focuses on a variety of anomalous phenomena, with a prominent feature on the Chupacabra.

Chupacabra Superstar

The lead article, "CHUPACABRA SUPERSTAR," details the continuing saga of the Chupacabra, which had recently been sighted in Mexico after earlier reports from Puerto Rico and Florida. The creature's shape is described as shifting, appearing as a reptile-like alien, a mixture of lizard and dog, or a dragon. It is noted that sightings seem to occur primarily in Spanish-language communities. Explanations range from extraterrestrial origins to secret genetic engineering. Witnesses describe a "monstruo" with wings, glowing eyes, fangs, fur, and talons, which preys on turkeys, chickens, sheep, and goats, earning it the name "goatsucker." There are also accounts of human attacks. In May, sightings and alleged victims were reported almost daily in Puerto Rico, with locals reporting unusual noises and footprints. In Naucalpan, a suburb of Mexico City, a chupacabra reportedly molested a young woman. The article notes that while some officials, like secretary Carabias, deny its existence and have destroyed bat caves, local people and witnesses persist in their belief. Zoologists suggest bites on farm animals could be from coyotes, pumas, or wolves driven by drought. Environmentally conscious individuals like Julia Carabias attempt rational explanations, while the public relies on rumors. The Chupacabra has become a media star in Mexico, with t-shirts featuring its image and cartoonists using it to portray ex-president Carlos Salinas de Gortari. Hit songs about the creature are popular, and a fan has adopted the stage name "Chuapacabras." The political opposition suggests the Chupacabra phenomenon is a government invention to distract from economic disaster. Some view it as a Mexican yeti or Nessie, while others propose it's a mutation from urban pollution. The rumor originated in Puerto Rico and spread through Spanish-speaking communities. The Chupacabra is described as the "utmost terror, devil, vampire," and even a symbol for the hated ex-president, "chupadolares" (dollar-catcher). Explanations span rational, cryptozoological, conspiracy, and ufological theories. The author finds the developing mythology comparable to the UFO myth, allowing for diverse beliefs.

Sources for this section include two articles from the Stuttgarter Zeitunf (May 28, 1996, p. 16) and Bietigheimer Zeitung (May 22, 1996, p. 4).

Behemoth: Loch Ness and Other Mysteries

This section, titled "BEHEMOTH," covers various cryptid and fortean reports.

Loch Ness Monster Enthusiasts

A Scottish couple, Kathy and Gary Campbell, founded a "fan club" for Loch Ness Monster enthusiasts after Gary Campbell reported seeing "something very large" breaking the water surface and disappearing. Kathy Campbell, having worked at a hotel at Loch Ness, noted frequent inquiries about a fan club. The report mentions Reuter (Rheinpfalz, May 22, 1996) and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (May 22, 1996, p. 9) as sources. It also notes that an excellent club for Loch Ness affairs already exists.

Bibliography of Nessletter

Rip Hepple's Loch Ness Information Service (located in Weardale, Bishop Auckland, UK) is mentioned, along with its "Nessletter," issue 125, which recounted several sightings. The article references other items from Fortean Times:

• Lake Bala monster (Fortean Times 82, p. 14)
• A new picture of the Loch Ness monster, which the author believes looks like water fowl (Fortean Times 86, p. 8)
• A film of a dinosaur in Africa (Fortean Times 86, pp. 32-35)
• A false report about the British movie "Loch Ness" being based on Ted Danson's research (Le Matin, Lausanne, February 5, 1996, credit: Andreas Trottmann)
• A lake monster in New Britain (Fortean Times 82, pp. 38-39)
• A crocodile spotted at Congleton, England (Fortean Times 82, p. 15)

Kraken

Reports related to the "KRAKEN" include:

• A giant squid caught by a trawler off Dingle, Kerry, Eire in April 1995 (Fortean Times 82, p. 7).
• An article by Micheal Raynal about "Octopus giganteus" in Florida (The INFO Journal 74, pp. 24-27).
• A report from Die Welt (April 30, 1996, p. 12) states that Clyde Roper will go fishing for giant squids off Chatham Islands. Three giant squids have already been caught there, measuring between 4 and 8 meters. Roper plans to descend to 900 meters with a submarine. More details are available in Fortean Times 87, p. 19, which includes color photos of two caught squids.

USO

The "USO" (Unidentified Submerged Object) section reports:

• England: Two British trawlers accidentally caught the German submarine U 29 off England's southwest coast. The submarine had been participating in a Royal Navy exercise 20 nautical miles off Plymouth when it became entangled in the trawlers' nets (Göppinger Kreisnachrichten, February 17, 1996, p. 7).
• A UFO hoax involving an alleged spaceship parking at Lake Tahoe, Nevada (Fortean Times 86, p. 16). Lake Tahoe is also noted for lake monster sightings.
• A Swedish report about mink (Fortean Times 82, p. 14).
• Strange holes in the ice cover of Swedish lakes (Fortean Times 86, p. 17).
• UFO sightings over Loch Ness (fortflash No. 3, p. 3).

Cryptozoology

The "CRYPTOZOOLOGY" section highlights:

• Two articles in major German magazines (Kosmos, May 1996, pp. 14-27, and Natur, June 1996, pp. 20-28) discussed cryptids like the yeti and Loch Ness monster, alongside psychological explanations. Natur also covered unicorns, ABSM (Abominable Snowmen), and dragons, referencing books by Ellis and Heuvelmans.
• A new species of monkey, about the size of a mouse and previously thought extinct, was rediscovered in the Wuyi-Mountains, Fujian province, China. It weighs only 200 grams (Welt, April 23, 1996, p. 12; Stuttgarter Nachrichten, same date, p. 8; Stuttgarter Zeitung, same date, p. 18).
• A fish with legs is mentioned (Fortean Times 86, p. 40).

Forteana and Stuff

This section covers miscellaneous strange events:

• Attacks: A hippopotamus in the Sambesi River attacked German tourists near Victoria Falls, drowning one guide and tearing the arm off another (Welt, March 12, 1996, p. 12). In Susa, Fiji, a swordfish speared and killed a fisherman (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, March 16, 1996, p. 8). In South Africa, a crocodile killed a boy (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, March 16, 1996, p. 7; Stuttgarter Nachrichten, same date). Another report mentions a crocodile killing a 7-year-old boy in the Mutshundudi River (Süddeutsche Zeitung, March 21, 1996, p. 12).
• Yeti Attraction: In the Shennongjia region, Hubei province, China, the yeti is being promoted as a tourist attraction, with travel agents designing tours and the province having a yeti park and museum. Sightings of a 2.2 m ape and footprints up to 40 cm have been reported for decades, but expeditions have yielded no proof of its existence (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, May 28, 1996, p. 10).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue demonstrates a consistent interest in the unexplained, cryptozoology, and anomalous events, presenting a wide range of reports from various sources, including other magazines and news outlets. The editorial stance appears to be one of open reporting and exploration of these phenomena, without necessarily endorsing any single explanation, as evidenced by the author's concluding remarks on the Chupacabra mythology being as encompassing as the UFO myth. There is a clear effort to document and disseminate information on these topics to a readership interested in the unusual.