Cattle Mutilators Return to The San Luis Valley
San Luis, Colorado rancher Manuel Sanchez and his family are upset. Since October 25th, 2009 his ranch has experienced four “cattle mutilations.” These cattle deaths appear to the rancher to be of a high-strange nature. The first two deaths and apparent disfigurements were discovered by Sanchez on the morning of Sunday, October 25th when he found two dead calves with large cavities cut into their chests. The rancher determined that the upper respiratory organs and hearts had been removed.
Cattle mutilations, as these unexplained livestock deaths have been dubbed by the media, normally feature various soft tissue organs that appear to have been surgically removed with a sharp instrument. The most often reported cuts are around the jaw/mandible area and cored out rear-ends and missing sexual organs. The condition of these first two are not typical “classic mutilations.”
As with a vast majority of cattle mutilation cases that have been reported by the thousands around the world, no apparent evidence was found by Sanchez at the scene: no footprints, tire tracks, signs of predators, scavengers or any other physical evidence was observed to indicate who or what was responsible. Although the location where the animals were found is accessible to predators, Sanchez also noted the absence of blood and no indications of a struggle at the scene that one would expect with a predator kill. These two cases are rather unusual in that most mutilations involve primarily the removal of soft tissue organs, not large gaping holes in the chest. No forensic or plant and soil samples were obtained for testing by veterinarian pathologists and biophysicists and the animals were not covered to prevent scavenger damage.
Fifteen days later, on Monday, November 9th, Sanchez was again horrified to find a third calf dead and disfigured. This time the animal’s condition was of a more “classic” nature. The left side mandible flesh appeared to have been surgically removed as if by a laser type instrument and the end of the tongue appeared to have been removed. Again, as with the previous cases, no apparent physical evidence was found to indicate who or what had killed and disfigured the animal. Sanchez, understandably upset by this third death, called the Costilla County Sheriff who dispatched a deputy to the ranch to investigate.
A week later on Monday, November 16th, Sanchez found a fourth calf in a mutilated condition. This was the last straw. Sanchez has rounded up his herd and is in the process of selling his livestock before possibly losing more animals to the “mutilators.” All four cases happened in close proximity of one another within the same 400 to 500 foot area of the pasture.
An amateur investigator from the Front Range was notified of the cases and visited the scene to take photographs and interview the rancher. No plant, soil or forensic samples were obtained by the rancher or investigator, who also did not determine whether hair follicles had been cut. Cut hair is a sure sign a sharp instrument has been used to cut through the hide and underlying tissues and should be the first thing a rancher or investigator determines.
Sanchez noted that these cases aren’t the first mutilations that the ranch has experienced over the years. The rancher reported losing a cow in November 1992 and another in 2006.
The south-central San Luis Valley has recently been experiencing an upsurge in anomalous activity. An unreported cattle mutilation case occurred in late August near Center, Colorado and strange silver colored orbs were spotted by a tractor operator on several occasions over the past six weeks.
Since 1975, over one hundred cattle mutilation cases have allegedly occurred in the southern San Luis Valley. The herds of Costilla and Conejos Counties are probably the hardest hit ranching region in North America. Rancher Emilio Lobato had an incredible 49 head shot or stolen in 1975 and several of these animals also appeared to have been mutilated with a sharp instrument. During the three year period from 1975 through 1978, mystery helicopters were spotted by ranchers and law enforcement and Costilla County Sheriffs Ernest Sandoval, Pete Espinoza and other area law enforcement officials were convinced that these helicopter crews were responsible for at least some of the mutilation reports.
Long time cattle mutilation investigator Christopher O’Brien, author of several books on strange events that have been reported in the San Luis Valley, was contacted and asked to view photographs of these most recent cases on the Sanchez ranch.
“Looking at photographs of the latest case, the damage appears consistent with scavenging. The rib cage area definitely looks as if scavengers gnawed around the wounds and removed tissue. It is also interesting that the calf’s head and neck appears to be folded back against the body. This could be a sign of muscular contraction due to the calf eating poisonous plants. The missing tip of the tongue could be due to the animal biting the end of the tongue off. However, having said this, it is virtually impossible to determine anything conclusive by simply looking at photographs. Only a veterinary pathologist can unequivocally determine cause of death and how the animal was disfigured. If these cases are reported in a timely manner, forensic samples (fixed in formalin) and plant and soil samples can be obtained that will allow experts to make a determination about the case. Unfortunately, this proper investigative process was not conducted with these latest reports.”
Local ranchers do have recourse if any future unexplained livestock deaths are discovered. Local field-investigator Mesita resident Thomas Peay is only minutes away and can be dispatched immediately to aid ranchers in conducting a proper investigation.
If you discover a suspect cattle death, immediately cover the animal with a light-colored tarp and secure it from the wind. This will discourage birds and other scavengers. Immediately contact Peay who will then help you properly document the scene and obtain samples for testing. Anomalous aerial object sightings and unusual helicopter activity should also be reported by area residents. Thomas Peay can be reached at 719.672.0348. Christopher O’Brien can be reached at: 928.567.6412 or by email <cob@tmv.us>
San Luis, Colorado rancher Manuel Sanchez and his family are upset. Since October 25th, 2009 his ranch has experienced four “cattle mutilations.” These cattle deaths appear to the rancher to be of a high-strange nature. The first two deaths and apparent disfigurements were discovered by Sanchez on the morning of Sunday, October 25th when he found two dead calves with large cavities cut into their chests. The rancher determined that the upper respiratory organs and hearts had been removed.
Cattle mutilations, as these unexplained livestock deaths have been dubbed by the media, normally feature various soft tissue organs that appear to have been surgically removed with a sharp instrument. The most often reported cuts are around the jaw/mandible area and cored out rear-ends and missing sexual organs. The condition of these first two are not typical “classic mutilations.”
As with a vast majority of cattle mutilation cases that have been reported by the thousands around the world, no apparent evidence was found by Sanchez at the scene: no footprints, tire tracks, signs of predators, scavengers or any other physical evidence was observed to indicate who or what was responsible. Although the location where the animals were found is accessible to predators, Sanchez also noted the absence of blood and no indications of a struggle at the scene that one would expect with a predator kill. These two cases are rather unusual in that most mutilations involve primarily the removal of soft tissue organs, not large gaping holes in the chest. No forensic or plant and soil samples were obtained for testing by veterinarian pathologists and biophysicists and the animals were not covered to prevent scavenger damage.
Fifteen days later, on Monday, November 9th, Sanchez was again horrified to find a third calf dead and disfigured. This time the animal’s condition was of a more “classic” nature. The left side mandible flesh appeared to have been surgically removed as if by a laser type instrument and the end of the tongue appeared to have been removed. Again, as with the previous cases, no apparent physical evidence was found to indicate who or what had killed and disfigured the animal. Sanchez, understandably upset by this third death, called the Costilla County Sheriff who dispatched a deputy to the ranch to investigate.
A week later on Monday, November 16th, Sanchez found a fourth calf in a mutilated condition. This was the last straw. Sanchez has rounded up his herd and is in the process of selling his livestock before possibly losing more animals to the “mutilators.” All four cases happened in close proximity of one another within the same 400 to 500 foot area of the pasture.
An amateur investigator from the Front Range was notified of the cases and visited the scene to take photographs and interview the rancher. No plant, soil or forensic samples were obtained by the rancher or investigator, who also did not determine whether hair follicles had been cut. Cut hair is a sure sign a sharp instrument has been used to cut through the hide and underlying tissues and should be the first thing a rancher or investigator determines.
Sanchez noted that these cases aren’t the first mutilations that the ranch has experienced over the years. The rancher reported losing a cow in November 1992 and another in 2006.
The south-central San Luis Valley has recently been experiencing an upsurge in anomalous activity. An unreported cattle mutilation case occurred in late August near Center, Colorado and strange silver colored orbs were spotted by a tractor operator on several occasions over the past six weeks.
Since 1975, over one hundred cattle mutilation cases have allegedly occurred in the southern San Luis Valley. The herds of Costilla and Conejos Counties are probably the hardest hit ranching region in North America. Rancher Emilio Lobato had an incredible 49 head shot or stolen in 1975 and several of these animals also appeared to have been mutilated with a sharp instrument. During the three year period from 1975 through 1978, mystery helicopters were spotted by ranchers and law enforcement and Costilla County Sheriffs Ernest Sandoval, Pete Espinoza and other area law enforcement officials were convinced that these helicopter crews were responsible for at least some of the mutilation reports.
Long time cattle mutilation investigator Christopher O’Brien, author of several books on strange events that have been reported in the San Luis Valley, was contacted and asked to view photographs of these most recent cases on the Sanchez ranch.
“Looking at photographs of the latest case, the damage appears consistent with scavenging. The rib cage area definitely looks as if scavengers gnawed around the wounds and removed tissue. It is also interesting that the calf’s head and neck appears to be folded back against the body. This could be a sign of muscular contraction due to the calf eating poisonous plants. The missing tip of the tongue could be due to the animal biting the end of the tongue off. However, having said this, it is virtually impossible to determine anything conclusive by simply looking at photographs. Only a veterinary pathologist can unequivocally determine cause of death and how the animal was disfigured. If these cases are reported in a timely manner, forensic samples (fixed in formalin) and plant and soil samples can be obtained that will allow experts to make a determination about the case. Unfortunately, this proper investigative process was not conducted with these latest reports.”
Local ranchers do have recourse if any future unexplained livestock deaths are discovered. Local field-investigator Mesita resident Thomas Peay is only minutes away and can be dispatched immediately to aid ranchers in conducting a proper investigation.
If you discover a suspect cattle death, immediately cover the animal with a light-colored tarp and secure it from the wind. This will discourage birds and other scavengers. Immediately contact Peay who will then help you properly document the scene and obtain samples for testing. Anomalous aerial object sightings and unusual helicopter activity should also be reported by area residents. Thomas Peay can be reached at 719.672.0348. Christopher O’Brien can be reached at: 928.567.6412 or by email <cob@tmv.us>
