PLEASE let me know if this is in the wrong forum! I'm new here (since the apparent re-do of the site, unless I'm thinking of a different SciForums ^^; ) and wasn't entirely sure where this belongs.

These are photos taken by my friend in Alcona, a small town a few miles away from Barrie, Ontario, Canada, which in turn is a 45-minute drive north of Toronto. They were taken in the summertime (kinda obvious, that) last year (2006).

They're not Photoshopped; looking at the close-ups can confirm this as far as I can tell, and it doesn't help that the person who took the pictures probably doesn't even know what Paint program is. I'm a massive skeptic, so I asked to see the pictures, loftily thinking that these bio-ignorant people were simply uneducated in the variety of wildlife there is out there.

http://i18.tinypic.com/47vl0rr.jpg

http://i18.tinypic.com/2s9tx5i.jpg

http://i17.tinypic.com/2rgl6hf.jpg

We have affectionately named him Chupi, as the guy who took the picture seems to think it's the chupacabra, which is sometimes described as looking like this (http://www.itexto.net/freako/chupacabra.jpg). He appeared to be about the size of a golden retriever, but looks quite hairless.

Chupi sits like a small feline, but stands more like a canine and appears to have feline hindlegs (if you look at the leg proportions; dogs tend to have shorter thighs and longer shins/feet). However, though the picture is on a bit of an angle, his back doesn't look long enough to be a cat's. His ears are also larger than most cats', and is not the same proportions as that of a caracal or lynx, which have oversized ears. However, the Sphinx (hairless) housecat has ears that are about that size relative to the body. Unfortunately, Chupi is much bigger than any housecat.

We came up with a few theories on our own, but we just can't confirm anything, especially since we can't see the length of his snout. One is that he's a big fox or dog with mange, which causes severe hair loss. But something about his proportions sits oddly. Another is that he is a Mexican hairless dog, or otherwise exotic species, escaped from a local. This is a very isolated town and though reptiles are illegal in it (suggesting a former problem) people have lots of pets, many exotic. This isn't so big a jump, but Chupi still sits like a cat and not a dog. Others included extremely tall Sphinx cat, or Sphinx/wildcat hybrid (you never know).

I've lived in Canada all my life and I'm very familiar with North American wildlife, and with large predators worldwide. Chupi doesn't look unnatural, but he doesn't look like anything I've seen before. Anyone have ideas or contributions, or things that would rule out any of the aforementioned?

I'm happy to email the full-sized pictures on request. They are about 350kB each.

That is definitely a canid and not a feline and it is certainly a cub. What throws me off are the proportions. It must be positioned angled toward the front that gives its body a shortened perspective than it actually has. Due to the geographic location, and the pic, I'd rule out a Mexican hairless right away. What puzzles me the most is it's height. It could be a hybrid. With a tail that long its got to be a fox, or at least part fox. I'd say it's a poor specimen of a Red Fox cub - and it could have a some sort of genetic abnormality that makes it appear akward. Without mention, you can tell the pics taken in the spring or summer because it doesn't have much of a coat. But what's also is puzzling is why the lower forelimbs are so thick. Maybe that's just an aberration/distortion due to the photo enlargement. Are there any other canids that have been seen or known to be in the same general area? Mom and dad?

It looks like a fox.

It looks like a fox.
or a deer (fawn).
could also just be a hoax. notice how the pictures are out of focus.

valich - Nope, that's what's so weird. These people have lived up there all their lives and have never seen anything like it.

Definitely not a deer of any sort. And I doubt it's a pup, it's far too large. Canid pups don't usually have a long, graceful form like that, either. The full-grown red foxes I've seen are tiny little shits, lke the jackal, but if one had mange it COULD work (http://www.terrierman.com/mange.htm. If a dog had mange as serious as the Chupi pics look (his tail is practically a string) would he really be "chilling" (in the words of the guy who saw the thing) out in the sunlight?

Someone on another forum suggested http://www.yptenc.org.uk/docs/factsheets/animal_facts/animal_facts_images/jackal.jpg. but jackals don't generally grow larger than 40cm at the shoulder (30 for that species) and again, Chupi's too big and unless it's a jackal with mange, it explains little. Besides, they're from Africa.

It's not a hoax, that I can guarantee. Alcona is... well, a hick town Canada style. An exotic pet is more likely. These people don't freak out about anything... I guess you'd have to know the background story.

Here's a link to the full size of the sit pic, to give you a better indication of the size. It ain't no puppy.

http://i14.tinypic.com/2ljmdl4.jpg

a very feeble runt Red Fox with a mangey tail

http://www.thefreeimagehosting.com/Uploads/Images/5777903775000fox01.jpg

Here's a link to the full size of the sit pic, to give you a better indication of the size. It ain't no puppy.

I'm curious as to what about the picture would give you an indication of the size of the animal?
There is no means of perspective in the photo that I can see.

I agree with the rest of the peanut gallery. A fox. As to it's funky tail, I'm sure a reason could be found (apart from fraud.)

I'll also add a potential "cervid" to the list. Could be a fawn or elk calf with the tail as an artifact of the lighting or photography. Looking at it closer, that tail has a weird kink in it and translucent blur that makes me think it's not really a tail at all: compare the shadow to the body.

I'm curious as to what about the picture would give you an indication of the size of the animal?
There is no means of perspective in the photo that I can see.

I agree with the rest of the peanut gallery. A fox. As to it's funky tail, I'm sure a reason could be found (apart from fraud.)

I've seen city foxes with tails like that.

I'm curious as to what about the picture would give you an indication of the size of the animal?
There is no means of perspective in the photo that I can see.

I agree with the rest of the peanut gallery. A fox. As to it's funky tail, I'm sure a reason could be found (apart from fraud.)

The sheer distance is easy to see; you can also take a look at the leaves of the trees nearby. It also helps to know that that was both across a street and well into the field you see there.

As for the deer thing, I'm 100% positive the guy viewing it would have known. Deer are pretty easy to distinguish. Either that or something was very wrong with it, enough so that he thought it was a weird creature. The hindlegs are also a bit slinky.

http://www.jesseshunting.com/photopost/data/500/12781yd_fawn.jpg

There is much to be admired of your persistent curiosity to identify this critter, but I don't think you're going to find a definitive answer by dwelling on such a fuzzy unclear photo. I do have a few other suggestions. First, deeply question the one who took the photo to get as much info as you can about its movements and behavior. Second, comb the area where it was spotted to look for any scat and tracks that it might have left. This would include first analyzing where you think it might have come from and where it then went to. Are there any streams nearby where it might have laid down tracks in the mud. The farther you go is a reflection of your persistence. Third, pass the photo around to other people in the area to get their suggestions of what it might be or if they ever saw anything similar in the area. If there's one, it had to have come from someplace where there's another.

Second, comb the area where it was spotted to look for any scat and tracks that it might have left.
Um, valich, he said that the photo was taken last summer sometime. Your post contains good advice if he were to have seen the photo within a short amount of time...but there's no way any such evidence exists after a Canadian winter has come and gone.

The photo has been passed around; most people look at it and make a few suggestions, then realize that there's something definitely off about it. Again, that's why the photo was taken. It wasn't something ordinary. These people would recognize a deer - they see them all the time - and a deer would not sit like that.

Most people say "fox" right away. I live near Toronto, and I don't get up to Barrie very often, but I doubt we'd see the critter again. It wasn't seen beyond this photo.

I wish it wasn't seen in such a low-populated area, then it would have garnered more publicity and concern. Unfortunately, a strange animal isn't something they make a huge deal out of up there. They have worse, apparently. x)

I guess I'll settle for exotic/mangey canid for now. Seems to fit best, even if the exact specie is unable to be identified.

As stated in my first post, it's most likely a Canidae - a fox. The other photos are too distorted to be coherent and of any use. You can't use photo enhancement because you don't have sufficient pixels to work with. It's a Red Fox or possible mix with an Arctic Fox that drifted South combined with a Red Fox that drifted North. With a fuzzy unclear photo like that, you're never going to have a definitive answer. The enlarged photos are so distorted that the animal no longer resembles any known creature on earth. The distortions blow it's physical features way out of proportion. It's a fox.