Udderly Mysterious

The animal mutilation aspect of UFO-ology is one of these areas I find needlessly combative. Sometimes, farm animals turn up dead, their extremities—sex organs and udders—missing. Of course, predators might well start with these, er, dangling, tasty bits. But, sometimes predators seem unlikely. The missing parts don't appear, from a forensic perspective, to have been gnawed or bitten off. Instead, they appear to be removed in a more, eh, surgical fashion. And the rest of the animal is curiously untouched. The detail that's repeated, to most chilling effect, is that the animals and the scene around them are "bloodless."

These reports have been with us a while now, first exploding into public consciousness in the mid 70s, or so. The F.B.I. has a comprehensive collection of press clippings and correspondence related to mutilations from 1974-78. But this case, recently reported in Kansas City, Missouri, is current and appears to be worth a look. Without going all "spooky" Mulder and heading for Kansas City, I can't be sure about any of the reporting here. But this cow seems to have met with a nasty end—its udder and vagina removed in a way that indicated, to the veterinarian who investigated, that the culprit "knew what they were doing."

Police said no footprints or tire tracks led  to or away from the cow in question, which was lying dead behind a locked gate. And while a lot of blood would be expected, there was none at the scene. To believers in alien visitation, this all sounds like evidence. And to skeptics, it probably sounds like a faulty investigation. But to me, just going by what's been reported, I have to say it all sounds… intriguing. I tend to think ranch hands are familiar with what ordinarily happens to the animals that provide their livelihoods, but I also don't think mysterious circumstances equal aliens.

Some think our own government might actually be at work in these instances. I'd personally love to see an investigation so authoritative it might put the subject to rest, once and for all. But as yet, no such full-scale inquiry has been mounted to settle the matter. The story, reported by the local Fox affiliate, includes video and a grisly, still photo of the deceased.

Big ups to the K.C. broadcasters for playing it straight. Stay tuned to the last second, when it's mentioned that the vet believes "a scalpel" was used. But I do have one serious question I might look into if I can make the time on Monday. The report says the organs were removed while the animals was still alive, with no mention of what evidence they have for that.