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This article was published in the daily newspaper El Diario de la Pampa, Argentina, on May 24, 2003.
Field researchers specializing in the subject of animal mutilations, Raul Chavez and Esther Urban, pointed out that "so far this year we have counted more than 60 mutilations in La Pampa and Buenos Aires."
They stated, "thanks to the fact that they already know us, and know 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."
The local investigators referred to the two most recent cases, on May 16 and May 17, respectively - between 45 and 30 kilometers away from Santa Rosa.
The first of these took place on El Martin ranch 45 kilometers northwest of the Pampan capital and involved a year-old calf weighing 200 kilograms.
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 centimeters 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.
An entire animal was found on May 17 on a rural property located 30 kilometers north of Santa Rosa. It was a two-year-old calf weighing 250 kilograms and missing half its tongue with a cauterized incision and missing the left ocular orb.
The investigators stated that in both cases samples were secured for subsequent study and analysis by professionals.
