IONS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE?
YOU COULD SAY IN SOME SMALL WAY,
LIFE FOR CHERYL HOBERT CHANGED
IN THE SUMMER OF 2015.
>> I WAS JUST TAKING MY USUAL
WALK.
I WALK JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY.
SEAN: DURING A SHORT WALK IN HER
DERRY NEIGHBORHOOD, CHERYL
SAYS SHE ENCOUNTERED AN ALMOST
MYTHICAL CREATURE.
CHERYL: IT WAS JUST STANDING IN
THE ROAD.
I WOULD SAY TOOK UP A VERY GOOD
PORTION OF THE ROAD.
I HAD LOOKED UP RIGHT TO THE
PLACE WHERE THE TWO ROADS MEET,
SOUTH RANGE AND MILIMORE.
I SAW SOMETHING RATHER LARGE IN
THE ROAD.
MY FIRST INSTINCT WAS, IT'S A
MOUNTAIN LION.
SEAN: YOU HEARD RIGHT -- A
COUGAR, A CATAMOUNT, THE CAT
SPECIES OFTEN CALLED A MOUNTAIN
LION -- IN DERRY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
FOR A FEW SECONDS ON THIS
STREET, IT STARED HER DOWN, AND
RAN OFF.
CHERYL: SORT OF THE TAWNY TAN
COLOR, AND PARTICULARLY THE LONG
TAIL.
IT HAD THE LONG TAIL THAT
REACHED ALMOST TO THE GROUND AND
CURLED UP A BIT.
AND IT WAS JUST STANDING THERE
OBSERVING ME.
SEAN: SHE WAS HARDLY ALONE --
OTHER RESIDENTS REPORTING SEEING
A LARGE CAT IN DERRY, TOO.
AS IT TURNS OUT, THIS REPORTED
MOUNTAIN LION SIGHTING, IS A
REGULAR OCCURRENCE.
PATRICK: BASED ON WHAT I'VE
RECEIVED, I WOULD ESTIMATE
APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30 REPORTS
PER YEAR THAT I'VE RECEIVED.
SEAN: MEET FISH AND GAME
BIOLOGIST PATRICK TATE.
PART OF HIS JOB IS INVESTIGATING
CLAIMS OF MOUNTAIN LIONS, WHICH
HAS THROWN HIM INTO A SWIRL OF
CONTROVERSY AND CONSPIRACY
THEORIES.
PATRICK: THIS ISSUE WITH
MOUNTAIN LIONS IN THE STATE, IT
IS QUITE INTERESTING THAT THERE
ARE BELIEVERS AND THERE ARE
NONBELIEVERS.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT AR
ADAMANT THAT THEY ARE HERE, AND
PEOPLE THAT ARE ADAMANT THEY'RE
NOT HERE.
SEAN: YOU ONLY NEED LOOK AT THE
INTERNET TO SEE PHOTOS OF PAW
PRINTS, DEN SITES, AND EVEN
IMAGES PEOPLE BELIEVE ARE
MOUNTAIN LIONS IN THE STATE.
IF THESE ARE REAL, IT WOULD BE
THE FIRST CONFIRMED SIGHTING OF
A WILD MOUNTAIN LION IN THE
GRANITE STATE IN A VERY LONG
TIME.
PATRICK: THE LAST KNOWN EXAMPLE
OF ONE BEING IN THE STATE
OCCURRED ON THE SEACOAST AREA
AROUND THE YEAR 1857.
SEAN: UP UNTIL THE 1800S, WHAT
WAS KNOWN AS THE EASTE
MOUNTAIN LION LIVED AND BRED IN
THE WOODS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
BUT FISH AND GAME SAYS THANKS TO
HUNTING AND CHANGING HABITAT,
THE EASTERN MOUNTAIN LION
DISAPPEARED AND WENT EXTINCT.
NOWADAYS, IF YOU WANT TO SEE A
BIG CAT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, YOU
CAN HEAD TO HOLDERNESS.
IAIN: IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE
MOST POPULAR EXHIBITS THAT WE
HAVE.
SEAN IAIN MCLEOD RUNS THE SQUAM
LAKE NATURAL SCIENCE CENTE
HOME TO TWO 13-YEAR-OLD MOUNTAIN
LIONS.
THEIR NATURAL ABILITIES
HUNTERS LEAVE VISITORS IN AWE.
IAIN: WE HAVE AN EXHIBIT HERE
THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT A
MOUNTAIN LION CAN LEAP 30 FEET
IN ONE BOUND.
THEY CAN GO 15 FEET STRAIGHT UP
A TREE, FROM THE GROUND UNTIL
THEY HIT THE TRUNK OF THE TREE.
THEY'RE INCREDIBLY ATHLETIC.
SEAN: IAIN SAYS MOUNTAIN LIONS
LIKE THESE TWO COULD EASILY LIVE
IN THE WILD IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
THERE'S PLENTY OF FOOD, THE CATS
ARE ADAPTED TO COLD WEATHER
STATES.
BUT HE'S NOT CONVINCED WILD
MOUNTAIN LIONS ARE HERE, DESPITE
HEARING AND SEEING MANY REPORTS.
IAIN: UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE ARE
TERRIBLE EYEWITNESSES.
IT IS AMAZING HOW THEY WILL SEE
SOMETHING, THINK THEY SEE
SOMETHING, BUT IT TURNS OUT NOT
TO BE A MOUNTAIN LION.
I HAVE YET TO SEE AN IMAGE THAT
WAS CLEARLY TAKEN IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE THAT'S CLEARLY A
MOUNTAIN LION, THAT'S
UNEQUIVOCAL IN TERMS OF ITS
IDENTITY.
I JUST -- WE JUST DON'T SEE
THAT.
SEAN: BUT PERHAPS, WE ALMOST DID
SEE THAT IMAGE.
A LOCAL WOMAN ARMED WITH A
CAMERA CAME FACE TO FACE WITH A
LARGE CA
COLLEEN: IT WAS A TUESDAY, IT
WAS A HOT DAY OUT.
I WAS GOING HIKING IN THE WOODS.
SEAN: IT WAS SUMMER 2016.
COLLEEN PERRY WAS HIKING IN
CLARKSVILLE, NEAR PITTSBURG.
SHE KNEW THE AREA.
SHE GREW UP THERE, ENCOUNTERING
ALL KINDS OF WILDLIFE.
COLLEEN: SEEN LOTS OF MOOSE,
BEAR, DEER, EVEN BOBCAT,
COYOTES, YEAH.
SEAN: BUT AS SHE ATE LUNCH ALONG
THIS ATV TRAIL, SHE SAW AN
ANIMAL SHE HAD NEVER
ENCOUNTERED.
COLLEEN: IT WAS PROBABLY THREE,
TO FOUR FEET LONG, AND THAT'S
NOT COUNTING TAIL.
THE TALE WAS PROBABLY ANOTHER
THREE FEET LONG.
VERY, VERY MUSCLY, EARS WERE
KIND OF LAID BACK AGAINST HIS
HEAD.
SEAN: COLLEEN WAS CONVINCED SHE
WAS STARING DOWN A MOUNTAIN
LION, TOO FRIGHTENED TO EVEN
SNAP A PHOTO.
COLLEEN: I HAD MY CAMERA IN MY
HAND.
BUT THAT WAS THE MOMENT WHEN I
REALIZED WHAT I SAW.
AND I DID NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT
THE CAMERA.
I STARTED PICKING UP ROCKS.
SEAN: THE LARGE CAT RAN INTO THE
WOODS.
COLLEEN WAS CONVINCED IT WAS NO
BOBCAT.
>> IF I WERE TO ASK YOU, ARE
THERE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE?
COLLEEN: DEFINITELY.
I DON'T NEED ANYONE TO TELL ME
THERE ISN'T.
I KNOW WHAT I SAW.
SEAN: BUT ACCORDING TO NEW
HAMPSHIRE FISH AND GAME, TO DATE
THERE IS NO DEFINITIVE PROOF OF
AN ACTUAL WILD MOUNTAIN LION,
EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE REGULAR
REPORTS.
PATRICK: WE DO TAKE ALL THESE
REPORTS SERIOUS, AND WE DO
INVESTIGATE THEM.
SEAN: BUT WHAT HAPPENED IN 2011
IN ANOTHER NEW ENGLAND STATE MAY
HAVE SKEPTICS OUT THERE
RETHINKING THEIR STANCE, A
FANTASTIC DISCOVERY THAT LEAVES
NO DOUBT A LARGE CAT COULD
ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABCH@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@
H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABC H@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABCH@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABC H@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABCH@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíR
EL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABC H@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABCH@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABC H@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC
@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABCH@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABC H@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABCH@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABC H@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT
H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABCH@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABC H@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABCH@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT
H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABC H@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABCH@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABC H@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABCH@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TON
IGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABC H@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT @A[@ABCH@ íRELABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABC@A[@ H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íRELABCH@ @A[@ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ ABCíREL ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT H@ @A[@ABC H@ ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT íREL