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--001636456f8c6a297004a914d8ef Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Hi, I'll weigh in on the interesting thread about E.cougars, elephants etc., mainly because I enjoy this kind of debate. Wild cougars (or Eskimo curlews, or Coelocanths etc.) may or may not be present in NS, and people can believe whatever they want. But I agree with Ulli etc. that convincing the naturalist and scientific community would require a pretty high degree of proof - preferably independently analysed and corroborated photos, videos, DNA etc., and then proof beyond a reasonable doubt that any photos aren't faked in some way, and that the creature wasn't a zoo or collection escape, like Paul's elephant. I would urge interested parties, and for that matter all birders and naturalists interested in reporting sightings, to read David Sibley's refutation of the "proof" that the Ivory-billed woodpecker still lives in Arkansas, for a great example of what to look for and how to go about it , and the sort of analysis that should convince skeptics on rare bird committees etc.! (http://www.sciencemag.org/content/311/5767/1555.1.full), followed by John Fitzpatrick's response ( http://www.sciencemag.org/content/311/5767/1555.2.full). These are 2 highly respected well-known birders with multiple books and publications to their name, who give apparently convincing evidence to prove opposite "facts", neither of which has subsequently been corroborated, although apparently Fitzpatrick has backed down somewhat and the Cornell team have stopped searching till more definitive evidence is found. Keep debating and looking! Richard -- ################# Richard Stern, 317 Middle Dyke Rd. Port Williams, NS, Canada B0P 1T0 sternrichard@gmail.com ################### --001636456f8c6a297004a914d8ef Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi,<br><br>I'll weigh in on the interesting thread about E.cougars, ele= phants etc., mainly because I enjoy this kind of debate.=A0 Wild cougars (o= r Eskimo curlews, or Coelocanths etc.) may or may not be present in NS, and= people can believe whatever they want. But I agree with Ulli etc. that con= vincing the naturalist and scientific community would require a pretty high= degree of proof - preferably independently analysed and corroborated photo= s, videos, DNA etc., and then proof beyond a reasonable doubt that any phot= os aren't faked in some way, and that the creature wasn't a zoo or = collection escape, like Paul's elephant. <br> <br>I would urge interested parties, and for that matter all birders and na= turalists interested in reporting sightings,=A0 to read David Sibley's = refutation of the "proof" that the Ivory-billed woodpecker still = lives in Arkansas, for a great example of what to look for and how to go ab= out it , and the sort of analysis that should convince skeptics on rare bir= d committees etc.! (<a href=3D"http://www.sciencemag.org/content/311/5767/1= 555.1.full">http://www.sciencemag.org/content/311/5767/1555.1.full</a>), fo= llowed by John Fitzpatrick's response (<a href=3D"http://www.sciencemag= .org/content/311/5767/1555.2.full">http://www.sciencemag.org/content/311/57= 67/1555.2.full</a>). These are 2 highly respected well-known birders with m= ultiple books and publications to their name, who give apparently convincin= g evidence to prove opposite "facts", neither of which has subseq= uently been corroborated, although apparently Fitzpatrick has backed down s= omewhat and the Cornell team have stopped searching till more definitive ev= idence is found.<br> <br>Keep debating and looking!<br><br>Richard<br>-- <br>#################<b= r>Richard Stern, <br>317 Middle Dyke Rd.<br>Port Williams, NS, Canada<br>B0= P 1T0<br><br><a href=3D"mailto:sternrichard@gmail.com" target=3D"_blank">st= ernrichard@gmail.com</a><br> ###################<br> --001636456f8c6a297004a914d8ef--
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