"Mysteries at the Museum" Freaks of Nature: Mysteries at the Museum Special

1 00:00:01,935 --> 00:00:04,004 A circus act straight out of a fairy tale. 2 00:00:04,104 --> 00:00:06,506 WALK: To see a living unicorn 3 00:00:06,606 --> 00:00:09,376 was just awe-inspiring. 4 00:00:09,476 --> 00:00:12,112 A bizarre trial for a feathered freak. 5 00:00:12,212 --> 00:00:15,015 They had to find out whether that egg 6 00:00:15,115 --> 00:00:17,350 was laid with evil intent. 7 00:00:17,450 --> 00:00:20,553 And a curious creature lurking in the deep. 8 00:00:20,653 --> 00:00:23,223 CAMPBELL: This furry river dweller 9 00:00:23,323 --> 00:00:25,625 caught the attention of the nation. 10 00:00:25,725 --> 00:00:28,161 These are the mysteries at the museum. 11 00:00:34,401 --> 00:00:36,403 Sarasota, Florida. 12 00:00:36,503 --> 00:00:38,405 This Gulf Coast City features 13 00:00:38,505 --> 00:00:41,041 35 miles of white, sandy beaches 14 00:00:41,141 --> 00:00:42,842 and crystal clear waters 15 00:00:42,942 --> 00:00:47,447 that are famously home to a colony of bottlenose dolphins. 16 00:00:47,547 --> 00:00:52,852 And just steps from the shore is an equally awe-inspiring sight, 17 00:00:52,952 --> 00:00:54,487 the Ringling Museum. 18 00:00:54,587 --> 00:00:57,057 ♪♪ 19 00:00:57,157 --> 00:00:59,893 This sprawling institution preserves the history 20 00:00:59,993 --> 00:01:03,329 of the greatest show on earth, 21 00:01:03,430 --> 00:01:07,200 the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. 22 00:01:07,300 --> 00:01:12,205 On display is an ornately carved parade wagon from 1878, 23 00:01:12,305 --> 00:01:14,074 a costume featured in a production 24 00:01:14,174 --> 00:01:16,042 of Puss in Boots, 25 00:01:16,142 --> 00:01:19,212 and a 1910 chariot used in a reenactment 26 00:01:19,312 --> 00:01:22,916 of an ancient Roman chariot race. 27 00:01:23,016 --> 00:01:27,353 But the item with the most extraordinary story to tell 28 00:01:27,454 --> 00:01:29,856 can be found not on the museum floor 29 00:01:29,956 --> 00:01:31,491 but on its walls. 30 00:01:31,591 --> 00:01:34,494 It is 44 feet long 31 00:01:34,594 --> 00:01:36,396 by 22 feet high. 32 00:01:36,496 --> 00:01:38,264 It is made of canvas. 33 00:01:38,364 --> 00:01:41,267 It depicts 45 people, 34 00:01:41,367 --> 00:01:43,703 and it has 45 animals, 35 00:01:43,803 --> 00:01:46,906 from horses and alligators 36 00:01:47,006 --> 00:01:50,310 to mammoth, elegant elephants. 37 00:01:53,746 --> 00:01:55,849 WILDMAN: And amid these magnificent creatures, 38 00:01:55,949 --> 00:01:57,984 one stands apart. 39 00:01:58,084 --> 00:02:00,954 This is a story about the circus, 40 00:02:01,054 --> 00:02:03,890 legends, 41 00:02:03,990 --> 00:02:06,559 and a unicorn. 42 00:02:06,659 --> 00:02:09,329 WILDMAN: What role did a real-life unicorn play 43 00:02:09,429 --> 00:02:13,266 in one of the strangest episodes in circus history? 44 00:02:16,136 --> 00:02:19,572 It's 1985 in New York City. 45 00:02:19,672 --> 00:02:22,008 The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus 46 00:02:22,108 --> 00:02:23,676 has come to town. 47 00:02:23,776 --> 00:02:28,014 On opening night, a packed house watches the trapeze artists, 48 00:02:28,114 --> 00:02:30,283 dancing elephants, and big cats 49 00:02:30,383 --> 00:02:33,086 that make up this three-ring spectacle. 50 00:02:33,186 --> 00:02:34,888 But the circus is about to debut 51 00:02:34,988 --> 00:02:39,225 what's sure to be its greatest attraction yet, 52 00:02:39,325 --> 00:02:43,263 Lancelot, a real-life unicorn. 53 00:02:43,363 --> 00:02:46,099 WALK: The attention was incredible. 54 00:02:46,199 --> 00:02:48,368 Everyone wanted to have the chance 55 00:02:48,468 --> 00:02:51,171 to see the only living unicorn. 56 00:02:53,439 --> 00:02:55,975 WILDMAN: These one-horned creatures have long been described 57 00:02:56,075 --> 00:02:58,578 in legends and fairy tales. 58 00:02:58,678 --> 00:03:00,947 The elusive beasts are sometimes depicted 59 00:03:01,047 --> 00:03:02,549 as looking like a horse 60 00:03:02,649 --> 00:03:05,785 and other times like a goat or a deer. 61 00:03:05,885 --> 00:03:09,923 Unicorns have held a special place in mythology. 62 00:03:10,023 --> 00:03:12,358 From the ancient times forward, 63 00:03:12,458 --> 00:03:17,063 they are a symbol of beauty, purity, and peace. 64 00:03:17,163 --> 00:03:19,299 WILDMAN: Although unicorns have captivated people 65 00:03:19,399 --> 00:03:20,633 throughout the ages, 66 00:03:20,733 --> 00:03:23,536 few still believe the animals are real. 67 00:03:26,940 --> 00:03:29,776 So the audience is curious. 68 00:03:29,876 --> 00:03:32,946 Anticipation builds over the course of the show. 69 00:03:33,046 --> 00:03:37,317 WALK: You were tantalized throughout the entire circus 70 00:03:37,417 --> 00:03:41,087 waiting to see the living unicorn. 71 00:03:41,187 --> 00:03:43,256 WILDMAN: Finally, the ringmaster introduces 72 00:03:43,356 --> 00:03:45,225 the star of the show, 73 00:03:45,325 --> 00:03:47,293 Lancelot the unicorn. 74 00:03:50,763 --> 00:03:53,499 WALK: He stood 40 inches, 75 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,803 had a wonderful, beautiful coat 76 00:03:56,903 --> 00:04:02,008 and he also had a single, long horn. 77 00:04:02,108 --> 00:04:04,978 WILDMAN: Lancelot circles the ring in a chariot. 78 00:04:05,078 --> 00:04:07,480 The audience erupts in applause. 79 00:04:07,580 --> 00:04:11,150 [ Cheers and applause ] 80 00:04:11,251 --> 00:04:14,754 WILDMAN: Lancelot's debut makes headlines across the country. 81 00:04:17,924 --> 00:04:20,293 Amid the excitement and national attention, 82 00:04:20,393 --> 00:04:22,862 everyone wants to know... 83 00:04:22,962 --> 00:04:26,666 is he a real unicorn? 84 00:04:26,766 --> 00:04:28,968 And where did he come from? 85 00:04:29,068 --> 00:04:32,338 Skeptics insist that Lancelot is a fake. 86 00:04:32,438 --> 00:04:34,173 WALK: The people who did not believe 87 00:04:34,274 --> 00:04:35,942 that Lancelot was a unicorn 88 00:04:36,042 --> 00:04:39,979 thought a horn was placed on top of his head 89 00:04:40,079 --> 00:04:45,885 and tied to his head by a bow underneath his neck. 90 00:04:45,985 --> 00:04:48,154 WILDMAN: So, to prove the skeptics wrong 91 00:04:48,254 --> 00:04:52,358 Ringling allows a radiologist to x-ray Lancelot's head. 92 00:04:52,458 --> 00:04:54,961 The results are astounding. 93 00:04:55,061 --> 00:04:57,297 The x-ray shows without a doubt 94 00:04:57,397 --> 00:05:00,633 that the horn is part of the animal's skull. 95 00:05:00,733 --> 00:05:03,636 WALK: Through the x-ray, there was medical evidence 96 00:05:03,736 --> 00:05:06,806 that Lancelot was a unicorn. 97 00:05:10,043 --> 00:05:13,046 WILDMAN: Lancelot dazzles audiences around the nation 98 00:05:13,146 --> 00:05:16,449 until he is finally retired in 1987. 99 00:05:16,549 --> 00:05:19,252 WALK: But the question still remains for people, 100 00:05:19,352 --> 00:05:23,890 where did the only living unicorn come from? 101 00:05:23,990 --> 00:05:27,493 WILDMAN: The answer is revealed 22 years later. 102 00:05:27,593 --> 00:05:30,863 A man named Oberon Zell comes forward and says 103 00:05:30,963 --> 00:05:34,233 he was behind Ringling's one-horned wonder. 104 00:05:34,334 --> 00:05:37,670 WALK: Oberon Zell was a self-proclaimed wizard, 105 00:05:37,770 --> 00:05:40,139 and he was absolutely enraptured 106 00:05:40,239 --> 00:05:42,875 by the history of unicorns. 107 00:05:46,179 --> 00:05:48,614 WILDMAN: Zell's fascination with unicorns began 108 00:05:48,715 --> 00:05:52,318 as a small child while reading fantasy books. 109 00:05:52,418 --> 00:05:54,153 So, as an adult he came up 110 00:05:54,253 --> 00:05:57,023 with a plan to create one of his own, 111 00:05:57,123 --> 00:05:59,325 using a baby goat. 112 00:06:02,028 --> 00:06:05,198 After doing some research, Zell took the baby goat 113 00:06:05,298 --> 00:06:07,266 and, using a simple medical procedure, 114 00:06:07,367 --> 00:06:10,703 fused its two horns together. 115 00:06:10,803 --> 00:06:14,741 Then they grew into a single horn. 116 00:06:14,841 --> 00:06:18,578 WALK: Lancelot was born a goat but grew into a unicorn. 117 00:06:22,582 --> 00:06:25,752 WILDMAN: Zell then sold his unique creature to Ringling Brothers, 118 00:06:25,852 --> 00:06:27,320 who named it Lancelot 119 00:06:27,420 --> 00:06:30,356 after the famous Knight of the Round Table. 120 00:06:30,456 --> 00:06:33,326 WALK: Ringling Brothers was always bringing the new 121 00:06:33,426 --> 00:06:36,929 and the unusual to the American public. 122 00:06:37,029 --> 00:06:41,667 And Lancelot very much fit that desire 123 00:06:41,768 --> 00:06:44,537 to make the greatest show on earth. 124 00:06:44,637 --> 00:06:46,639 WILDMAN: Lancelot's brief career marks 125 00:06:46,739 --> 00:06:50,076 the only time the circus has exhibited a unicorn. 126 00:06:53,646 --> 00:06:57,683 Today, a mural that vividly depicts Lancelot the unicorn 127 00:06:57,784 --> 00:07:01,788 is on display at the Ringling Museum in Florida. 128 00:07:01,888 --> 00:07:04,090 It's a fitting tribute to the lovable legend, 129 00:07:04,190 --> 00:07:06,492 who brought fantasy to life. 130 00:07:10,963 --> 00:07:13,199 Basel, Switzerland. 131 00:07:13,299 --> 00:07:15,201 This ancient city boasts 132 00:07:15,301 --> 00:07:18,571 an eclectic mix of architecture, ranging from 12th-century 133 00:07:18,671 --> 00:07:22,175 gothic cathedrals to towering modern skyscrapers. 134 00:07:22,275 --> 00:07:25,611 And based in one of its oldest buildings 135 00:07:25,711 --> 00:07:29,182 is an institution that celebrates the city's rich heritage-- 136 00:07:29,282 --> 00:07:32,418 the Basel Historical Museum. 137 00:07:35,221 --> 00:07:36,789 The collection includes 138 00:07:36,889 --> 00:07:40,526 a battle-worn bronze cannon from 1476, 139 00:07:40,626 --> 00:07:44,130 a silver-and-gold-plated bust of a Catholic saint, 140 00:07:44,230 --> 00:07:47,433 and models depicting the suffering of Black Plague victims 141 00:07:47,533 --> 00:07:49,669 in the 15th century. 142 00:07:52,138 --> 00:07:54,707 And among these storied relics is one item 143 00:07:54,807 --> 00:07:58,010 that's linked to perhaps the most bizarre tale 144 00:07:58,110 --> 00:08:00,279 in European history. 145 00:08:00,379 --> 00:08:03,416 It's about 25 inches tall. It's made of gold and silver. 146 00:08:03,516 --> 00:08:05,818 It's engraved quite delicately. 147 00:08:05,918 --> 00:08:09,655 Its base is a frightening-looking creature, 148 00:08:09,755 --> 00:08:12,091 which is half-rooster and half-dragon. 149 00:08:16,596 --> 00:08:19,131 WILDMAN: This intricately-designed goblet tells of 150 00:08:19,232 --> 00:08:22,869 an incredible incident that pitted man against monster. 151 00:08:22,969 --> 00:08:25,605 This creature was threatening to destroy the city. 152 00:08:25,705 --> 00:08:28,975 [ Muffled screaming ] 153 00:08:30,543 --> 00:08:33,179 It's 1474 in Basel, Switzerland. 154 00:08:33,279 --> 00:08:36,983 Residents here lead a quiet, humble existence 155 00:08:37,083 --> 00:08:39,485 farming the land and raising livestock, 156 00:08:39,585 --> 00:08:41,420 but their world 157 00:08:41,521 --> 00:08:43,723 is about to be turned upside-down. 158 00:08:45,725 --> 00:08:48,394 According to legend, one day, 159 00:08:48,494 --> 00:08:50,997 a local farmer is tending to his chickens 160 00:08:51,097 --> 00:08:53,366 when he discovers something alarming -- 161 00:08:53,466 --> 00:08:55,801 his rooster has laid an egg. 162 00:08:58,771 --> 00:09:01,774 A male chicken is not meant to lay an egg. 163 00:09:01,874 --> 00:09:04,677 This was very, very strange. 164 00:09:04,777 --> 00:09:07,179 [ Rooster crows ] 165 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,116 WILDMAN: Unsure of what to make of this strange incident, 166 00:09:10,216 --> 00:09:13,286 the farmer asks the town's leaders for guidance. 167 00:09:13,386 --> 00:09:16,355 The elders examine the fowl 168 00:09:16,455 --> 00:09:18,591 and its improbable egg. 169 00:09:18,691 --> 00:09:20,826 LEVINE: The local authorities in Basel didn't know 170 00:09:20,927 --> 00:09:23,930 what was going on, but they were very suspicious 171 00:09:24,030 --> 00:09:25,798 of anything unusual. 172 00:09:28,167 --> 00:09:30,236 WILDMAN: It seems there are two possible theories 173 00:09:30,336 --> 00:09:32,672 to explain this odd occurrence. 174 00:09:32,772 --> 00:09:35,942 On the one hand, it could be just a harmless freak of nature. 175 00:09:36,042 --> 00:09:38,477 LEVINE: This rooster can be nothing more 176 00:09:38,578 --> 00:09:41,547 than the victim of some kind of medical complaint. 177 00:09:41,647 --> 00:09:44,483 WILDMAN: But the second possibility is chilling. 178 00:09:47,286 --> 00:09:50,089 LEVINE: The authorities thought what this may well represent 179 00:09:50,189 --> 00:09:52,992 was the interference of the devil. 180 00:09:53,092 --> 00:09:55,928 WILDMAN: Folklore says that a rooster that lays an egg 181 00:09:56,028 --> 00:09:58,598 has made a pact with Satan, 182 00:09:58,698 --> 00:10:01,901 and that its offspring will grow into a terrifying creature 183 00:10:02,001 --> 00:10:05,104 called a basilisk. 184 00:10:05,204 --> 00:10:08,941 LEVINE: A basilisk is half rooster 185 00:10:09,041 --> 00:10:12,044 and half dragon, and it breathes fire 186 00:10:12,144 --> 00:10:15,147 so that it can scorch anything in its path. 187 00:10:15,247 --> 00:10:18,451 [ Muffled screaming ] But even stranger and even more dangerous, 188 00:10:18,551 --> 00:10:22,254 it can kill anything or anyone with just a glance. 189 00:10:24,991 --> 00:10:27,460 WILDMAN: If this horrifying prophecy comes to pass, 190 00:10:27,560 --> 00:10:30,262 the egg could hatch at any moment. 191 00:10:30,363 --> 00:10:33,165 The local people are absolutely terrified. 192 00:10:33,265 --> 00:10:36,068 If this thing existed inside this rooster's egg, 193 00:10:36,168 --> 00:10:38,371 it threatened to destroy Basel. 194 00:10:42,441 --> 00:10:45,878 WILDMAN: As the panic grows, the town elders don't know what to do. 195 00:10:45,978 --> 00:10:48,247 Was this merely a fluke, 196 00:10:48,347 --> 00:10:51,450 or is a dark, Satanic plot brewing? 197 00:10:51,550 --> 00:10:53,886 They worried that it had been communing with the devil. 198 00:10:53,986 --> 00:10:56,689 Had the devil been part of this process? 199 00:11:00,259 --> 00:11:02,662 WILDMAN: The authorities come up with an unorthodox scheme 200 00:11:02,762 --> 00:11:04,930 to solve the mystery. 201 00:11:05,031 --> 00:11:07,466 They reason that the only way to uncover the truth 202 00:11:07,566 --> 00:11:11,170 is to do it in a formal court of law. 203 00:11:11,270 --> 00:11:15,174 It was decided to put that animal on trial 204 00:11:15,274 --> 00:11:17,910 just as you would a human being. 205 00:11:18,010 --> 00:11:20,880 WILDMAN: So what will be the outcome of this bizarre trial? 206 00:11:20,980 --> 00:11:23,683 [ Rooster crows ] 207 00:11:27,086 --> 00:11:29,088 It's 1474. 208 00:11:29,188 --> 00:11:31,957 In the Swiss town of Basel, according to legend, 209 00:11:32,058 --> 00:11:35,461 a rooster has done the impossible -- laid an egg. 210 00:11:35,561 --> 00:11:38,030 Locals believe this is the work of the devil, 211 00:11:38,130 --> 00:11:40,499 and they put the bird on trial. 212 00:11:40,599 --> 00:11:43,335 So what will the verdict be in this feather-brained case? 213 00:11:46,939 --> 00:11:50,209 The peculiar trial captures the public's imagination. 214 00:11:50,309 --> 00:11:52,712 LEVINE: The rooster was placed in the courtroom. 215 00:11:52,812 --> 00:11:54,914 The egg was placed in the courtroom. 216 00:11:55,014 --> 00:11:58,350 Procedurally, this would not have been very different 217 00:11:58,451 --> 00:12:00,619 to a modern court case. 218 00:12:02,788 --> 00:12:05,024 WILDMAN: One lawyer defends the rooster, 219 00:12:05,124 --> 00:12:08,527 claiming it is nothing more than an unfortunate freak of nature, 220 00:12:08,627 --> 00:12:11,664 while the prosecution argues that the bird 221 00:12:11,764 --> 00:12:14,600 is in league with the devil, and that the egg it laid 222 00:12:14,700 --> 00:12:17,603 contains a basilisk. 223 00:12:17,703 --> 00:12:22,274 The judge listens intently to both sides. 224 00:12:22,374 --> 00:12:25,578 Finally, the time comes for him to render his verdict. 225 00:12:25,678 --> 00:12:28,481 [ Shouting indistinctly ] Quiet! Quiet in the courtroom! Quiet! 226 00:12:28,581 --> 00:12:30,783 These are very tense moments for the rooster. 227 00:12:32,785 --> 00:12:34,954 WILDMAN: After weighing the arguments, 228 00:12:35,054 --> 00:12:38,524 the judge cries foul. 229 00:12:38,624 --> 00:12:41,794 That rooster 230 00:12:41,894 --> 00:12:44,296 is guilty! 231 00:12:44,396 --> 00:12:46,499 LEVINE: He found the rooster guilty 232 00:12:46,599 --> 00:12:49,135 of the heinous crime of laying an egg 233 00:12:49,235 --> 00:12:51,303 that contained a basilisk. 234 00:12:51,403 --> 00:12:53,572 WILDMAN: Before the cock can fly the coop, 235 00:12:53,672 --> 00:12:56,342 he is given the only sentence that will definitively 236 00:12:56,442 --> 00:12:59,311 rid the town of its devilish influence. 237 00:12:59,411 --> 00:13:02,448 If you burnt the rooster to death at the stake, 238 00:13:02,548 --> 00:13:05,651 then you cleansed the evil. 239 00:13:05,751 --> 00:13:08,154 MAN: Burn it! 240 00:13:08,254 --> 00:13:11,590 WILDMAN: That night, the whole town comes out 241 00:13:11,690 --> 00:13:14,393 to watch the bird's execution. 242 00:13:14,493 --> 00:13:18,164 The rooster, along with the egg it laid, is burned at the stake. 243 00:13:18,264 --> 00:13:21,300 LEVINE: The people must have felt very, very relieved. 244 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:24,837 Now that the danger had been averted, now that the basilisk 245 00:13:24,937 --> 00:13:27,773 was not going to take over their town. 246 00:13:27,873 --> 00:13:31,443 WILDMAN: The astonishing event 247 00:13:31,544 --> 00:13:34,180 makes such an impression on the city 248 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,449 that the basilisk becomes Basel's permanent symbol. 249 00:13:37,550 --> 00:13:40,920 It is depicted on statues, in paintings, 250 00:13:41,020 --> 00:13:43,455 and on items, 251 00:13:43,556 --> 00:13:46,792 such as this goblet at the Basel Historical Museum. 252 00:13:46,892 --> 00:13:50,262 Nowadays, you see it all over the place. It's in the coat of arms. 253 00:13:50,362 --> 00:13:54,300 It's something that's very, very close to the heart of the people of Basel. 254 00:13:57,770 --> 00:14:01,507 WILDMAN: But was the rooster's crime really an act of Satan? 255 00:14:01,607 --> 00:14:04,443 Modern scientists have an explanation that proves 256 00:14:04,543 --> 00:14:06,612 the bird's innocence. 257 00:14:06,712 --> 00:14:09,281 Some hens can experience a hormone imbalance 258 00:14:09,381 --> 00:14:12,818 that causes them to display the same kind of colorful feathers 259 00:14:12,918 --> 00:14:15,387 seen on roosters. 260 00:14:15,487 --> 00:14:18,090 If such a female bird were to lay an egg, 261 00:14:18,190 --> 00:14:20,926 it would appear to the casual observer that a rooster 262 00:14:21,026 --> 00:14:23,128 had laid an egg, when really, 263 00:14:23,229 --> 00:14:25,197 it was just a hen with male plumage. 264 00:14:25,297 --> 00:14:28,701 This rooster actually wasn't a rooster at all. 265 00:14:31,937 --> 00:14:35,074 WILDMAN: And today, this ornate golden goblet 266 00:14:35,174 --> 00:14:37,943 in the collection of the Basel Historical Museum, 267 00:14:38,043 --> 00:14:41,180 recalls the terrifying tale of a possessed bird 268 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,884 and the egg that wasn't all it was cracked up to be. 269 00:14:48,020 --> 00:14:50,522 Douglas, Wyoming, was originally a pit stop 270 00:14:50,623 --> 00:14:54,426 for settlers traveling west on the Oregon Trail. 271 00:14:54,526 --> 00:14:56,562 Today, the region's rich history 272 00:14:56,662 --> 00:14:59,932 is preserved at the Wyoming Pioneer Memorial Museum. 273 00:15:03,736 --> 00:15:07,406 Its displays include a saddle from a steer wrestling competition, 274 00:15:07,506 --> 00:15:10,075 a Native American teepee, 275 00:15:10,175 --> 00:15:13,846 and a reconstructed 19th-century horse buggy. 276 00:15:17,182 --> 00:15:19,084 But there is one object here 277 00:15:19,184 --> 00:15:21,921 that is perhaps more intriguing than any other. 278 00:15:22,021 --> 00:15:25,791 MORGAN: He's 20 inches from tail to nose. 279 00:15:25,891 --> 00:15:29,428 It's white and gray. 280 00:15:29,528 --> 00:15:31,397 It has the features of a rabbit 281 00:15:31,497 --> 00:15:35,234 with long ears and a fuzzy tail, 282 00:15:35,334 --> 00:15:37,536 but it also has horns. 283 00:15:37,636 --> 00:15:41,540 WILDMAN: This is the Wild West's most legendary creature, 284 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:43,542 the jackalope. 285 00:15:43,642 --> 00:15:46,845 But its curious appearance may be based more in fact 286 00:15:46,946 --> 00:15:48,847 than in fiction. 287 00:15:48,948 --> 00:15:50,916 There's evidence that this legendary critter 288 00:15:51,016 --> 00:15:52,685 is more than just a tall tale. 289 00:15:59,525 --> 00:16:02,261 It's 1807 in Wyoming. 290 00:16:02,361 --> 00:16:05,197 Mountain man John Colter is on an expedition 291 00:16:05,297 --> 00:16:07,533 to explore the American West. 292 00:16:07,633 --> 00:16:09,468 One day, while hunting, 293 00:16:09,568 --> 00:16:12,104 he spots something unusual 294 00:16:12,204 --> 00:16:14,406 out of the corner of his eye. 295 00:16:16,508 --> 00:16:18,844 MORGAN: He noticed a very curious sight 296 00:16:18,944 --> 00:16:21,080 that he couldn't explain-- 297 00:16:21,180 --> 00:16:24,516 a creature that had protrusions coming out of its head. 298 00:16:24,616 --> 00:16:26,952 It had a body of a jackrabbit 299 00:16:27,052 --> 00:16:30,022 but the horns of a deer. 300 00:16:30,122 --> 00:16:33,025 WILDMAN: But the animal runs away 301 00:16:33,125 --> 00:16:36,695 before Colter is able to capture it. 302 00:16:39,164 --> 00:16:42,701 News of Colter's sighting of an odd, horned rabbit 303 00:16:42,801 --> 00:16:45,571 spreads far and wide. 304 00:16:45,671 --> 00:16:48,507 And it's soon clear that he's not the only person 305 00:16:48,607 --> 00:16:50,509 to have spotted this bizarre bunny. 306 00:16:50,609 --> 00:16:52,511 Others throughout the West claim 307 00:16:52,611 --> 00:16:55,681 they, too, have encountered such a creature. 308 00:16:55,781 --> 00:16:58,984 As reports pile up, it's even given a name-- 309 00:16:59,084 --> 00:17:01,687 the jackalope. 310 00:17:01,787 --> 00:17:04,289 A jackalope refers to the jackrabbit 311 00:17:04,390 --> 00:17:06,058 and an antelope. 312 00:17:08,293 --> 00:17:10,662 WILDMAN: But despite all the sightings, 313 00:17:10,763 --> 00:17:13,165 no one is able to capture one to study. 314 00:17:13,265 --> 00:17:16,535 MORGAN: Some people say that one of the reasons 315 00:17:16,635 --> 00:17:19,271 that jackalopes are so elusive is that 316 00:17:19,371 --> 00:17:21,774 they can run very, very fast, 317 00:17:21,874 --> 00:17:25,544 and they could also throw its own voice from a different direction 318 00:17:25,644 --> 00:17:28,814 in order to trick you into going the opposite way. 319 00:17:34,953 --> 00:17:38,023 WILDMAN: Over time, reports of jackalopes roaming the West 320 00:17:38,123 --> 00:17:40,793 become less and less common, 321 00:17:40,893 --> 00:17:42,795 and most people eventually believe 322 00:17:42,895 --> 00:17:46,131 that the horned rabbit is nothing more than a tall tale. 323 00:17:46,231 --> 00:17:50,002 MORGAN: Jackalope folklore became just a campfire legend, 324 00:17:50,102 --> 00:17:52,371 akin to other mythological creatures, 325 00:17:52,471 --> 00:17:55,841 such as the Loch Ness monster or Bigfoot. 326 00:17:58,177 --> 00:18:01,080 WILDMAN: But in 1932, something amazing happens 327 00:18:01,180 --> 00:18:04,249 that changes the history of the jackalope forever. 328 00:18:04,349 --> 00:18:07,252 A scientist in New York claims 329 00:18:07,352 --> 00:18:09,254 he has finally solved the mystery. 330 00:18:09,354 --> 00:18:13,225 He believes he's discovered the truth about the jackalope. 331 00:18:13,325 --> 00:18:15,894 WILDMAN: Will there finally be proof 332 00:18:15,994 --> 00:18:18,430 of a real-life jackalope? 333 00:18:23,869 --> 00:18:25,771 It's the 1930s. 334 00:18:25,871 --> 00:18:28,674 For more than a century, sightings of horned rabbits 335 00:18:28,774 --> 00:18:32,144 have been reported across the western United States. 336 00:18:32,244 --> 00:18:34,646 The strange creature even has a name-- 337 00:18:34,746 --> 00:18:36,315 the jackalope. 338 00:18:36,415 --> 00:18:39,685 The problem is, no one can prove they actually exist. 339 00:18:39,785 --> 00:18:41,687 So what's the truth behind the stories 340 00:18:41,787 --> 00:18:43,922 of this bizarre bunny? 341 00:18:45,557 --> 00:18:48,060 1932, Manhattan. 342 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:52,064 Dr. Richard Shope, a virologist in New York, 343 00:18:52,164 --> 00:18:55,367 receives a strange parcel from hunters in the west. 344 00:18:55,467 --> 00:18:58,770 They claim it is a jackalope horn. 345 00:19:02,474 --> 00:19:05,777 The sample consists of a piece of dark, hard tissue 346 00:19:05,878 --> 00:19:09,047 removed from the head of a supposedly horned rabbit. 347 00:19:09,148 --> 00:19:12,484 And when Shope puts it under a microscope, 348 00:19:12,584 --> 00:19:16,488 he makes a curious observation, one that prompts him to wonder 349 00:19:16,588 --> 00:19:19,925 if the stories of horned rabbits could actually have 350 00:19:20,025 --> 00:19:21,927 a simple, scientific explanation. 351 00:19:22,027 --> 00:19:25,197 MORGAN: Dr. Shope has a hunch that the protrusions 352 00:19:25,297 --> 00:19:27,799 could be explained in another way. 353 00:19:27,900 --> 00:19:31,603 The sample seems more like a wart or a tumor 354 00:19:31,703 --> 00:19:34,806 rather than an actual horn. 355 00:19:34,907 --> 00:19:37,042 WILDMAN: Shope comes up with a theory. 356 00:19:37,142 --> 00:19:39,077 He believes these aren't horns at all. 357 00:19:39,178 --> 00:19:42,147 Instead, they might actually be growths 358 00:19:42,247 --> 00:19:45,150 caused by an infectious disease. 359 00:19:45,250 --> 00:19:48,253 The test his theory, Shope grinds the sample up 360 00:19:48,353 --> 00:19:51,056 and mixes it into a liquid. 361 00:19:51,156 --> 00:19:54,593 He then applies a solution to the heads of healthy rabbits. 362 00:19:54,693 --> 00:19:57,796 Dr. Shope found that the healthy rabbits 363 00:19:57,896 --> 00:20:00,699 began growing horns. 364 00:20:00,799 --> 00:20:03,936 WILDMAN: Dr. Shope has proved his theory. 365 00:20:04,036 --> 00:20:07,039 He's created real jackalopes. 366 00:20:07,139 --> 00:20:10,275 His successful experiment indicates 367 00:20:10,375 --> 00:20:13,912 these bizarre creatures were actually normal rabbits 368 00:20:14,012 --> 00:20:16,915 infected with a contagious disease that caused 369 00:20:17,015 --> 00:20:19,985 benign tumors to grow and look like horns. 370 00:20:20,085 --> 00:20:22,688 The doctor names the condition 371 00:20:22,788 --> 00:20:25,057 the Shope papilloma virus. 372 00:20:27,526 --> 00:20:30,462 He theorizes that the more outlandish aspects 373 00:20:30,562 --> 00:20:33,465 of the jackalope legend were merely embellishments 374 00:20:33,565 --> 00:20:36,268 produced by overactive imaginations. 375 00:20:38,770 --> 00:20:41,440 Today, stories of the jackalope live on. 376 00:20:41,540 --> 00:20:44,509 Depictions of the legendary animal appear 377 00:20:44,610 --> 00:20:47,045 in souvenir shops, motels, and bars 378 00:20:47,145 --> 00:20:49,581 throughout the American West. 379 00:20:49,681 --> 00:20:52,217 MORGAN: We enjoy using the jackalope as something 380 00:20:52,317 --> 00:20:54,553 that binds us together because it's funny 381 00:20:54,653 --> 00:20:58,523 and because it symbolizes Wyoming in a unique way 382 00:20:58,624 --> 00:21:00,525 that people recognize. 383 00:21:00,626 --> 00:21:03,695 WILDMAN: Today, this taxidermied mock jackalope, 384 00:21:03,795 --> 00:21:06,898 on loan to the Wyoming Pioneer Memorial Museum, 385 00:21:06,999 --> 00:21:09,568 serves as a reminder of a bizarre creature 386 00:21:09,668 --> 00:21:11,770 with an enduring appeal. 387 00:21:15,073 --> 00:21:17,976 WILDMAN: Durham, North Carolina, first found prosperity 388 00:21:18,076 --> 00:21:20,612 by way of the tobacco industry 389 00:21:20,712 --> 00:21:22,748 but now thrives on the strength 390 00:21:22,848 --> 00:21:25,384 of its scientific research community. 391 00:21:25,484 --> 00:21:26,752 But just west of downtown, 392 00:21:26,852 --> 00:21:30,622 an unassuming building hides a boundary-pushing institution -- 393 00:21:30,722 --> 00:21:34,092 the Rhine ESP/ Parapsychology Museum. 394 00:21:36,128 --> 00:21:38,563 On display is a variety of devices 395 00:21:38,664 --> 00:21:42,467 meant to assist in the research of extrasensory perception. 396 00:21:42,567 --> 00:21:46,104 But amongst these intriguing instruments 397 00:21:46,204 --> 00:21:47,306 lies a more humble item. 398 00:21:47,406 --> 00:21:48,707 FREEMAN: It's very small. 399 00:21:48,807 --> 00:21:50,876 It's only about 4 inches by 6 inches, 400 00:21:50,976 --> 00:21:53,111 tan with a red binding, 401 00:21:53,211 --> 00:21:57,049 full of pages with many notes and little, tiny writing. 402 00:21:57,149 --> 00:21:59,351 WILDMAN: This memorandum book was used 403 00:21:59,451 --> 00:22:01,853 to document a remarkable equine phenomenon 404 00:22:01,953 --> 00:22:03,255 that captivated the country. 405 00:22:03,355 --> 00:22:05,057 FREEMAN: This is one of the most amazing things 406 00:22:05,157 --> 00:22:07,225 ever attributed to an animal. 407 00:22:07,326 --> 00:22:10,162 WILDMAN: So how is this notebook connected 408 00:22:10,262 --> 00:22:13,799 to perhaps the strangest telepathy story ever told? 409 00:22:16,101 --> 00:22:19,504 1927 -- Chesterfield, Virginia. 410 00:22:19,604 --> 00:22:22,874 On a farm outside the city of Richmond, 411 00:22:22,974 --> 00:22:25,610 Claudia Fonda tends to Lady Wonder, 412 00:22:25,711 --> 00:22:27,479 a healthy, 3-year-old filly. 413 00:22:27,579 --> 00:22:29,715 But soon, Claudia notices something remarkable 414 00:22:29,815 --> 00:22:34,586 about the horse she's raised since shortly after its birth. 415 00:22:34,686 --> 00:22:37,289 Mrs. Fonda rarely had to call the horse. 416 00:22:37,389 --> 00:22:40,292 Lady always seemed to sense when Mrs. Fonda was looking for her 417 00:22:40,392 --> 00:22:42,794 and would show up before called. 418 00:22:42,894 --> 00:22:46,932 WILDMAN: Believing Lady is particularly intelligent and intuitive, 419 00:22:47,032 --> 00:22:49,201 Fonda decides to nurture her gift. 420 00:22:49,301 --> 00:22:52,104 Mrs. Fonda used small children's blocks with letters and numbers, 421 00:22:52,204 --> 00:22:55,307 and she taught Lady to move the blocks with her nose 422 00:22:55,407 --> 00:22:56,808 in order to spell words. 423 00:22:56,908 --> 00:23:01,780 WILDMAN: Soon, Lady even begins spelling words on her own. 424 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:03,615 When a tractor came down the road, 425 00:23:03,715 --> 00:23:05,484 Lady spelled out the word "engine." 426 00:23:05,584 --> 00:23:08,153 WILDMAN: All the more remarkably, 427 00:23:08,253 --> 00:23:11,723 she spells it out before the vehicle appears, 428 00:23:11,823 --> 00:23:15,260 and soon, Fonda becomes convinced that her horse's gifts 429 00:23:15,360 --> 00:23:16,795 transcend intelligence. 430 00:23:16,895 --> 00:23:18,296 Lady predicts the winners 431 00:23:18,397 --> 00:23:22,100 of several world heavyweight boxing championship fights 432 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:25,203 by spelling out the names before each bout. 433 00:23:25,303 --> 00:23:28,373 News of the seemingly clairvoyant mare 434 00:23:28,473 --> 00:23:31,076 spreads through the Richmond area, 435 00:23:31,176 --> 00:23:35,514 and Fonda is eager to capitalize on her horse's growing fame. 436 00:23:35,614 --> 00:23:37,416 She has a special machine built 437 00:23:37,516 --> 00:23:40,419 to enable Lady to display her talents. 438 00:23:40,519 --> 00:23:42,921 FREEMAN: It mimicked the actions of a typewriter arm, 439 00:23:43,021 --> 00:23:44,956 and when Lady would push it with her nose, 440 00:23:45,056 --> 00:23:46,825 letters would raise to spell words. 441 00:23:46,925 --> 00:23:49,828 WILDMAN: The public flocks to the Fonda farm 442 00:23:49,928 --> 00:23:53,265 to ask Lady Wonder questions, three for a dollar. 443 00:23:53,365 --> 00:23:56,735 And this seemingly psychic horse does not disappoint. 444 00:23:56,835 --> 00:24:02,007 FREEMAN: Lady was able to give people names of their mothers 445 00:24:02,107 --> 00:24:04,009 or their own personal maiden names -- 446 00:24:04,109 --> 00:24:06,445 things that no one else could really have known 447 00:24:06,545 --> 00:24:08,346 except for the person asking the question. 448 00:24:08,447 --> 00:24:11,950 WILDMAN: But is Lady Wonder really clairvoyant, 449 00:24:12,050 --> 00:24:14,953 or is she just taking them for a ride? 450 00:24:15,053 --> 00:24:18,757 In December of 1927, Dr. J.B. Rhine, 451 00:24:18,857 --> 00:24:21,693 a renowned psychologist from Duke University, 452 00:24:21,793 --> 00:24:24,362 visits the farm hoping to find out. 453 00:24:24,463 --> 00:24:29,601 FREEMAN: Dr. Rhine was interested in telepathy, in mediumship, 454 00:24:29,701 --> 00:24:31,670 and he wanted to research her. 455 00:24:31,770 --> 00:24:33,538 WILDMAN: With Claudia Fonda's permission, 456 00:24:33,638 --> 00:24:36,675 Dr. Rhine devises a test for Lady. 457 00:24:36,775 --> 00:24:38,143 He writes down words 458 00:24:38,243 --> 00:24:41,213 on pieces of paper that he keeps from view, 459 00:24:41,313 --> 00:24:43,882 and then asks the horse to spell them 460 00:24:43,982 --> 00:24:46,651 on her typewriter-like device. 461 00:24:46,751 --> 00:24:49,087 FREEMAN: Dr. Rhine started out with simple words, 462 00:24:49,187 --> 00:24:51,122 but then he graduated to bigger words 463 00:24:51,223 --> 00:24:52,691 like Mesopotamia and Carolina. 464 00:24:52,791 --> 00:24:55,360 WILDMAN: Much to Dr. Rhine's astonishment and delight, 465 00:24:55,460 --> 00:24:59,631 Lady produces the correct answer the majority of the time. 466 00:24:59,731 --> 00:25:01,066 FREEMAN: Dr. Rhine believed 467 00:25:01,166 --> 00:25:03,635 that Lady was showing signs of clear telepathic abilities 468 00:25:03,735 --> 00:25:04,936 at this point. 469 00:25:05,036 --> 00:25:08,206 WILDMAN: The psychologist's notes from these sessions 470 00:25:08,306 --> 00:25:09,508 are now on display 471 00:25:09,608 --> 00:25:13,512 at his namesake Rhine ESP/Parapsychologist Museum 472 00:25:13,612 --> 00:25:15,914 in Durham. 473 00:25:16,014 --> 00:25:19,451 In the wake of Dr. Rhine's astonishing findings, 474 00:25:19,551 --> 00:25:22,721 Lady's popularity soars, and for over two decades, 475 00:25:22,821 --> 00:25:26,725 it seems there's no question she can't answer. 476 00:25:26,825 --> 00:25:32,731 But in 1951, the mare encounters her toughest inquiry yet. 477 00:25:32,831 --> 00:25:36,001 Over 500 miles away, in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, 478 00:25:36,101 --> 00:25:40,572 the district attorney has been investigating for over a year 479 00:25:40,672 --> 00:25:43,575 the disappearance of a 4-year-old local boy. 480 00:25:43,675 --> 00:25:46,711 With few leads and the case colder than ever, 481 00:25:46,811 --> 00:25:49,514 he turns to the psychic horse for help. 482 00:25:49,614 --> 00:25:52,450 FREEMAN: The district attorney asked someone 483 00:25:52,551 --> 00:25:54,519 to go down and present Lady with the question, 484 00:25:54,619 --> 00:25:55,954 "Where is this young boy?" 485 00:25:56,054 --> 00:25:59,658 WILDMAN: So, can Lady Wonder help find this missing child? 486 00:26:04,062 --> 00:26:06,231 It's 1951 in Virginia. 487 00:26:06,331 --> 00:26:09,968 A horse named Lady Wonder has taken the Richmond area 488 00:26:10,068 --> 00:26:13,305 by storm with her seemingly psychic abilities. 489 00:26:13,405 --> 00:26:16,274 Now she's been called upon to locate a missing boy 490 00:26:16,374 --> 00:26:18,410 in Massachusetts. 491 00:26:18,510 --> 00:26:20,879 So can this magical mare harness her powers 492 00:26:20,979 --> 00:26:23,582 to solve the case? 493 00:26:23,682 --> 00:26:26,618 Lady is asked to spell the missing boy's whereabouts, 494 00:26:26,718 --> 00:26:29,554 and she promptly types a response -- 495 00:26:29,654 --> 00:26:31,489 "Pittsfield water wheel." 496 00:26:31,590 --> 00:26:34,125 The name baffles investigators. 497 00:26:34,225 --> 00:26:37,062 FREEMAN: Unfortunately, there is no Pittsfield water wheel 498 00:26:37,162 --> 00:26:40,031 in the location where they were searching for the boy. 499 00:26:40,131 --> 00:26:43,802 WILDMAN: But back in Massachusetts, an investigator has a thought. 500 00:26:43,902 --> 00:26:46,271 What if the horse accidentally rearranged 501 00:26:46,371 --> 00:26:49,174 the letters of an actual location? 502 00:26:49,274 --> 00:26:51,109 FREEMAN: The Field-and-Wilde water pit, 503 00:26:51,209 --> 00:26:53,378 which is in the area of Massachusetts 504 00:26:53,478 --> 00:26:55,447 where the boy disappeared, 505 00:26:55,547 --> 00:26:58,984 is a very similar word to what Lady offered. 506 00:26:59,084 --> 00:27:03,688 WILDMAN: Investigators drain the old, abandoned quarry, 507 00:27:03,788 --> 00:27:04,889 and at the bottom... 508 00:27:04,990 --> 00:27:08,326 they find the boy's lifeless body. 509 00:27:08,426 --> 00:27:12,998 It's a tragic conclusion to a yearlong case, 510 00:27:13,098 --> 00:27:15,667 but it seems to prove once and for all 511 00:27:15,767 --> 00:27:18,536 Lady's much-ballyhooed psychic abilities. 512 00:27:18,637 --> 00:27:21,006 FREEMAN: The Fondas and Lady were inundated 513 00:27:21,106 --> 00:27:22,907 by the National Press. 514 00:27:23,008 --> 00:27:24,576 Everyone came to get a photograph 515 00:27:24,676 --> 00:27:26,044 of Lady and the Fondas. 516 00:27:26,144 --> 00:27:28,179 WILDMAN: But many fail to accept 517 00:27:28,279 --> 00:27:32,450 that Lady Wonder's psychic gifts are real. 518 00:27:32,550 --> 00:27:36,287 A magician named John Scarne visits the Fonda farm 519 00:27:36,388 --> 00:27:39,457 and is convinced that she is merely a well-trained horse. 520 00:27:39,557 --> 00:27:41,459 FREEMAN: Scarne pointed out 521 00:27:41,559 --> 00:27:44,362 that Mrs. Fonda used a whip or other body language 522 00:27:44,462 --> 00:27:47,232 to cue Lady Wonder. 523 00:27:47,332 --> 00:27:51,169 Scarne believes that Mrs. Fonda signaled Lady Wonder 524 00:27:51,269 --> 00:27:53,672 each time the horse hovered over the correct letter. 525 00:27:53,772 --> 00:27:57,542 But the earlier tests performed by Dr. Rhine 526 00:27:57,642 --> 00:28:01,713 had made sure to account for this possibility. 527 00:28:01,813 --> 00:28:05,817 Rhine and his team did use blinders and even blindfolds 528 00:28:05,917 --> 00:28:08,687 on Lady to ensure that she could not see Mrs. Fonda. 529 00:28:08,787 --> 00:28:11,356 WILDMAN: In the end, Scarne's suspicions 530 00:28:11,456 --> 00:28:14,392 do nothing to diminish Lady Wonder's acclaim. 531 00:28:14,492 --> 00:28:15,760 FREEMAN: There's always someone 532 00:28:15,860 --> 00:28:19,130 that's going to doubt in psychic abilities in human beings, 533 00:28:19,230 --> 00:28:21,366 much less a horse. 534 00:28:21,466 --> 00:28:23,168 It's almost impossible to prove. 535 00:28:23,268 --> 00:28:25,737 There are some things we just can't explain. 536 00:28:25,837 --> 00:28:30,842 WILDMAN: Lady Wonder continues to astound the public with her mental feats 537 00:28:30,942 --> 00:28:36,147 until her death in 1957 at the ripe old age of 32. 538 00:28:36,247 --> 00:28:40,719 And today, at the Rhine ESP/Parapsychology Museum, 539 00:28:40,819 --> 00:28:45,056 this notebook stands as a tribute to one remarkable horse 540 00:28:45,156 --> 00:28:49,861 and her ability to entertain and enthrall, psychic or not. 541 00:28:52,363 --> 00:28:54,466 Located on the eastern slope 542 00:28:54,566 --> 00:28:56,301 of the Continental Divide, 543 00:28:56,401 --> 00:28:59,270 the city of Salida, Colorado, was founded in 1880 544 00:28:59,370 --> 00:29:01,806 as a railroad hub to the West. 545 00:29:01,906 --> 00:29:04,142 And preserving the region's frontier history 546 00:29:04,242 --> 00:29:06,611 is the Salida Museum. 547 00:29:06,711 --> 00:29:10,348 Its exhibits include a porter tank engine, 548 00:29:10,448 --> 00:29:14,018 a Sioux dress fashioned from army blankets, 549 00:29:14,119 --> 00:29:16,187 and a safari helmet 550 00:29:16,287 --> 00:29:18,189 worn by President Teddy Roosevelt 551 00:29:18,289 --> 00:29:20,325 during a local visit. 552 00:29:20,425 --> 00:29:22,694 But among the varied objects that tell the tale 553 00:29:22,794 --> 00:29:24,896 of this community's past, 554 00:29:24,996 --> 00:29:27,499 one strange item stands apart. 555 00:29:27,599 --> 00:29:30,268 The artifact is 17 inches by 5 inches. 556 00:29:30,368 --> 00:29:33,438 It has scales and teeth. 557 00:29:33,538 --> 00:29:36,841 And it has hair all over its body. 558 00:29:36,941 --> 00:29:39,544 WILDMAN: The tale of this curious critter 559 00:29:39,644 --> 00:29:41,980 once hooked the public's imagination. 560 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:44,549 CAMPBELL: This furry river dweller 561 00:29:44,649 --> 00:29:46,851 caught the attention of the nation. 562 00:29:46,951 --> 00:29:49,754 WILDMAN: So what, exactly, is this unusual animal, 563 00:29:49,854 --> 00:29:53,191 and how did it transform the city of Salida? 564 00:29:53,291 --> 00:29:56,394 November, 1938, 565 00:29:56,494 --> 00:29:58,563 Pueblo, Colorado. 566 00:29:58,663 --> 00:30:00,632 A journalist for a popular newspaper 567 00:30:00,732 --> 00:30:02,967 receives an envelope bearing the postmark 568 00:30:03,067 --> 00:30:05,670 of the nearby town of Salida. 569 00:30:05,770 --> 00:30:09,207 Inside, he finds the photograph of a bizarre-looking creature. 570 00:30:09,307 --> 00:30:13,178 It was shaped like a fish-- it had fins, but it had fur. 571 00:30:13,278 --> 00:30:15,880 WILDMAN: The picture is accompanied by a letter 572 00:30:15,980 --> 00:30:18,516 from one Wilbur Foshay. 573 00:30:18,616 --> 00:30:20,718 Wilbur Foshay was the Salida 574 00:30:20,819 --> 00:30:22,720 Chamber of Commerce Secretary. 575 00:30:22,821 --> 00:30:26,191 WILDMAN: When reached for comment, Foshay explains 576 00:30:26,291 --> 00:30:29,661 that the image is of a rare, fur-covered trout 577 00:30:29,761 --> 00:30:33,398 that inhabits Salida's ice-cold rivers and streams. 578 00:30:33,498 --> 00:30:36,467 CAMPBELL: As the streams got colder, 579 00:30:36,568 --> 00:30:38,736 the trout actually grew fur 580 00:30:38,837 --> 00:30:41,172 to keep warm. 581 00:30:41,272 --> 00:30:44,008 WILDMAN: The journalist is skeptical of Foshay's claim 582 00:30:44,108 --> 00:30:46,845 but decides to investigate. 583 00:30:46,945 --> 00:30:49,147 When he arrives in Salida, 584 00:30:49,247 --> 00:30:51,749 he's surprised to encounter locals with knowledge 585 00:30:51,850 --> 00:30:53,885 of the bizarre beast. 586 00:30:53,985 --> 00:30:57,055 This one man related a story that his father had several 587 00:30:57,155 --> 00:31:00,258 of the fur-bearing trout but had kept 'em in a warm pond, 588 00:31:00,358 --> 00:31:02,760 and they lost their fur. 589 00:31:02,861 --> 00:31:06,164 WILDMAN: Though the newsman never lays eyes upon the fish, 590 00:31:06,264 --> 00:31:08,633 he senses a scoop. 591 00:31:08,733 --> 00:31:11,169 The reporter decided that there was enough proof 592 00:31:11,269 --> 00:31:13,404 for him to actually write a story 593 00:31:13,504 --> 00:31:16,107 regarding the fur-bearing trout. 594 00:31:16,207 --> 00:31:18,910 WILDMAN: And the news causes a sensation. 595 00:31:19,010 --> 00:31:21,012 CAMPBELL: Papers are picking up this story, 596 00:31:21,112 --> 00:31:23,114 and eventually, it ran in 597 00:31:23,214 --> 00:31:25,717 different newspapers from coast to coast. 598 00:31:25,817 --> 00:31:28,152 WILDMAN: As journalists dig deeper, 599 00:31:28,253 --> 00:31:31,055 one proposes a biological explanation 600 00:31:31,155 --> 00:31:33,958 for the species' distinctive look. 601 00:31:34,058 --> 00:31:36,327 There was a fungus that would develop on fish 602 00:31:36,427 --> 00:31:38,396 that would look like fur. 603 00:31:38,496 --> 00:31:40,732 WILDMAN: This mold, called saprolegnia, 604 00:31:40,832 --> 00:31:44,135 typically thrives in the Rocky Mountains' cold water rivers. 605 00:31:44,235 --> 00:31:46,471 Soon, anglers from 606 00:31:46,571 --> 00:31:49,107 across the region descend on Salida, 607 00:31:49,207 --> 00:31:52,277 eager to catch a furry fish for themselves. 608 00:31:52,377 --> 00:31:55,780 If you were the one to catch that fur-bearing trout 609 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:59,384 and prove that they're there, you would've been famous also. 610 00:31:59,484 --> 00:32:02,053 WILDMAN: But after weeks on the water, 611 00:32:02,153 --> 00:32:04,956 the fishermen grow increasingly frustrated. 612 00:32:05,056 --> 00:32:07,525 It seems that nobody was able 613 00:32:07,625 --> 00:32:09,861 to catch a fur-bearing trout. 614 00:32:09,961 --> 00:32:12,864 WILDMAN: Then, just as everyone is about to pack up their gear, 615 00:32:12,964 --> 00:32:15,433 Salida's Chamber of Commerce announces 616 00:32:15,533 --> 00:32:19,070 that the elusive creature has finally been reeled in. 617 00:32:19,170 --> 00:32:21,539 Word came out that there was a particular person 618 00:32:21,639 --> 00:32:24,342 that had caught a fur-bearing trout. 619 00:32:24,442 --> 00:32:27,679 WILDMAN: And it seems the lucky angler is none other 620 00:32:27,779 --> 00:32:29,814 than Wilbur Foshay. 621 00:32:29,914 --> 00:32:31,849 So is it true? 622 00:32:31,950 --> 00:32:34,319 Has Foshay finally caught a furry fish? 623 00:32:38,423 --> 00:32:42,093 It's 1939 in Salida, Colorado. 624 00:32:42,193 --> 00:32:45,096 Anglers have descended on this tiny town 625 00:32:45,196 --> 00:32:47,665 in the hopes of hooking an elusive fish 626 00:32:47,765 --> 00:32:50,001 that's said to grow fur. 627 00:32:50,101 --> 00:32:51,703 But just when it seems this strange creature 628 00:32:51,803 --> 00:32:53,204 won't take the bait, 629 00:32:53,304 --> 00:32:55,974 the town's Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Foshay, 630 00:32:56,074 --> 00:32:57,775 says he caught one. 631 00:32:57,875 --> 00:33:01,346 So what's the real story of this furry fish? 632 00:33:03,548 --> 00:33:06,084 Reporters race to Foshay's office, 633 00:33:06,184 --> 00:33:09,087 eager for a glimpse of the enigmatic trout. 634 00:33:09,187 --> 00:33:11,823 It seems he's already stuffed his catch 635 00:33:11,923 --> 00:33:14,125 for the sake of posterity. 636 00:33:14,225 --> 00:33:16,194 CAMPBELL: When the reporters were able to see 637 00:33:16,294 --> 00:33:18,663 the fur-bearing trout more closely, 638 00:33:18,763 --> 00:33:22,300 they thought something was not quite right. 639 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:26,004 WILDMAN: The rare specimen's most prominent feature, its fur, 640 00:33:26,104 --> 00:33:29,007 seems suspiciously familiar. 641 00:33:29,107 --> 00:33:32,510 They thought it looked more like muskrat fur. 642 00:33:32,610 --> 00:33:35,780 This was not an actual fish 643 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:38,149 but something contrived. 644 00:33:38,249 --> 00:33:41,152 WILDMAN: Foshay quickly cops to the deception. 645 00:33:41,252 --> 00:33:43,388 The reporters are dumbfounded 646 00:33:43,488 --> 00:33:46,924 and question the motives behind the elaborate ruse. 647 00:33:47,025 --> 00:33:49,160 The Secretary of Commerce explains 648 00:33:49,260 --> 00:33:51,796 he was simply doing his job. 649 00:33:51,896 --> 00:33:55,266 Wilbur Foshay was trying to figure out how to promote Salida. 650 00:33:55,366 --> 00:33:58,236 WILDMAN: But the journalists are still perplexed. 651 00:33:58,336 --> 00:34:01,039 If the fur-covered trout is just a fake, 652 00:34:01,139 --> 00:34:04,242 why were so many Salida residents familiar 653 00:34:04,342 --> 00:34:06,277 with the fabled fish? 654 00:34:06,377 --> 00:34:08,880 It seems Foshay's plot was inspired 655 00:34:08,980 --> 00:34:10,882 by a local legend. 656 00:34:10,982 --> 00:34:13,418 CAMPBELL: The myth of the fur-bearing trout 657 00:34:13,518 --> 00:34:16,154 actually started back in the 17th century. 658 00:34:16,254 --> 00:34:19,190 WILDMAN: According to the story, a Scottish immigrant 659 00:34:19,290 --> 00:34:21,259 who recently arrived in the region 660 00:34:21,359 --> 00:34:23,694 penned a confusing letter to his family. 661 00:34:23,795 --> 00:34:27,031 In it, he describes the area's plentiful 662 00:34:27,131 --> 00:34:30,168 furried animals and fish. 663 00:34:30,268 --> 00:34:33,738 And he got a reply back from his family in Scotland that said 664 00:34:33,838 --> 00:34:36,974 tell them more about this fur-bearing fish. 665 00:34:37,075 --> 00:34:40,211 WILDMAN: Whether this was a fanciful play on words 666 00:34:40,311 --> 00:34:42,580 or evidence of a semantic misunderstanding 667 00:34:42,680 --> 00:34:44,582 may never be known. 668 00:34:44,682 --> 00:34:46,751 Regardless, the bemused Scotsman 669 00:34:46,851 --> 00:34:48,886 crafted a playful response. 670 00:34:48,986 --> 00:34:51,489 He created a fur-bearing fish 671 00:34:51,589 --> 00:34:53,558 out of different parts of different animals 672 00:34:53,658 --> 00:34:56,894 and sent that back to Scotland to his family. 673 00:34:56,994 --> 00:34:59,297 WILDMAN: Eventually, news of 674 00:34:59,397 --> 00:35:01,866 a North American fur-bearing fish 675 00:35:01,966 --> 00:35:04,235 filtered down through the centuries. 676 00:35:04,335 --> 00:35:07,238 And Wilbur Foshay was able to capitalize on this myth 677 00:35:07,338 --> 00:35:09,607 to help put this little town 678 00:35:09,707 --> 00:35:11,843 in Colorado on the map. 679 00:35:14,512 --> 00:35:16,948 WILDMAN: But rather than spawning outrage, 680 00:35:17,048 --> 00:35:19,183 Foshay's hoax delights citizens 681 00:35:19,283 --> 00:35:21,185 across the nation. 682 00:35:21,285 --> 00:35:24,989 Fur-bearing trout even become sought-after novelty items, 683 00:35:25,089 --> 00:35:28,426 one of which is on display here at the Salida Museum. 684 00:35:28,526 --> 00:35:31,963 And today, it reminds visitors of a brilliant huckster 685 00:35:32,063 --> 00:35:34,132 and the fabulous fish tale 686 00:35:34,232 --> 00:35:37,268 that reeled in the public hook, line, and sinker. 687 00:35:41,506 --> 00:35:45,009 Situated on the sprawling plains of West Texas 688 00:35:45,109 --> 00:35:48,112 is the quiet town of Crosbyton. 689 00:35:48,212 --> 00:35:50,481 And it's on this small city's main street 690 00:35:50,581 --> 00:35:54,152 that visitors will find the Mt. Blanco Fossil Museum. 691 00:35:54,252 --> 00:35:56,888 Founded in 1998, 692 00:35:56,988 --> 00:36:00,324 it contains massive dinosaur specimens 693 00:36:00,424 --> 00:36:02,360 and wonders of paleontology. 694 00:36:02,460 --> 00:36:04,929 But there is one creature in the collection 695 00:36:05,029 --> 00:36:06,831 that is said to have lived in the region 696 00:36:06,931 --> 00:36:09,000 much more recently. 697 00:36:09,100 --> 00:36:11,569 It's black, and it's hairless. 698 00:36:11,669 --> 00:36:14,572 The ears are huge. The teeth are sharp. 699 00:36:14,672 --> 00:36:18,743 And you can see how they could get ahold of an animal's throat. 700 00:36:20,444 --> 00:36:23,181 WILDMAN: According to local legend, this taxidermied animal 701 00:36:23,281 --> 00:36:26,484 is proof of a gruesome monster that once terrorized 702 00:36:26,584 --> 00:36:29,921 the community -- so what is this bizarre beast, 703 00:36:30,021 --> 00:36:32,990 and did it really once roam the open plains 704 00:36:33,090 --> 00:36:35,526 of the Lone Star State? 705 00:36:37,562 --> 00:36:39,864 West Texas, 2005. 706 00:36:39,964 --> 00:36:43,134 One by one, the farmers and ranchers 707 00:36:43,234 --> 00:36:45,303 of this quiet, rural area 708 00:36:45,403 --> 00:36:48,206 report a common but unsettling occurrence. 709 00:36:48,306 --> 00:36:51,576 Something is killing their livestock 710 00:36:51,676 --> 00:36:53,177 in the middle of the night, 711 00:36:53,277 --> 00:36:56,480 and the vicious nature of the attacks has them on edge. 712 00:36:56,581 --> 00:36:58,115 TAYLOR: This thing's killing technique 713 00:36:58,216 --> 00:37:00,618 is not like anything anybody's familiar with. 714 00:37:00,718 --> 00:37:03,387 The livestock are drained of their blood. 715 00:37:05,523 --> 00:37:08,326 WILDMAN: Hoping to stop whatever is behind these brutal attacks, 716 00:37:08,426 --> 00:37:11,762 concerned citizens start armed patrols. 717 00:37:11,862 --> 00:37:16,033 Is it a coyote? Is it a dog? Is it a wolf? 718 00:37:16,133 --> 00:37:18,569 Nobody knows what's really going on. 719 00:37:20,571 --> 00:37:24,875 But they do know that there's some weird creature out there. 720 00:37:24,976 --> 00:37:29,013 WILDMAN: Because of the unique way it kills its prey, 721 00:37:29,113 --> 00:37:32,683 frightened citizens think that it's an unclassified, 722 00:37:32,783 --> 00:37:35,853 and some say vampire-like beast, 723 00:37:35,953 --> 00:37:39,423 called the chupacabra. 724 00:37:39,523 --> 00:37:41,692 Tales of the chupacabra, 725 00:37:41,792 --> 00:37:43,961 Spanish for "goat sucker," 726 00:37:44,061 --> 00:37:47,832 were first reported in 1995 in Puerto Rico and Mexico. 727 00:37:47,932 --> 00:37:49,934 It's said to have earned its name 728 00:37:50,034 --> 00:37:53,404 from killing herds of goats, chickens, and cows. 729 00:37:53,504 --> 00:37:56,274 It has never been captured. 730 00:37:56,374 --> 00:38:00,778 And now some are convinced that it's moved north to Texas 731 00:38:00,878 --> 00:38:03,247 to continue its killing spree. 732 00:38:05,316 --> 00:38:08,085 August 8, 2008. 733 00:38:08,185 --> 00:38:12,290 Deputy Sheriff Brandon Riedel is on routine patrol 734 00:38:12,390 --> 00:38:15,293 on the outskirts of Dewitt County. 735 00:38:15,393 --> 00:38:18,629 He sees something ahead of him, very unusual. 736 00:38:18,729 --> 00:38:20,331 He's going, "What in the heck is that?" 737 00:38:21,766 --> 00:38:25,369 WILDMAN: Riedel quickly turns on his dashboard camera. 738 00:38:26,904 --> 00:38:28,272 But before long, 739 00:38:28,372 --> 00:38:31,609 this strange animal darts off into the brush. 740 00:38:33,077 --> 00:38:37,214 But this short video fuels further speculation 741 00:38:37,315 --> 00:38:40,651 that this monster is more than just a myth. 742 00:38:42,787 --> 00:38:45,323 The next summer, in Blanco, Texas... 743 00:38:45,423 --> 00:38:47,091 [ Chicken clucking ] 744 00:38:47,191 --> 00:38:50,661 ...a farmer named Lynn Butler hears chickens being attacked 745 00:38:50,761 --> 00:38:52,129 in the middle of the night. 746 00:38:52,229 --> 00:38:53,964 He goes outside, 747 00:38:54,065 --> 00:38:57,401 but before he can even see what is responsible... 748 00:38:58,369 --> 00:39:00,905 ...the creature disappears. 749 00:39:01,005 --> 00:39:03,941 Determined to prevent his chickens from being killed, 750 00:39:04,041 --> 00:39:07,611 he baits the area around the coop with a deadly poison. 751 00:39:11,115 --> 00:39:13,751 TAYLOR: He comes in the next day, 752 00:39:13,851 --> 00:39:17,421 and here is this strange creature laying on the floor, 753 00:39:17,521 --> 00:39:19,724 and he thought, "What the heck is that?" 754 00:39:22,927 --> 00:39:25,896 WILDMAN: Mystified, Butler delivers the corpse 755 00:39:25,996 --> 00:39:30,034 to a local taxidermist in hopes of finding the answer. 756 00:39:30,134 --> 00:39:31,635 As he examines the creature, 757 00:39:31,736 --> 00:39:33,971 he sees that it shares characteristics 758 00:39:34,071 --> 00:39:38,275 with a very familiar animal, up to a certain point. 759 00:39:38,376 --> 00:39:41,712 He sees it's like a coyote, in many similar ways, 760 00:39:41,812 --> 00:39:46,083 but hind legs are longer, the teeth are different. 761 00:39:46,183 --> 00:39:50,721 WILDMAN: Not only that, no coyote has smooth, black skin. 762 00:39:50,821 --> 00:39:53,557 Whatever it is, it's not like something he's seen before. 763 00:39:53,657 --> 00:39:57,661 WILDMAN: So, is this bizarre-looking creature the chupacabra? 764 00:40:02,967 --> 00:40:05,536 It's 2009. 765 00:40:05,636 --> 00:40:08,072 For years, the citizens of West Texas 766 00:40:08,172 --> 00:40:10,474 have been terrorized by a mysterious animal 767 00:40:10,574 --> 00:40:12,710 known as a chupacabra 768 00:40:12,810 --> 00:40:14,779 until finally, a local farmer 769 00:40:14,879 --> 00:40:17,748 kills a strange, hairless, doglike creature, 770 00:40:17,848 --> 00:40:20,551 that matches the description of the beast. 771 00:40:20,651 --> 00:40:23,654 So is Texas finally rid of this mythical menace? 772 00:40:26,557 --> 00:40:27,892 To solve the mystery, 773 00:40:27,992 --> 00:40:31,095 tissue samples are sent to a California university 774 00:40:31,195 --> 00:40:34,999 for further analysis, and the genetic testing reveals 775 00:40:35,099 --> 00:40:38,602 this bizarre creature's ancestry. 776 00:40:38,702 --> 00:40:41,405 The results were it has affinities with... 777 00:40:41,505 --> 00:40:45,142 coyote and wolf. 778 00:40:45,242 --> 00:40:47,878 WILDMAN: Researchers believe that it's a hybrid, 779 00:40:47,978 --> 00:40:49,880 primarily related to the coyote 780 00:40:49,980 --> 00:40:52,216 but linked genetically to a wolf 781 00:40:52,316 --> 00:40:56,520 through its maternal line two generations ago. 782 00:40:56,620 --> 00:40:59,690 Such hybrids are rare but not unheard of, 783 00:40:59,790 --> 00:41:02,860 and scientists determine the case closed. 784 00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:07,498 But many West Texas residents remain skeptical. 785 00:41:07,598 --> 00:41:11,402 Could this be the very animal seen by Sheriff Brandon Riedel 786 00:41:11,502 --> 00:41:13,003 and the one responsible 787 00:41:13,103 --> 00:41:15,506 for the rash of livestock fatalities? 788 00:41:15,606 --> 00:41:21,245 Or could there be more of these bloodthirsty beasts out there? 789 00:41:22,313 --> 00:41:24,448 I've talked to seven people who've seen them up here. 790 00:41:26,250 --> 00:41:29,420 There must be a lot of these things. 791 00:41:29,520 --> 00:41:32,022 People are afraid, what will this thing do next? 792 00:41:33,757 --> 00:41:36,494 WILDMAN: And today, the legend of this monster 793 00:41:36,594 --> 00:41:38,629 lives on through this strange specimen, 794 00:41:38,729 --> 00:41:41,131 leaving visitors to the Mt. Blanco Fossil Museum 795 00:41:41,232 --> 00:41:43,033 to wonder... 796 00:41:43,133 --> 00:41:45,769 Will the chupacabra strike again? 797 00:41:48,405 --> 00:41:50,374 From a real-life unicorn 798 00:41:50,474 --> 00:41:52,710 to an egg-laying rooster. 799 00:41:52,810 --> 00:41:55,045 The legendary jackalope 800 00:41:55,145 --> 00:41:57,448 to a psychic horse. 801 00:41:57,548 --> 00:41:59,750 I'm Don Wildman, and these are 802 00:41:59,850 --> 00:42:01,519 the mysteries at the museum.