DEXTER (AP) – A group of Dexter Regional High School students and a teacher-adviser are planning to investigate and prove the existence of mountain lions in Maine.

Teacher Regan McPhetres says the group has set up a hot line for sightings, and that a survey will be mailed to people who call.

Students will then follow up with either face-to-face interviews or telephone calls.

The group also plans to collect hard evidence such as photos, scat samples, tracks and hair. The students also will create a map of the sightings.

There is an ongoing debate about whether Maine is still home to any mountain lions, also known as cougars, pumas or catamounts.

The big cats, which can weigh up to 200 pounds, disappeared from the state in the 1800s, but there have been numerous reports of possible sightings in recent years.