Bobcat Talk: Next Saturday at Cedar Bog

 

A Bobcat (Felis rufus) pointedly ignores the photographer. I made this image last October, in the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. After a bit, the cat stalked off in the insouciant manner that only a cat can muster.

Shauna Weyrauch, who teaches at Ohio State University's Newark Campus and does research involving Bobcat den sites and is an authority on Ohio's only remaining wild cat (Lynx and Mountain Lion once occurred), will speak on these fascinating felines next Saturday, February 8 at 10 am in the visitor's center at Cedar Bog. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Shauna, along with wildlife photographer Dutch Gordon, recently published a book entitled The Boy and the Bobcat. It's geared towards kids, and I doubt the kid exists who wouldn't be interested in Bobcats. Shauna will have books on hand ($20), and her talk will be of interest to the younger set. Please feel free to bring any kids you have or know.

After the talk, Shauna, myself, and Cedar Bog volunteers will lead a foray around the boardwalk. Cedar Bog is one of Ohio's most remarkable natural resources and is chockful of rare species. Bobcats have been documented there, and though our odds of connecting with one are slim to none, we will see oodles of other interesting stuff. Skunk-cabbage (Symplocarpos foetidus) abounds, and I won't be surprised if some plants are already in flower. Located just south of Urbana, Cedar Bog is easily accessible from Columbus and anywhere else in central Ohio.

Hope to see you there!

Bobcat triangulates on prey, pounces!

OK, time for Monday night at the movies! Here are two more short flicks, courtesy of wildlife cinematographers Laura and David Hughes. That's right - those Hughes! You've seen their work here before, at least if you follow this site with some regularity.

For these films, which star a beautiful Bobcat, Felis rufus, they've returned to one of their magical game trails in Monroe County, Ohio. As you may recall, this is the county where they managed to capture a Bigfoot on a trail cam, last April 1st. You can see that film RIGHT HERE.

This little Bobcat is as real as it gets, and the feline hunter puts on quite a show. Enjoy!

Video by David and Laura Hughes

In this brief snippet, the inquisitive cat comes right up to mug for the camera. You won't often see a Bobcat that close, because it just isn't possible to get any closer.

Video by David and Laura Hughes

This film is beyond cool. The Bobcat detects prey lurking in the dense thicket in the backdrop, and stealthily paces to and fro, triangulating on the victim - probably some small rodent. When the cat finally locks in, it rears up, then lunges as if it had been shot out of a cannon! The prey item probably never knew what hit it.

Bobcat baby, caught on video!

Now this is just too cool! Laura and David Hughes, who have an almost surreal knack for finding interesting and unusual things, have scored once again and big time. They spend a fair bit of time over in eastern Ohio's Monroe County, and during their wanderings noticed a well traveled game path. So, they set up a Wildgame Innovations trail camera, switched to video mode, and achieved some awesome results.

The following clip shows an adult Bobcat, Felis rufus, ambling down the path shadowed by a kitten. And boy-o-boy is that one cute (and fierce) kitten! To our great benefit and viewing pleasure, the baby Bobcat pauses in front of the camera and roots around a bit before trotting off to catch up with mama.

Video: Laura and David Hughes

It's encouraging to see the comeback of Bobcats in Ohio and adjacent regions. In 2011, there were 136 verified sightings in Ohio - an increase of 30 over 2010. It's thought that these little cats - a big male might weigh 40 lbs. - had become extirpated in Ohio by 1850 - victims of persecution and habitat loss. By the 1960's, a few sightings were being reported, and the number of documented observations very slowly but steadily has grown ever since. Today, there are certainly hundreds of Bobcats - maybe even 1,000+ - roaming the hills of southern and eastern Ohio, and there are even occasional sightings outside of the hill country.

Thanks to Laura and David for allowing me to share their wonderful video work. I'll soon post another of their videos, and believe it or not, this one is even cooler than these Bobcats. It shows, in wonderful clarity, a family unit of River Otters and if you thought that baby Bobcat was cool, wait until you see a pack of otters playing right in front of the camera lens!