Bobcat Watch

Contributed by Jessica Larsen, Education Specialist for the Micke Grove Zoological Society

When walking through the beautiful grasslands and woodlands of our North American countryside, have you ever felt like you were being watched? Perhaps you got that "creepy feeling" and the hair on the back of your neck started to rise, but when you turned around, nothing was there - well, nothing that you could see, anyway. Does that mean nothing was actually there?

The bobcat's camouflage helps it hide among rocks and grasslands.
How easily can you see the cat in this picture? Photo Courtesy SuperStock.com

Because of their secretive nature and cryptic camouflage, few people ever see bobcats in the wild. But that doesn't mean that they don't see you. Bobcats are designed to be stealthy hunters that stalk their prey and take them by surprise, and have even been nicknamed the "spitfires of the animal world" due to their fearlessness and willingness to stand and fight when provoked. Even the young kittens can be quite ferocious. Nonetheless, their safest defense is to stand back and observe their threats to determine if their energy is better saved for another day.

It is assumed that bobcats received their name for their short "bobbed" tail, although the way run also makes them appear "bob" through the trees. Quite athletic, bobcats are extremely agile and are excellent climbers. They can run at about 30 mph when chasing a meal, can out-swim a dog, and their spring-loaded back legs enable them to jump as high as 10 feet.

In addition to their athleticism, bobcats are very intelligent. They are notorious for outsmarting other animals and hunters, including humans. One of their tactics is to backtrack over their own scent trail, which helps hide their most recent path and confuse both predators and prey. Speaking of scent trail, they will urinate on just about anything that stands. This is one clue that certainly tells animals - humans and non-humans alike - that they're around!

Given the unlikeliness that you will see a bobcat in the wild, you can look for other clues about their presence without having to sniff them out. In the wetter months and in regions where the ground is moist or soft, search for tracks that have four toes without claws and an "M" shaped pad that are no taller than 1 1/2 - 2 inches. Like most cats, they are secretive about where they go to the restroom, but if you come across a pile of scat (animal feces), examine it to see if it resembles a larger version of your typical house cat's. If the tracks and scat look fresh, chances are a bobcat is watching you from nearby.

Comparison of commonly seen tracks in the wild, including the bobcat. Photo Courtesy Michigan DNR.

Keep following our blogs for updates on the Micke Grove Zoo's new bobcat!