High interest in URI’s statewide bobcat project
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| Photo / Peter Green |
Once eradicated from Rhode Island, bobcats have returned over the past few decades and are now being spotted more frequently across the state. That fact has been verified in just a matter of months through the Rhode Island Bobcat Project, led by University of Rhode Island researchers and local partners, including Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management and the Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island.
URI’s researchers just passed the 1,000-sighting mark this
winter, a good sign for the cat species and public interest in the animal.
These reports will help URI Assistant Professor of Quantitative Ecology Kathleen Carroll and
Ph.D. student Christopher Hickling better understand the animal’s movements,
habitat use, and population dynamics.
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| Each cat receives a formal scientific designation, as well as a memorable ‘bird’ name, like Cooper here, the fourth bobcat in the state to be tracked with a GPS collar as part of the Rhode Island Bobcat Project. (URI Photo / Quest Lab) |
Carroll and Hickling say that bobcats’ increasing presence
in Rhode Island is positive, while the cat makes for an intriguing and
accessible subject and has piqued public interest.
The information that URI’s team has gathered from public
reports, alongside camera traps and GPS radiocollars, will help them identify
where bobcats rest, hunt, and travel. Such valuable data is critical in
developing recommendations for land management practices that balance human use
with wildlife conservation.
“Bobcats in Rhode Island appear very tolerant of people compared to bobcats in other states,” Carroll said. “This makes sense since Rhode Island is so densely populated. In other states, cats can be more wary; here, they are walking across driveways at night.”
“We are happy people are excited about seeing bobcats and
interested in their importance for biodiversity,” Carroll added. “The reports
we’ve received will enable us to better support their populations here in the
future.”
Carroll and Hickling in URI’s Natural Resources Science
department share some updates on what they have observed since their bobcat
survey launched in September:
In which Rhode Island towns or areas have bobcats been most prevalent?
Most of our reports have come from southern Rhode Island,
but we have reports from all over the state, except the islands. Anecdotally,
Charlestown and South Kingstown seem to be well represented in the reporting.
Looking ahead to this spring, is there anything for Rhode
Islanders to be aware of as far as bobcat behavior?
Female bobcats will have litters of two to four kittens in
the spring. They typically establish den sites away from people and in areas
that are difficult to find or access for other species. If folks think they
have a den on their property, they can reach out to us directly.
Tell us about your naming convention, naming the bobcats
you collar and release after native birds? (Osprey, Falcon, Plover, etc.)
Each cat receives a formal name, like B03M or B11F, but it’s
also fun to give them a more memorable name. This lets us name them in an
organized way; in projects outside Rhode Island, bobcats have been named after
native trees, for instance. Since URI’s Scott McWilliams,
who studies birds, has been a mentor for our work, birds made good sense!
After a person spots a bobcat, do they tend to stay in
the general area for repeat views or move through a community quickly?
Bobcats have large home ranges compared with most animals,
so they move around quite a bit. Younger males will typically disperse to new
areas and move around the landscape more than other bobcats. Despite their
large capacity for movement, people may see the same one regularly if their
home or work is within the bobcat’s home range, or the area it uses regularly
for food and shelter. Many of our cats seem to “hang around” certain areas.
What is it about the bobcat that you think has so
captured Rhode Islanders’ interest?
People are drawn to bobcats because they are highly
charismatic and resemble house cats. Many of the behaviors and mannerisms we
see in our pets are also represented in bobcats; this relatability makes them
good representatives for the broader wildlife community. Most people will never
see a wild wolverine, for example, because of their density and habitat. With
bobcats, you have a charismatic species that captures attention, plus is
something people have a decent chance to see in the wild. That combination is
magic.
Rhode Islanders are encouraged to continue submitting
information and photographs. To report a bobcat sighting, learn more, or donate
to the continuation of this research, please visit uri.edu/bobcatsurvey or https://connectivityandconservation.com/bobcat-project.
For further questions, or to request a sticker, contact kathleen.carroll@uri.edu or chickling@uri.edu.