Lynx rufus, Week 1

Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are North American cats that have a wide range from Canada throughout the United States. These small cats are about 20-40 lbs and have short, stumpy tails for which they are named. Powerful hunters, bobcats in Montana prefer snowshoe hares and red squirrels but are opportunistic hunters like most cats and will eat small rodents, birds, and fawns. Bobcats are often confused with Canadian lynx, but these are not the same cats, as bobcats are smaller than lynx and have different features. These cats range from shades of brown to gray and have various light solid spots throughout the coat, though not as prevalent as the spots on a serval or snow leopard. Bobcats have been legally hunted during the trapping season in Montana for their pelts, which are still considered an agricultural commodity (I do not support the fur industry no matter the species. We can talk fashion later). These cats have plenty of "cattitude," and although they can fall prey to wolves, coyotes, and mountain lions, these cats do well in the Montana forests.

This photo belongs to Roberta Newbury, the PhD candidate I am working for through the University of British Columbia. Most photo credits will go to Roberta (aka Bobbie) because her camera is way cooler than mine. This is one of the collared cats we are monitoring. Photo was taken when animal was trapped for collaring and prior to release. Collars do not hurt the animal.

The work I am doing this summer involves lots and lots of hiking. Bobbie and I are working in Flathead National Forest studying bobcat habitat selection as well as energy expenditures of these cats. We are also evaluating the presence of snowshoe hares and red squirrels (the main prey of bobcats) to determine where bobcats might travel through. Finally, we are taking vegetation surveys of sites to determine the density of areas for both rabbit and bobcat presence.

The reason I am developing hiking legs is because we use GPS to select sites in bobcat habitat. Although there is a lot more that goes into the process, each day involves traveling from one "site" to another using a compass and distance measurements. The good thing to note here is that if you ever get lost with me, I now know how to use a compass and navigate the wilderness using utm coordinates. I assist Bobbie with counting the steps from one site to another and count bunny pellets and squirrel middens (pellets are waste and middens are the remnants of pine cones. Squirrels are brutal to a pine cone, and the bunnies are eating well). I have learned a variety of scat identification as well as developed the sixth sense required of hikers in Montana if one hopes to survive. The forests are thick, busy, and full of black bears; grizzly bears; mountain lions deer and mule deer; moose; and a variety of small critters and hundreds of beautiful birds. The moose and bears are the most dangerous, followed by the elusive mountain lion and my general clumsiness on cliffs. Bobbie, however, has proven extremely knowledgeable and patient as I learn to climb over fallen trees and not fall down a lot. The hiking doesn't sound difficult in theory; however, long hours in mature forests with varying slopes and tough terrain are difficult to travel through without experience.

I've just finished week one of this new job. It has been a blast! The first day was very rough because we hiked through very mature forest with lots of fallen trees. It was a 13 hour day! Bobbie and I have become fast friends and we've enjoyed our combined squeals over the many wildlife sightings we've had in such a short time:

Day 1 included some very adorable mule deer fawn twins.

Day 2 involved having to climb a very steep little cliff. There were moose tracks up the dirt. I wasn't happy.

Day 6 involved FOUR bear sightings! We saw a bear that we thought was deaf, but it turns out she was focused on her yearling cubs just up the road, both of which we saw not five minutes later!

Mama bear is the first bear. Her yearling cubs (only one pictured, below) were quite curious about our truck. This guy stood up to get a better look. How cool!

The BEST part of this week, however, was when we rounded a corner on Day 3 and saw one of our bobcats sitting on the side of the road! Most wildlife sightings are by chance, as these guys do not like people. We know that this cat was one of ours because of the radio collar around his neck (they don't sport fashion on their own, these cats). The collars help us know where the cats are in the some 250,00 acres of forest, relatively. Bobbie has been teaching me about telemetry use:

Looking for bobcats can take all day, but it has been a nice break for our legs. I'm learning a variety of Montana plants as well as what to do to protect myself out in the wilderness. Montana is a beautiful state, and I'm having a beautiful time stretching my new hiking legs and chasing around my favorite species: cats!

Bobcats! In Montana!

Hello everyone!

I am excited (and a little exhausted) to type from my new apartment in Whitefish, Montana. I have been accepted to work the summer field season as assistant to PhD candidate Roberta Newbury studying bobcats in Flathead National Forest. Roberta's research focuses on bobcat movements within home ranges as well as investigating the prey species in northwest Montana. The summer field season consists of surveys in Flathead National Forest to estimate the presence of bobcat prey as well as the factors that contribute to habitat selection. I made the cross-country trip twice to move from North Carolina to Texas (my parents live in Houston), and then from Texas to Whitefish. Yes, those are a lot of miles and a lot of the USA! I have to thank my parents and my close friends for helping make this possible; without you I would probably still be lost on some back road in Idaho without half of my things and none of my hair.

I arrived in Whitefish five days ago and started my new job. I am adjusting to new and difficult work, so unfortunately I don't yet have time to recount what I've experience or learned in this short time. Please stay tuned in the next week, as I have time off from work and will devote a few posts with pictures! I can report that I have not yet seen my first moose, or grizzly bear. Montana wildlife is nothing I've ever experienced, and trekking this beautiful forest is the next step in my developing a niche in exotic cat conservation.

Isabella Tiger and the Wobbly Sister

Carolina Tiger Rescue's oldest and very special tigress Isabella passed away at the end of May, marking a long life and an example of an ideal life in captivity with compassionate veterinary care. Isabella was born with epilepsy, a disease that causes seizures. Having been on phenobarbital for her entire life, Izzy's seizures were suppressed as best as possible. Because this medication does not cure the condition in animals or humans, Izzy was housed alone for concern that a seizure would trigger the prey drive in an enclosure partner and cause injury or worse for Izzy. As one of the friendliest tigers at Carolina Tiger, Isabella received regular showers in the summer (a pool would risk drowning were she to have a seizure) as well as tons of affection from the entire family at Carolina Tiger Rescue. Always ready for a visit, Izzy enjoyed going on "tiger walks" along the fence with friends and has long been considered the sweetest of the tigers at the sanctuary. At nineteen, she was old for any tiger in captivity and especially old compared to the liefespan of tigers in the wild. She suffered a severe bladder infection in December and pulled through, in addition to another scare in March, where she was almost humanely euthanized because she was so ill. However, she recovered from both illnesses and continued to be a happy and elderly lady. With summer fast approaching in hot North Carolina, however, Isabella's health gradually deteriorated in addition to her appetite disappearing. Carolina Tiger Rescue staff found need to humanely end her suffering. Necropsy results showed utera pyometra, which is an infection in the uterus. She had infectious tumors in her uterus that, if they ruptured, would cause a painful death for Izzy. Luckily she did not suffer this. She also was lacking fluid in her pericardial sac (around her heart) and the wheezing it caused would have only worsened and contributed to a painful end. Animals in captivity can suffer lonely and unhealthy lives, or they can enjoy the best accepted practices available. Izzy was one of those tigers because she called Carolina Tiger Rescue home. She was one of my favorite cats at the sanctuary and although I mourned her death, I recognize that death is not unwelcome in the animal world. We as humans are able to offer relief from suffering with medicine, and sometimes euthanasia. Isabella Tiger will remain one of the tigers who was at the sanctuary that helped start my career. I hope that adoptive parents, volunteers, interns and staff continue to care for each animal in the same manner that Izzy was loved at Carolina Tiger Rescue.

Nenya Caracal, affectionally known as one of the two Wobbly Sisters, also passed this moth. Nenya and her sister, Scylla, have a condition called cerebral hypochondroplasia. This condition affects the cats' ability to balance, and as a result they walk in a wobbly manner. This condition is the result of a virus that the mother was probably exposed to when the cats were in vitro. Nenya lost the ability to walk and after a few days the decision was made to humanely euthanize her. Her back legs gave out, and at ten years old, she lived a long and healthy life; just a little wobbly. The Wobbly Girls were in my assigned areas during my internship with Carolina Tiger Rescue, and I enjoyed trying to come up with new ideas for enrichment for the pair. Although Nenya (and Scylla) were physically disabled, they both were still very capable of sticking a paw through the fence to try to tag you (and not in the childhood game fashion). Cats form bonds like humans, so her sister Scylla probably has had to adjust to the absence of her sister, but Carolina Tiger Rescue has reported that she is doing fine (still wobbly).

Carolina Tiger Rescue is one of two legitimate wildlife sanctuaries on the east coast (the other is Big Cat Rescue). Although other facilities house recsued exotics, Carolina Tiger Rescue is one of the models of excellence in exotic animal care. I am thankful to have worked with a facility with such high standards and such amazing animals.

Please continue to follow this blog, as I am beginning the next chapter in my career: bobcat research in Montana!