Huge bobcat caught again

The third winter of the ongoing Okanagan lynx and bobcat study got off to an exciting start Wednesday, with the research team's first captured bobcat of the year turning out to be a familiar feline.  

In January, Castanet accompanied PhD student and lead researcher Arthur Scully when he sedated and collared an unusually large male bobcat. Scully and Southern Interior Land Trust executive director Al Peatt were happy to find that same bobcat caught in one of their humane traps Wednesday morning. 

"When we caught it, we anesthitized it, took the collar off that it was wearing, and put a new collar on, so we can get two full years of data off this one animal," Scully said. "It's a big win for us. Getting a single year of data is great, but two years is something you can't hope for, it's great."

Scully has been tracking big cats in the Okanagan for two years. The research will hopefully lead to a better understanding of how lynx and bobcat territory is changing, where they overlap, and how this might be related to climate change. 

The team has traps set around the Okanagan Falls area, and when a cat is caught, it is sedated while a researcher takes measurements, checks its temperature and inspects the cat's teeth. 

The collars are designed to drop off automatically in the fall so that researchers can retrieve them without further inconveniencing the cat. Unfortunately, a few malfunctioned this past year and didn't release, though they are designed not to hurt the animal if they stay on indefinitely. 

Peatt said that the land trust was thrilled to get involved with the project.

"It's good to be able to pass on that knowledge and see younger biologists like Arthur coming up through the ranks," he said.

This is the time of year the big cats become active at lower altitudes, closer to residential areas, making it a perfect time for trapping and collaring. 

"If you see a bobcat or a lynx, first off, take a moment and enjoy the moment! It's a wonderful thing to see, they are beautiful animals. They're not uncommon, but they are rare to see, they are very secretive," said Peatt.

They are not considered dangerous to humans, but small pets should be kept on leash or indoors when a lynx or bobcat is in the area.

After a couple of hours in a deep snooze, Wednesday's cat, which weighed in at 13.2 kilograms, the largest Scully has ever seen, woke up and was released from its cage, scampering off into the bush. 

If you spot a cat with a collar or an ear tag, let the research team know by calling Scully at 705-927-2042, to help them track the animals' progress. 

You can also help the project, which is run primarily by volunteers and university students, by donating to the Southern Interior Land Trust here.