What to do if you meet a bobcat at the BFS
July 1, 2009 by Nancy Hamlett
Right now our BFS resident mother bobcat is out frequently with her cubs. If you’re working at the BFS this summer, there is some probability that you will encounter the bobcat — I’ve seen an adult bobcat three times in the past week! Because some of the trails are narrow with high brush on either side, you may encounter a bobcat unexpectedly. What should you do if you do meet one? I asked our local faculty experts, and here’s their advice:
Stay calm. Retreat slowly but right away, with no sudden movements. Do not try to approach an adult bobcat or the kittens. The mother is very protective of her cubs and growled at me when I came upon her unexpectedly (I suspect the cubs were nearby), but she stopped and turned away as soon as I backed away.
There is no real reason for concern, as long as you give the mother and her kittens a wide berth.
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