Blog

A group of children stood transfixed on one side of Wright Creek. I followed their gaze and saw a bobcat kitten across the water, perched on a log no more than 10 feet away. The kitten held its steady gaze, silently assessing them. Were these smaller humans a threat? The children held their position. Was this wild kitten a threat? Both parties seemed to recognize the wonder of the moment and, as youth will, accepted it as simply part of their day before moving on to more active play. Bobcat kittens, born in April, are now about three months old—not old enough to be without their mother. What was this kitten doing all alone in an area known for humans coming and going? Its mother could have been nearby, watching from the cover of the forest. She could have been out hunting while her kitten decided to go exploring. Or, due to the growth on its eye, it could have been orphaned. Collectively, we were now invested in the future of this kitten, each of us silently wishing the best for it as it disappeared back into the forest. ~Tricia Kyzer, JLT Naturalist Guide