Bobcat GPS Research Study
2012 marked the sixth straight year we have fitted
bobcats with GPS collars on Kiawah Island. We had a very successful trapping season and were able to catch 12 different bobcats in only
11 days of trapping. Nine of these bobcats received GPS collars (eight
females and one male). This year marked the first time we were able to
monitor a mother/daughter pair of bobcats at the same time. Bobcat
350 (who was also collared in 2008 and 2010) is the mother of Bobcat
200 (aka Cassie). We originally tagged Cassie with a Passive Integrated
Transponder (PIT) at her den site in the Preserve on June 22, 2010.
These two bobcats shared an almost identical home range during 2012.
This year brought another film crew to the Island to film our
bobcats. Staff from the BBC’s Natural History Unit visited in April to
film an episode for the show Deadly 60. They were able to get great
looks at several bobcats including an adult male (Bobcat 750) that was
captured specifically for the filming. Kiawah’s bobcats are now famous
around the world.
One of our 2012 bobcats took an incredible journey this year,
which, thanks to GPS technology, we were able to document. Bobcat
450 was originally captured on Captain Sam’s Spit, but left Kiawah
in April and traveled onto Johns Island, crossed Bohicket Creek, and
finally settled on a large piece of private property on Wadmalaw Island
What are we learning?
• Bobcats play a vital role in maintaining the healthy balance of
wildlife on Kiawah Island.
• Normally secretive and shy, bobcats have adapted to sharing
the Island with humans.
• Kiawah’s bobcat population is stable and healthy.
• Bobcats make extensive use of scrub-shrub, forest, and
developed areas for nighttime hunting forays .
• Bobcats prefer scrub-shrub habitat along marsh edges and
secondary dunes for daytime resting cover.
Location data from the bobcat GPS collars is closely analyzed to
look for patterns in habitat use during day and night-time hours,
denning sites, travel corridors and more. This information is
used to pinpoint specific areas or habitat types on the Island that
are of vital importance to bobcats. As a result of this reaserch we
now have Bobcat Management Guidelines for the Island. These
guidelines provide suggestions and recommendations to all Island
entities regarding creation, preservation and improvement of
habitat to benefit bobcats.
How can you help?
• Promote and encourage native vegetation, focusing on creating
dense understory.
at the end of Bear’s Bluff Road. She remained on Wadmalaw Island for
• Discourage and eliminate exotic and invasive plant species.
at least three to four months, up until the time her collar was dropped
• Contact the Kiawah Conservancy for an assessment of your
off and recovered.
yard’s habitat and recommendations for improvement.
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