Bobcat

Lynx rufus

Description:

This cat was clearly used to people. I followed it at a respectful distance for quite awhile. Other than an occasional glance over its shoulder, it seemed pretty unconcerned, and made no attempt to vanish into the growth along the trail. At one point it even doubled back and sauntered within feet of me with barely a sidelong look.

Habitat:

Sweetwater Wetlands

Species ID Suggestions

6 Comments

triggsturner 8 years ago

What a wonderful experience. Great images too.

Ava T-B 8 years ago

Terrific series! Lucky you!

joanbstanley 8 years ago

I don't know if I will ever have that luck again, but every time I visit Tucson, I am going to try to get back out there and keep my fingers crossed.

AshleyT 8 years ago

That is too cool! Would love to have an experience like that :)

joanbstanley 8 years ago

It was great fun. I have many more photos that I can't fit into PN.
I first saw it as I was about to walk out on an observation deck over one of the ponds. It was there ahead of me watching something in the water. I got quite a few photos there. Apparently it decided whatever it had been watching was not going to pan out, and headed back to the trail where I was standing. That's when it first noticed me. It studied me a moment, and apparently decided, in typical cat fashion, that I was beneath consideration, so sauntered right by. It could easily have taken to the cattails or bushes along the trail, but didn't. It stayed on the trail, stopping here and there to watch frogs, lizards and water fowl, while I followed at a distance. It glanced back at me occasionally, but otherwise took little notice.
When it reached the far side of the wetlands near the entrance, it turned around and again walked back by me on the far side of the trail, at which point I figured I had followed it long enough and moved on.