The bobcats roaming East Dallas in a neighborhood that falls between Skillman and Abrams appears on a daily basis, with some exception, and he feeds mostly on squirrels, one of which can be seen dangling from his jaws as he trots off — toward his bobcat-family dinner table (I like to think) — in this footage that ran on NBC Monday night. I am not insensitive to squirrels, by the way, but I see enough flattened in my subdivision’s streets that I am certain if the wildlife doesn’t get them, the speeding SUVs will.
The experts at 911 Wildlife have told us in the past that bobcats birth kittens this time of year, so this bravado is not all that unusual. Pros also have noted that around here, in urban areas, coyotes and bobcats and other potentially predatory animals have become more accustomed to humans and braver around us. In the country, a homeowner might pull out a gun and shoot them; here we pull out our cameras, 911 Wildlife operator Bonnie Bradshaw told us years ago.
Photo from Charles Bauer via Lakewood Advocate
It does become a bit more serious when domestic dogs and cats become the hunted, which is why the experts always recommend keeping miniature pets inside as much as possible. Hawks and owls also are known to swoop in and nab a perceived easy target. I once interviewed the owner of an injured chihuahua, whose head wound came courtesy the claws of a red-tailed hawk who, thankfully, was unsuccessful in its attempt to carry off the small yet feisty pup.
No matter how ubiquitous our local wildlife, viewers’ and readers’ fascination with sightings, which is why, if you happen to catch them on video, you’ll likely wind up on the news, like the Ortez family here.
