Future conservationists learning about the ecosystem

Simple activities that make a difference

Ecocentric activities can take a little or a lot of work. Some, such as not disturbing wildlife, not moving rocks (they may be sheltering someone) and staying on trails are passive activities. Others, including picking up trash (even if it isn’t yours), leashing dogs, removing their excrement and planting gardens to attract pollinators take more effort.

Pick a Flower and Trouble a Star

Everyone must be mindful of the effects that individual and collective actions have on the environment. The consequences of our actions ripple through the ecosystem. Even the seemingly innocent act of turning over a stone in a river can have devastating consequences and hasten the extinction of an endangered species¹

Larger projects carried out in open spaces including clearing trails and installing barbed wire fences and barriers across wildlife paths and corridors can fragment habitats, separate animal families and block food sources.

A new fence blocks a wildlife pathway.

A shoutout to the children

The 88-acre canyon that I love and write about, hosts a diversity of wildlife. Although a small habitat, it’s an important one. This wild space is part of a network of other natural areas, separated from each other by roads and buildings. The little canyon is also a popular hiking spot for the locals. It’s a perfect place to see how people’s activities impact the fragile environment.

There’s a wonderful eco-minded pre-school at the head of one of the trails that leads into the canyon. A few years ago, the young students started calling themselves The Jell-O Club.  The name wasn’t randomly picked. Like many preschoolers, the children were given mid-morning/mid-day snacks. After they and their eco-conscious parents noticed the plastic wrappers from their refreshments littering the canyon and floating down the creek, they asked the school’s director if they could have snacks that were in biodegradable packaging. These eco-minded youngsters didn’t stop there. They cleaned up the canyon trails, using pickers to grab up plastic, paper, metal and glass. To this day these little ones are still vigilante trail custodians. They are more than trail custodians; they are young conservationists in training, and they help keep the wildlife, dogs and hikers safe from the hazards of garbage and glass. The earth needs young vigilante conservationists like the Jell-O Club. They are making a difference.

Destruction of a shelter close to home

Until a few months ago, wildlife kept dry by crossing the canyon creek on a natural bridge made from branches intertwined between rocks, roots and the trunk of a large bay tree. The tangle of branches and leaves also provided shelter, cover and food for many species of wild animals. Generations of bobcats found the trunk and vegetation a safe spot to shelter and raise kittens. Although this was one of several shelters that the bobcat families used, they returned to it on a regular basis. Generations of kittens played, grew and learned essential survival skills on top of the branches and on the banks adjacent to the shelter.

Bobcats weren’t the only animals who hung out there. When the bobs weren’t around, possums would forage amongst the leaves and use the fallen branches and rocks as pathways to connect to the other side of the creek. Every night, dusky-footed woodrats, who are a species of special concern, ran over the tops of the large trunk that framed the creek. It worked well as a bridge, connecting to the bay trees where the woodrats built their large multi-generational homes.

For many years, this pile of rocks and branches played an important part in the lives of the wild residents. It supported many species for countless generations until one day a man with a shovel purposely destroyed it. It only took him one hour to eliminate it.

There were no reasons to demolish it. No human-made structures were nearby that could be impacted by the rising creek waters. Nature had successfully managed the creek for hundreds of years without this man’s help.

In addition to negatively impacting the animals, he destroyed part of a sensitive habitat that is home to species of special concern. Years ago, the county mandated that there can never be any building or modifications made in the canyon because it’s an environmentally sensitive riparian habitat. It is supposed to remain untouched.

Destruction of a wildlife crossing point and shelter

It was difficult to watch the videos of wildlife discovering that their familiar crossing point and shelter was gone.

Rat poisons

For ten years, an organization near one of the trail heads hired an exterminator to bait traps with 2^nd generation rodenticides. These deadly rat poisons remain in the tissues of the rats and travel up the food web. After eating the poison, the sick rodents don’t immediately die. The rats wandered into the canyon and neighboring yards and became easy targets for predators, including raptors, bobcats, pumas, coyotes as well as household dogs and cats.²

Bobcats help maintain a healthy ecosystem.

5 years ago, Slim, a beautiful mountain lion died after she ate a rodent that had eaten the bait. She had been frequently filmed late at night walking up the canyon trails, often hesitating at the junction where two two trails intersected.  Slim was one of many unintended victims of 2^nd generation rodenticide.

One person made a difference

Because of the perseverance of one man, the organization recently stopped using the poison. He successfully convinced the organizations board of directors to stop its use and dispose of the bait traps. He presented facts and suggested alternatives to 2^nd generation rodenticide for reducing the rat population.³ One person took action and made a difference.

You can make a difference

Although individually we may not be able to stop global warming, we can take actions that halt further destruction of the environment. We need to be mindful, think about the potential consequences of our actions and be aware of the ripple effect that our activities have on the ecosystem. We all need to do our parts to preserve and heal our fragile ecosystem.

1. Hellbender, an endangered species is in danger of disappearing forever. Because it makes it home under rocks in rivers, turning over, moving rocks displaces them “Once a nest rock is moved, hellbenders won’t ever use that rock again.” Stroup said. “There’s not a whole lot of clean, pristine habitat left for hellbenders. A lot of time we were damming rivers and creating lakes, we lost a lot of that riverine habitat for aquatic species.”
2. These rat poisons kill indiscriminately.  A study commissioned by California Department of Fish and Wildlife found 2^nd generation rat poison in 85% of the mountain lions, bobcats and fishers who were tested in California  In 2020, Governor Newson signed the bill which makes it illegal to use 2^nd generation rodenticides in California. Although it’s illegal, some people and businesses, including the canyon neighbor, hire exterminators, who place the lethal poison in bait boxes.
3. Rats are a problem, but there are better, safer ways of managing and reducing the population. You can make a difference and let natures’ exterminators do their jobs. Rats are regular parts of the predator’s diet. Additionally, remove food items, pick up dog and cat food and secure garbage cans and clear away brush will also help keep rats away from homes and businesses. For more information contact the following organizations:
   The Hungry Owl Project; Raptors are the Solution; California Department of Fish and Wildlife; Rodenticides Topic Fact Sheet

Marilyn is a certified cat behavior consultant (The Cat Coach, LLC). Not surprisingly, she’s fascinated by feline behaviors. This started with household cats and then after witnessing a puma being killed a few blocks from her home in the suburbs, expanded to include local mountain lions and bobcats. A few years after the tragedy, she joined the Bay Area Puma Project/Felidae Conservation Fund, maintaining trail cameras, writing and helping wherever she can. Her focus is on how urbanization is affecting apex predators’ behaviors.

She is also an author and educator. Her book Naughty No More! focuses on solving cat behavior issues through clicker training, environmental changes as well as other positive reinforcement techniques. She gives presentations throughout the United States as well as writes columns and articles for a variety of venues.

Marilyn is interviewed on podcasts, print and on line publications. Additionally Marilyn is a frequent guest on television and radio and has appeared, along with her Bengals and Savannah Cat on Animal Planet, CBS, ABC, KGO and others.

Join Marilyn for lively discussions about all things feline on her Facebook page.

The post You Can Make a Difference appeared first on Urban Edge Wildlife.

Among the notable wildlife recorded this summer, we are privileged to watch as bobcat kittens, a mountain lion cub and a spotted fawn grow and mature.

New bobcat family in the canyon.

Puma family saga

It is not new news that mountain lions are regulars in the canyon. They have lived in the area long before the first peoples came to California. My cameras have watched the wildlife in this canyon for only five years—a brief minute when compared to the length of time pumas have lived here.  Until this year, they have documented only solitary lions, never family groups or pairings. This year it is different. For the first time since the cams have peeked into the lives of the inhabitants, the canyon is fortunate to host a small puma family composed of a female along with her one cub. The pair has been captured on film almost every month since February. The first glimpse I saw of the little family was when the cub was around three months old.

Youngsters stick with their mums until they are between 18-24 months old. Then they disperse, searching for their own territories. Puma moms have difficult jobs. It is not an easy task to teach their young ones’ important survival skills. Living solitary lives, they must protect, hunt and raise the cubs without help. Unlike our local coyotes, mountain lions do not live peacefully with each other; they don’t live in packs and they don’t hunt cooperatively. Nor do adults willingly share their meals with conspecifics, but there are exceptions.

The puma mom is doing a good job. As her cub matures, she gives him more independence. One indication of this is her increasing the distance between them. But she is always nearby, ready to intervene, just in case there is danger.

The most recent appearance of the little family was in June, filmed at the rim of the canyon.

Video courtesy of Eric Cheng

Bobcat soap opera

At least two litters of bobcats were born this year, probably from two different females. Usually, bobcats only have one litter a year. The kittens stay with their mums until they’re between eight to twelve months old and then disperse². Early this year three adorable bob kittens were recorded almost every day, playing with each other and annoying their mother. Although one of the babies had only one eye, he seemed to manage as well as his siblings.

Early this summer a new bob family was recorded in the canyon. The mom seems young; she may have been born about 18 months ago and possibly is the daughter of the female who, for at least four years, has claimed parts of the canyon as her core territory. Based on her behavior with the kittens, I’m guessing that this litter is a first for this girl. She doesn’t seem quite as vigilant as the older, experienced bobcat mum. Although she keeps track of the youngsters, they are a distance from her. Also, she only has two kittens. Young, first time mothers usually have fewer kittens then older females.³

The first time the babies were caught on film they were young, barely two months old. Mom may have been moving her little family to a new den. Kittens are frequently relocated, more when they are neonates, sometimes as often as every day to every few days. As they age they are moved less often. Predators also determine when it is time for a change of address⁴ because the little ones are vulnerable to predation by coyotes, raptors, puma and even male bobcats. The smell of the dens and the sounds of the kittens attract them.

The first time the babies were filmed, they may have been almost weaned, new graduates from the milk bar and barely getting accustomed to a meat diet. Around this time, they also start to learn to hunt. Bobcat moms have their work cut out for them: there are many mandatory survival skills these babies must learn in order to make it in a dangerous and competitive environment.

Mom is doing something right. Both kittens have survived another month—a hard task for a single mom. The little ones have grown and appear to be thriving. I love watching their immediate responses when their mom calls them. We definitely will keep a vigilant eye on those youngsters.

The camera at the fork in the trail is positioned at a popular spot for bobcats. Bobcats, like most felids live mostly solitary lives, they usually don’t socialize with other conspecifics unless they are juveniles ready to disperse, adults looking for mates or a queen raising kittens.

Coyote reality show

Coyote 09M was the canyon star for a few years. He was a joy to watch as he played and interacted with his mate and gamboled on the trail. 09M had a distinctive personality that showed through in the hundreds of videos of him.  The cameras lost track of him two years ago. Since he disappeared several coyotes have been filmed. None stayed for the length of time 09M did. While that boy lived in the canyon, he took a mate and produced at least two litters of adorable pups.

A bonded pair of young coyotes began hanging out in the canyon a few months ago. Tragically, the male was badly injured in July and lost a foot.  We can only guess the initial event—he could have gotten his foot caught in a trap or he may have been bitten by a rattlesnake. It is one of many wildlife mysteries that probably will never be solved. It is difficult for coyotes to successfully hunt when injured to that degree—sadly the survival rate is low. Now, only the female has been spotted.

Deer tales

There is a smorgasbord of vegetation for the deer to dine on in the canyon—a major attractant for a doe and her fawn. The two have found plenty to munch on, especially next to the creek, directly in front of one of my cameras.

In contrast to the bobs and lions, deer are highly social, and hang together in herds. There is safety in numbers—herds give deer some protection against coyotes and mountain lions. The characteristic of individual herds vary and are dependent on the ages, gender, familial ties as well as the season. Bucks group themselves in “bachelor groups” in the spring, but then become rivals when competing for the attentions of the does. Bachelor groups usually have three to six individuals in them. Ours has five members.

Wildlife dramas continue

The wildlife soap opera continues and because of technology, we are fortunate to be able to catch fleeting, 20 second glimpses into the fascinating lives of the canyon animals. It’s wonderful to watch as they live out their lives, hunting, playing and interacting with each other.  The cameras also play an important part in monitoring the behavior changes of our wild inhabitants caused by the pressures of urbanization and the fragmenting of their habitats.

1. Three to four trail cameras have been filming wildlife and human activity in an undeveloped 88 acre canyon for almost five years.  This canyon is surrounded by businesses, roads and homes. Footage from the cams document behaviors of the suburban wildlife being impacted by the pressures of urbanization.
2. Hanson, Kevin. Bobcat Master of Survival. 2007. Oxford University Press.
3. 4. Sunquist and Sunquist. Wildcats of the World. 2002. University of Chicago Press

Marilyn is a certified cat behavior consultant (The Cat Coach, LLC). Not surprisingly, she’s fascinated by feline behaviors. This started with household cats and then after witnessing a puma being killed a few blocks from her home in the suburbs, expanded to include local mountain lions and bobcats. A few years after the tragedy, she joined the Bay Area Puma Project/Felidae Conservation Fund, maintaining trail cameras, writing and helping wherever she can. Her focus is on how urbanization is affecting apex predators’ behaviors.

She is also an author and educator. Her book Naughty No More! focuses on solving cat behavior issues through clicker training, environmental changes as well as other positive reinforcement techniques. She gives presentations throughout the United States as well as writes columns and articles for a variety of venues. She is also frequently interviewed for podcasts, print and on line publications. Additionally Marilyn is a frequent guest on television and radio and has appeared, along with her Bengals and Savannah Cat on Animal Planet , CBS, ABC, KGO and others.

The post Summer Time Wildlife Dramas appeared first on Urban Edge Wildlife.

A mountain lion visits the canyon on a weekly schedule. He was first filmed months ago, patrolling the trail in the early mornings, long before the joggers, walkers and dogs are out. The main trail camera is in the perfect spot to record him hesitating at the trail junction before continuing on his way. He usually stops for only a second or two, scents the air and scans the trail for potential threats. This boy is not the only mountain lion who regularly visits the canyon. A female is also an occasional visitor. In addition to the two pumas, the canyon appears to be hosting an increasing number of wildlife.*

A surge in canyon wildlife

After months of animal absenteeism, the canyon appears to have once again become a popular wildlife hot spot. Since late spring, the memory cards are filled to capacity with vids of dusky-footed wood rats, mice, rats and rabbits—magnets for predators. There is also a noticeable increase of deer hanging out in the canyon, observable with and without trail cameras. When walking slowly and quietly, you may catch a glimpse of deer off the paths munching on the vegetation. It is not a mystery why the mountain lions are drawn to the canyon—they follow the food and venison is their top menu choice.

For close to a year the trail cameras filmed only a few wild animals. The timing of the decrease of wild animal sightings coincided with the increase of people who discovered the little suburban paradise during the pandemic. Instead of the usual canyon wildlife, the memory cards were filled with videos of people, bicyclists and hundreds of dogs, many off leash, racing through the sensitive habitats.

After a long and painful year, we are finally on the other side of the pandemic. It appears that the unfortunate trend of dwindling wildlife is slowly reversing. Although many hikers and joggers still favor the trails, the cameras are filming fewer of them. Additionally, sightings of bicycles and off-leash dogs have decreased. This shift in human activity may be one of many reasons animals are either increasing in the canyon or making more appearances.

Mountain lions

Although the two lions, a male and a female, have not been filmed together, they do seem to time share the area, walking the same trails on different days. Pumas are territorial—especially the boys who have zero tolerance policies for other males. They compete for a limited number of females and food. For obvious reasons, males are at times more accepting of girls and it is not unusual for their territories to overlap those of females.

Mountain lions, like other members of the Felidae family, communicate a broad range of information about themselves and they also delineate their territories by marking. These include scraping dirt into piles with their back paws and then urinating or defecating on them and scratching objects, such as trees and logs. Although I searched for evidence of puma territorial markers, I have not found any in the vicinities of where the cats have recently been filmed.

Mountain lions are foodies—they love venison and for the last few months there has been plenty of it in the canyon. On an average, pumas usually take down one deer a week. It is not devoured in one sitting—one deer can feed a lion for a few days. On an average, they eat about 8-10 pounds of meat a day. The carcass is cached, covered with leaves, brambles and debris. Mountain lions do not usually travel too far from the carcass, that way they can snack on it when they’re hungry. The carcass feeds more than the lion—other opportunistic scavengers and predators, such as raptors, coyotes and smaller animals benefit from successful mountain lion hunts.

Bobcat sightings

The canyon bobcats are a continual source of entertainment, especially because I recognize a few of the individual cats. During the last few years, I have sketched out the placement and shapes of the spots on their front legs.

Patterns, placement and shapes of spots that are on the front legs of 3 different bobcats

Although, it appears that parts of the canyon are the core home ranges for at least two female bobs, a couple of males have also been filmed occasionally in the girls’ core zones. Core ranges are located inside much larger ranges. These smaller core zones include successful hunting spots, numerous shelters, water sources, and safe areas for birthing and raising kittens.

The two canyon girls might be related. When bobcats are 9-10 months old, they leave their mums to seek out their own territories. Males disperse further than females and have larger ranges which often purposely overlap the ranges of girls. Depending on available terrain and other critical necessities such as food, water, shelter and safety, the girls may stake out territories near their natal neighborhoods. Sometimes the outer reaches of their ranges are adjacent with their mums. Like most felines, bobcats live solitary lives, hunting and raising their young alone.

Bobcats don’t just hang out in their core home ranges—they patrol their whole territories. The canyon bobs often cross the dangerous road that borders one side of the canyon, accessing protected open space to hunt and possibly fraternize with the opposite sex.

At least two batches of kittens have been born, nurtured and raised in the canyon this year. Typically, litters start out with three kittens, but it is not set in stone. Unfortunately, it is rare for all to survive. Despite vigilant mums, it is a dangerous world for youngsters. Note the smallest kitten on the far right in the first video. Only one eye reflects light back into the camera. This little one may have a serious problem which may negatively impact the odds of successfully surviving into adulthood.

They are so cute bouncing down the trail.

I hope the trend the cameras are recording of an increase of wild animals in the canyon continues. Although there are many factors contributing to this latest shift in occupancies and visits, most likely it’s not a coincidence that the decrease of people, bicycles and off-leash dogs is making a major impact on the wildlife.

*You will note that the date stamp on some of the vids says the year 2020 instead of 2021. Unfortunately, one of the cameras does not display the date correctly and keeps defaulting to the wrong date.

Marilyn is a certified cat behavior consultant (The Cat Coach, LLC). Not surprisingly, she’s fascinated by feline behaviors. This started with household cats and then after witnessing a puma being killed a few blocks from her home in the suburbs, expanded to include local mountain lions and bobcats. A few years after the tragedy, she joined the Bay Area Puma Project/Felidae Conservation Fund, maintaining trail cameras, writing and helping wherever she can. She is focusing on how urbanization is affecting apex predators’ behaviors.

She is also an author and educator. Her book Naughty No More! focuses on solving cat behavior issues through clicker training, environmental changes as well as other positive reinforcement techniques. She gives presentations throughout the United States as well as writes columns and articles for a variety of venues. She is also frequently interviewed for print and on line publications. Additionally Marilyn is a frequent guest on television and radio and has appeared, along with her Bengals and Savannah Cat on Animal Planet, CBS, ABC, KGO and others.

Join Marilyn for lively discussions about all things feline on her Facebook page.

The post Summertime Brings Changes to the Canyon Wildlife appeared first on Urban Edge Wildlife.

I created a spreadsheet, comparing videos from one camera during the same 13-day period in 2019 with those from the same dates in 2021. The data tells the story, and it is not good. It’s a tragedy to see the canyon trails, once a paradise vibrant with a diversity of wild animals, changed into a ghost town.

It probably isn’t a coincidence that at the same time there’s been a dramatic decrease in wild animals, there is a substantial increase of people, bicyclists and off-leash dogs that are racing through the sensitive habitats. People’s response to Covid19 is most likely behind this upsurge of activity. Comparing the footage from the 13 days in 2019 to the same period in 2021, it’s noted that in 2019 there was only one dog off leash, 18 walkers and one bicyclist filmed in the canyon. It’s a different story in 2021. During the same period, 62 dogs ran off-leash, 499 people walked the trail and there were 33 bicyclists. Most likely, the consequences from the increased usage, especially from the dogs who are allowed off-leash is significant enough that many animal residents have vacated. Unfortunately, Coyote 09M, his mate and pups have disappeared. The last puma was filmed in November and the last coyote was recorded in October 2020. And during the recent 13-day period only a couple of bobcats, one deer and a few skunks were filmed.

Comparison of number of people for same 13 day period in 2019 and 2021–18 people in 2019, compared to 499 in 2021. See spread sheet

Dogs and people

Many of the people who are accompanied by their four-footed companions are responsible dog people. Their dogs are leashed, and their excrement is bagged and removed. As a rule, they control their dogs and don’t let them run off the trail. Thank you for being mindful and doing your part in preserving the canyon and attempting to keep it safe for its wild inhabitants.

Unfortunately, most of the dogs are uncontrolled and race off the trails. All of these dogs have people trailing a distance behind them. During the 13-day study period in 2021, 62 dogs were filmed running off-leash while only 40 sported leashes. The off-leash dogs tore through the canyon, chasing deer and other wildlife and destroying dusky-footed woodrat homes.

Dogs running off leash comparison for same 13 day period in 2019 and 2021. 1 dog ran off leash in 2019, 62 in 2021. See spread sheet.

The dusky-footed woodrat has been designated a species of special concern. This special mammal lives in the canyon and is the main reason that the canyon is not allowed to be developed. Their homes can be 60 to 70 years old—and up to 6 feet high.

Dusky-footed woodrat home

Although it took years for dusky-footed woodrats to construct this home, it probably took less than a minute for it to be destroyed.

Destroyed Dusky Footed Wood Rat home

The wild animals have left

The increase of people and uncontrolled dogs may not be the whole story—there might be other factors that also contribute to the wild animals vacating the area. Although correlation does not imply causation, based on the comparison of videos from the same time periods for the two years as well as the reports from other nature preserves and parks, the upsurge of people, off-leash dogs and bicyclists are most likely the primary reason for the wild animals to now avoid the trail.

Wildlife sightings comparison for same 13 day period in 2019 and 2021. 46 Wild animals were filmed in 2019, 18 in 2021.See spread sheet

I realize that people want to see me post videos of the latest wildlife that uses the trails. I can’t post any for you simply because there aren’t any. Although the wild animals are conspicuously absent from around the canyon trail, every week we have hundreds of new videos that are populated only with people, dogs and bicyclists. The cams are purposely aimed at an angle to avoid recording faces—we do see legs, knees and shoes. And the cams regularly film people engaged in a range of mostly healthy activities including walking, running, exercising, singing and dancing. Sometimes unexplained events are also filmed such as these people carrying shovels. I hope they are using those shovels to fill in the areas on the trail that now have erosion issues and that they aren’t removing native plants. And why move the stick?

Thousands of videos filmed in the canyon since 2018 chronicle the usual seasonal cycles of the wildlife. Unfortunately, they’ve also recorded a huge decrease of wild animals on the trail. Based on the data comparisons from the two years, it appears that the consequence of increasing human activities, especially dogs running loose into the fragile habitats has driven the wild animals to abandon the areas around our canyon trails.

*San Francisco dusky-footed woodrat, California red-legged frog, pallid, bat, potential nesting grounds for coopers hawk, white-tailed kite and yellow warbler from EIR Report, December 2008 Impact Science, Inc

Marilyn is a certified cat behavior consultant (The Cat Coach, LLC). Not surprisingly, she’s fascinated by feline behaviors. This started with household cats and then after witnessing a puma being killed a few blocks from her home in the suburbs, expanded to include local mountain lions and bobcats. A few years after the tragedy, she joined the Bay Area Puma Project/Felidae Conservation Fund, maintaining trail cameras, writing and helping wherever she can, while learning how urbanization is affecting the apex predators’ behaviors.

She is also an author and educator. Her book Naughty No More! focuses on solving cat behavior issues through clicker training, environmental changes as well as other positive reinforcement techniques. She gives presentations throughout the United States as well as writes columns and articles for a variety of venues. She is also frequently interviewed for print and online publications. Additionally, Marilyn is a frequent guest on television and radio and has appeared, along with her Bengals and Savannah Cat on Animal Planet, CBS, ABC, KGO and others.

Join Marilyn for lively discussions about all things feline on her Facebook page.

The post Where are the Wild Animals? appeared first on Urban Edge Wildlife.

Despite the canyon being only 93 acres, hemmed in by homes and roads, it’s a complete eco-system where plants and animals are interdependent. The death of one organism means many others will live. The lesson hit home a couple of weeks ago when a small deer was killed by a predator. For 2 weeks, we aimed a trail camera at the carcass to see who benefited from the kill.  Although sad, the deer helped sustain life in the canyon, feeding a variety of wildlife including coyotes, vultures, crows and others.

The carcass provided meals for many hungry animals, including stunning vultures, crows and other raptors. Check out the impressive wings on this vulture—beautiful bird.

Most likely, Coyote 09M and his mate killed the deer. They frequently showed up over a span of 10 days to eat. Although sad, the doe’s death was not in vain.

Humor and frustration on the trail

There were also some light hearted moments in the canyon this month—mostly provided by the deer.

One of the resident bucks is dressed for the season—the first thing that caught my attention was his looking through the hole in the leaf that covered his eye. In addition to this plant bedecked boy, the cameras caught another buck with moss stuck between his antlers. Although I don’t know a lot about the amorous activities of deer, I know it’s rutting season. I’m guessing that he’s a bit frustrated and may be venting by slamming into vegetation. This video was filmed after he was rebuffed by a doe he was relentlessly pursuing.  Or, perhaps he’s using the local vegetation to scratch off the itchy velvet on his horns.

Buck #2 with moss on his head.

Taking a rest—right in front of the camera.

Wildlife highlights: deer ears

Check out these ears.

Wildlife highlights: deer nose

This post wouldn’t be complete without an ungulate’s nose.

The usual cast of characters

There are other wildlife highlights this month that are worth mentioning.

Coyote 09M and mate

09M and his mate are stunning. If it wasn’t for the shape of 09M’s mate’s snout and her tail, it’s easy to see how at first glance, she might be mistaken for a German Shepherd Dog. Someone recently posted on a neighborhood list about a loose GSD. I wonder if this is who she saw.

Foxes

What a treat—two foxes! The cams, rarely filming them in the canyon, recorded them 6 times in the last 2 weeks. Typically, foxes avoid areas where there are coyotes. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the last couple of weeks the coyotes haven’t been caught by the main cameras. They’ve been hanging out near the carcass and in an area where there is an abundance of rabbits.

Bobcats

Is she pregnant or maybe she just had a full meal?

A highly photogenic bobcat.

The first few weeks of October were full of wildlife highlights worthy of posting. I hope that the last week will be as active. After checking the cameras, I left special Halloween non-food enrichment presents for the animals to find.

Marilyn Krieger, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant (The Cat Coach, LLC® ) and author of Naughty No More! helps solve cat behavior challenges nationally and internationally through on site and remote consultations. Her fascination with cat behaviors began with household cats and quickly expanded to include wild felids.

Marilyn enjoys educating people about cat behavior. She gives presentations throughout the United States as well as writes columns and articles for a variety of venues. Additionally Marilyn is a frequent guest on television and radio. She has appeared, along with her Bengals and Savannah Cat on Animal Planet, CBS,  ABC, KGO and others.

Join Marilyn for lively discussions about all things felid on her Facebook page

The post Wildlife Highlights from the Canyon appeared first on Urban Edge Wildlife.

Mountain lion

This large male puma is a regular visitor to the canyon–he shows up about every two to three months. This time he didn’t stick around very long.

He usually stays in the canyon for a few days after he’s killed a deer. Typically, mountain lions cache their meals, covering them with leaves and debris and then return to eat them over a period of a few days.

Not too long after our cameras filmed these videos, a lion was found on the freeway above the canyon. I worried that it was him–it wasn’t. Although I’m thankful, I’m also sad.

Coyote 09M

09M hasn’t been filmed for a few weeks, for that matter, no coyotes have been caught on camera. I’m glad to see he’s still around. I think he’s favoring the open space over the canyon now because there are more rabbits there.

Deer

Neat video of one of the resident does framed by a garden spider and web. A rabbit behind her caught her attention.

Bobcats

We continue to get some great footage of the local bobcats.

Additional Bay Area Puma Project cameras

I just signed on to monitor wildlife cameras in two more locations. Both places are rich in a variety of wildlife. Unlike the canyon trail, very few people are able to access these places—keys and codes are needed. These places are special—they are seldom visited by humans so the animals don’t have to adjust their schedules in order to avoid people.

Mountain lion

Nice picture of a mountain lion taking a stroll.

Fox

There are lots of foxes in both of the new locations.

Birds

There seems to be more turkeys around–every year I see more crossing the roads. From what I’ve read, they’re contributing to the demise of our local birds–they raid nests and eat the eggs.

The post September Videos and Pictures appeared first on Urban Edge Wildlife.

Along with the reduction in predators, the cameras have only caught a couple of woodrats and rabbits—favorite menu items for coyotes and bobcats.  Hopefully this is just a natural cycle and not a situation influenced by humans.  Wildlife, when left to their own devices, are efficient conservationists. Predators have large territories that include different areas with abundant prey. After chowing down on available prey in one area, they move to another good hunting area in their territories. They don’t eat all of the prey—there are always some that escape the hungry predators, quickly reproducing and repopulating the area over time.

Bobcats

We almost stepped into a pile of poop last week next to the primary camera. Some animal had purposely scraped and defecated in the middle of the trail, marking territory. I thought either a bobcat, fox or a Chihuahua. One of the other cameras cleared up the mystery.

Another way bobcats mark is by spraying. This is a popular spot that bobcats spray almost every time they go by it. This short trail, ends at the edge of the creek next to a clear pool of water.

Check out this bob crossing the busy street during rush hour traffic.

Wow! Impressive canines.

Bobcat walking to the creek

Coyotes

I’m glad to see that 09M is sticking around the canyon. Although the cameras film him frequently, lately, they’ve rarely caught him with his mate. It’s also been about one month since we last recorded the puppies.

Deer

A sharp, loud noise startled this deer. Turn up the sound and listen to the beginning of the video, it sounds like a gun. What do you think?

One of the canyon’s resident deer attempts to cross the busy road. She does this often, but this time is startled back by a car. Good for her, she’s cautious and has street smarts.

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Bobcat love

A couple of months before the video showed her in the advanced stages of pregnancy, the mom-to-be had at least one suitor. Although adult bobcats, like most felids, are solitary and self-reliant, they solicit the company of the opposite sex during their breeding seasons. Adult female bobcats are receptive to males for only a few days during their cycles. The whole neighborhood is aware when bobcats are looking for boyfriends because they fervently advertise for them through loud, distinctive caterwauling. In addition to long distance calling, scent marking, scraping and physical posturing helps get the word out. It’s not just the girls who are on the make, adult males also verbalize their desires and ardently scent mark in high profile spots, such as the center of trails.

Both sexes mark using urine and feces—the frequency increases with the urgency to mate. The feces and urine of females contain chemicals that broadcast their receptive reproductive state to available males. They also scrape the ground with their back paws and then urinate or defecate in the scrape. It seems that there is an increase in bobcat feces deposited in the middle of the trail during breeding seasons. Another way they mark is by rubbing objects with their cheeks—there are glands on the felids cheeks and the corners of their mouths that produce pheromones.

Typically, breeding season is between February and April, but depending on the climate and the environment, love can occur any time. When liaisons are fruitful, kittens are born on an average of 63 days later.

New life in the canyon

Shortly before her kittens were born, the expectant mom found a well hidden spot to deliver them. The birthing den was up the side of the canyon, overlooking the creek. It was in a dry sheltered spot, either in a hollowed out stump or a place protected by brush. She chose the location for safety and it was near a rich hunting area. In late May or early June, three adorable bobcat kittens became part of canyon life.

Like all felids, the bobcat kittens were born helpless, relying on their mum for food and warmth. Although their eyes were closed and they couldn’t hear, the neonates were guided to their first meals by the vibration of their mum’s purr. In addition to functioning as a navigation system, purring helps keep kittens relatively undetected by hungry predators. Predators are less likely to hear vibrational purrs, whereas squeaks, meows and chirps are readily picked up by their sensitive ears.

Young bobcat kitten

Life as a single parent

Bobcat mums are single parents—they must feed, protect and teach kittens the art of survival without help. It’s not an easy job to do in a dangerous environment. Although well camouflaged by their spotted coats, the little ones are vulnerable and might be found by other resident predators. Also, male bobs, including the kittens’ fathers, are notorious for killing little ones—doing so brings the female into estrus again.

Growing kittens demand lots of nourishment. Typically, they nurse for seven to eight weeks and then begin eating fresh meat.  While mom was away on hunting forays, the kittens stayed close together, not venturing far from the protection of the den. Periodically she moved them to other shelters she had previously scoped out that were safer, cleaner and had plenty of prey nearby.

The bobcat kittens learn survival lessons

The kittens were around eleven or twelve weeks old when they started accompanying their mum out on the trail. It’s her job to teach them the lessons that will help them survive in a harsh environment. They had lots to learn.

The youngsters had to be alert and obey their mum’s visual and verbal signals. Their lives depended on it. Flicks from her short tail, ear movements, body language along with chirps, mews and growls signaled when to wait, hide, follow and run. They also served as warnings as well as other communiqués. Check out this video and turn up the sound. Mamma bobcat signals visually and verbally to her youngsters to wait and then to proceed after she does a security check at the fork of the trail.

Not all bobcat kittens survive into adulthood. Our little family didn’t beat the odds. One of the three didn’t make it, possibly falling victim to a coyote. Early one morning, the cameras filmed the mom hurrying up the trail towards the den, carrying a red shouldered hawk firmly in her mouth. A few hours later, a coyote trotted from the direction of the den, clutching the same bird. After that incident, the cams recorded only two kittens.

The canyon kittens, like all felid neonates, weren’t born successful hunters. Hunting is a skill they had to learn. One effective teaching tool is play. In addition to being fun, playing with siblings as well as mom helped them develop coordination and learn the finely tuned skills of waiting, stalking, pouncing and catching prey.

When the little bobs were mature enough, mom gave them another lesson which helped develop their hunting skills. She dropped a wounded woodrat in front of them to pounce on, catch, kill and eat.

The bobcat kittens are evicted

The little family stayed together for about 9-10 months. By that time the kittens had honed their hunting skills and learned how to survive in a competitive environment. School ended, lessons were learned and it was time for them to leave their mum.  She made it clear with growls that they were being evicted—the little female was in estrus again and male bobcats were courting her. Although, sad to watch the two adolescents being rebuffed, her actions may have saved them from having serious confrontations with her male suitors. For awhile after the rejection, the siblings were periodically filmed together on the trail. Finally they dispersed to find their own territories. Males typically disperse further than the girls. Girl bobs sometimes claim areas that are adjacent to their mothers. We hope they’ve learned their lessons well and live long, healthy lives.

This year’s liaisons between the girl bob and her boyfriends were successful. A couple of months ago the wildlife cameras filmed the little bobcat again going through the stages of pregnancy. If she hasn’t already, soon she’ll have another family to protect, teach and feed. We’re looking forward to seeing her again on the trail with a new litter of kittens following close behind.

Sources

Hanson, K. (2007) Bobcat Master of Survival (Oxford University Press)

Ryden, H. (1981) Bobcat Year (Lyons & Burford)

Sunquest and Sunquist. (2002) Wild Cats of the World (University of Chicago Press)

Join Marilyn for lively discussions about different Feline species on her Facebook page.

Marilyn is a certified cat behavior consultant. Not surprisingly, she’s fascinated by feline behaviors. Her interest in felid behaviors began with household cats, but then after witnessing a puma being killed a few blocks from her home in the suburbs, expanded to include local mountain lions and bobcats. A few years after the tragedy, she joined the Bay Area Puma Project/Felidae Conservation Fund, maintaining trail cameras, writing and helping wherever she can, while learning how urbanization is affecting the apex predators’ behaviors.

She is also an author and educator. Her book Naughty No More! focuses on solving cat behavior issues through clicker training, environmental changes as well as other positive reinforcement techniques. She gives presentations throughout the United States as well as writes columns and articles for a variety of venues. She is also frequently interviewed for print and on line publications. Additionally Marilyn is a frequent guest on television and radio and has appeared, along with her Bengals and Savannah Cat on Animal Planet, CBS, ABC, KGO and others.

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Bobcats on the trail. Photo by Marilyn Krieger/FelidaeFund

Like all felids, bobcats and feral cats are territorial. Patrolling and marking their home ranges ups the odds of surviving in harsh environments. Although there are similarities in how the two species choose and live in them, there are also differences.

Ideal neighborhoods

Felids don’t randomly choose where to live. They’re very picky—selecting areas that have an abundance of prey or other sources of food. They also look for habitats with lots of vegetation and other natural features that help up the odds of fruitful hunts and temporary cover. The proximity of other predators, roads and people also restrains the location and the size of ranges.

Safe spaces

Bobcats and feral cats have special spots in their ranges that they use consistently. They’re the safe, inner sanctums and include well hidden shelters for birthing and raising kittens, secure places for napping, as well as reliable sources for food and water. They’re not in permanent places—often felids relocate and have a number of these safe areas. Predators, a reduction in food, weather changes, people as well as soiled dens are a few of the motivations behind moving operations.

Although bobcat moms have more than one den, they don’t move kittens until they’re about 6 weeks old—unless predators or other threats are knocking on the door.  The surrounding home ranges are buffer zones—they include good hunting spots as well as other resources. Felids, including bobcats and ferals, make the rounds, patrolling and marking their ranges on a regular basis. Marking reduces conflicts with other felids—in theory, less energy is spent defending their home ranges.

Feral cat patrolling and marking. Photo from Shutterstock

Bobcat perspective

The size of home ranges aren’t fixed in stone. They may be less than a square mile to more than 35 square miles. When prey is scarce, then the areas the bobcats patrol are larger. Hungry bobs have to travel further to eat. When there is an abundance of prey nearby, range sizes shrink. Bobcats are natural prey regulators—when an area has been over-hunted, bobs focus their hunting on other spots in their ranges that are rich in food. This gives prey a chance to rebound. We’ve observed this with our cameras—they recorded a large fluctuation in the population of dusky-footed woodrats after the bobcat kittens were born and a bonded pair of coyotes began patrolling the trail. For a few months last year the cameras filmed an abundance of woodrats. After the bobs and coyotes increased, their numbers plummeted.

Male bobcats usually have much larger ranges than the girls—two-five times larger. For obvious reasons, their ranges overlap the girls’. Bobcat boys being bobcat boys, their ranges include those of more than one female—the 3 cameras on the trail have recorded two adult females and one male.

Girl bobs don’t tolerate boys in their core zones when they’re giving birth and raising young ones. Most of the time females avoid the boys except when they’re advertising for male company.

Girl bobs have less tolerance for their own sex then they do for the opposite sex. But, depending on the abundance of prey, their ranges often butt up against female relatives. They’re masters of time sharing—they patrol and hunt overlapping areas, but never at the same time. Mothers, grandmothers, sisters and daughters recognize each other’s familial scent. Other unknown females who aren’t recognized are driven off.

No one, not even close relatives, are allowed in the inner-sanctums, the core use areas where kittens are born, raised and taught important life skills.

Habitat fragmentation

Avoiding run-ins with people is at the top of the list. Busy roads on two sides and homes on the rim of this 93 acre canyon hem in and fragment their habitat, making it difficult and stressful for bobs and other wildlife to access the nearby wild areas. Bobs cross the roads and slip through neighborhood yards late at night and early morning when there is less chance of encountering people. One of our cameras, located next to the road filmed the mom bobcat at 6:00 AM, carrying prey in her mouth as she crossed the street to the canyon.

Feral cat perspective

Whole feral males, like male bobcats, claim ranges that are much larger than the queens. Feral boys being feral boys, their ranges overlap the girls’ ranges. Queens actively avoid toms except when they’re loudly soliciting for flirtatious encounters.

Unlike female bobs who don’t tolerate members of their own sex, feral queens’ share their core territories with other girls. These include colonies populated with other adult females and their kittens. No toms are allowed. Residents are related—they’re sisters, aunts, mothers, daughters and granddaughters. Girls recognize each other through the familial scent that is shared through mutual grooming. Communal living with relatives has many benefits. Queens look after each other’s kittens and there is safety in numbers. They successfully defend the colony from predators and toms.

Feral queens’ share their core territories with other girls. Photo by Jerry Wang

There’s a higher density of feral cats living on the urban edge than there are bobcats. Because of their high numbers and limited areas to live, ferals share and overlap ranges more than bobs do. By necessity, ferals have evolved to be more tolerant of each other and they’ve perfected the art of avoidance. They mark key spots in their ranges with excrement and they deposit pheromones by scratching and rubbing objects. The system works most of the time. Through marking they usually can avoid confrontations with each other—unless there are females looking for boyfriends. Then, all bets are off.

Feral cats have a different relationship with urban life than bobcats do. Although, they usually keep their distance from people, they benefit from living near us. Often the best food choices are found around homes, restaurants and other peopled areas. In addition to having a choice of rats and mice who feast on garbage, cat lovers often serve the cats meals on a regular basis.

Most people can live their whole lives without seeing a bobcat in its natural environment, whereas feral cats are frequently seen by everyone.

Feral cats enjoying a feast. Photo by Bonnie Kittle

Life isn’t easy for wild cats. Felids, including bobcats and ferals need reliable sources of food, water and safe places to shelter and birth kittens. It’s a competitive world—in addition to challenges from conspecifics, other predators compete for the same resources. In order to survive, wild felids, defend and patrol ranges that are rich in the resources so essential to survival. Although there are similarities, there are also differences in how each species lives and defends them.

Please check out my Facebook page The Cat Coach.  It’s about all things cat—wild and domestic…

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It’s not always in the best interests for predators to have unintended encounters with other predators. Meetings can end badly with individuals being hurt and sometimes killed. Predators need ways to define territories, identify family members as well as advertise for mates. And, these communication systems have to work remotely. The messages need to be clear for minutes, hours, sometimes days after being strategically placed.

Sharing a limited area

The little canyon is only 93 acres. Houses at the rim and two busy roads surround the wild area. One of the roads separates the canyon from an expansive, natural habitat that is enclosed by fences. Although predators and ungulates make regular forays back and forth across the road, wildlife has to adjust their behaviors in order to share the limited area in the canyon.

Predators communicate through scent marking

Scent marking is an effective form of communication, broadcasting a variety of messages including when individuals patrol the trail. It helps predators, including bobcats, coyotes and an occasional mountain lion, time share the path with a minimum of unplanned encounters. They mark by spraying, urinating, defecating and scraping in prominent spots. In addition to excrement, felids distribute their scent by scratching objects, face rubbing and head butting.

Scent marking is similar to leaving time-stamped calling cards. Scent glands release pheromones that other animals detect. They broadcast dossiers of information about the markers along with their intentions. In addition to delineating territories, scent identifies individuals, their health, sex, and whether they’re ready to rendezvous with a member of the opposite sex. The freshness of the mark time stamps the visit.

Wildlife kiosk

One of our cameras is positioned to record predators marking at the same site. The wildlife cam is facing a popular wildlife intersection that is frequently visited by multiple species. It captures videos of coyotes, bobcats and domestic dogs sniffing the spot and then leaving their individual calling cards that are detected by the next animal making his/her rounds. Most predators spend time checking the marked spot, but not all leave calling cards.

The camera repeatedly catches the same coyote pair on patrol. They take turns urinating in the same spot. Hours later, a solitary coyote usually checks out the smell and then hurries up the path without marking.  We’ve seen the same behavior from bobcats.

Four to five bobcats frequent the intersection. One male and a female with her two kittens are regularly recorded. The male is typically solitary, whereas the female is often in the company of her kittens, unless she’s hunting. We’ve seen the kittens develop from when they were a couple of months old. The larger kitten has recently become interested in the marked spot. Although he (we are assuming this is a male) hasn’t left his calling card, he thoroughly checks out the scents.

It’s not just the wild animals who are fascinated with the virtual sign post. The trail is popular with people and their dogs. The camera documents dogs sniffing and then urinating over the marks left by their wild coyote cousins and bobcats. People who walk their dogs daily on the trail probably don’t think about why their dogs choose that particular spot to mark.

The scent markings also serve as alerts for animals down the food chain who are potential meals. Even with built-in artillery, this skunk doesn’t stay long. He takes a whiff and makes a quick getaway.

Household predators

Our sweet companion cats engage in many of the same instinctual behaviors that their wild felid cousins do. Scent is important to them as well—they mark for the same reasons and ways their cousins do. In addition to facial rubs, head butting and scratching objects, whole domestic and feral cats will mark with urine and feces (spaying and neutering household cats usually stops them from marking with excreta).

Natural habitats are shrinking. Highways cut through territories, buildings encroach on wild areas. Urbanization has greatly reduced the wild lands that are the homes for many animal species. In order to survive, animals must adjust to the shrinking lands. Predators who are territorial, need to share the land—scent marking is one of the effective ways that they can share the same space, but not necessarily at the same time.

Please check out my Facebook page The Cat Coach.  It’s about all things cat…

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