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.

The trail camera was strategically placed

The stolen camera was recently placed strategically for research. We are collecting data about the mountain lions and bobcats and I am writing about their behaviors. My articles are based on the videos of wildlife that are memorialized by the cameras, including the one stolen from us.

A mountain lion mum and her growing cub periodically traverse the canyon. They are very adept at never being seen by people who use the trails—but the cameras see them. Recently Bay Area Puma Project/Felidaefund, as part of a broader DNA study, brought a scent dog into the canyon for the sole purpose of locating and collecting mountain lion scat for genetic and health research. The spot I placed the stolen trail camera is one of the areas the scent dog identified as a puma latrine. My next article, which I was working on before the camera was stolen, will focus on puma scat and the working scent dog.

Our trail cameras document wildlife

This canyon cannot be developed for any reason—it must be protected and remain wild. It is part of a network of other shrinking open spaces that wildlife relies on in order to access resources for survival and persistence. The canyon is also fortunate to shelter some special species of concern. These animals and their canyon habitat are protected: the county will not allow development of any sort to occur there. Our cameras are positioned to document the diverse animal species in the canyon as they live their lives and navigate between the fragmented open spaces.

Before the trail camera was stolen, it often filmed the dusky-footed wood rat–one of the species of special concern. This is one of their homes.

Community support

After years of filming, monitoring and writing about the canyon wildlife, we know that the majority of the residents support our work. Based on neighborly conversations through the years, we believe that most of you treasure the canyon and understand the importance of preserving it. Clearly, you love and respect the environment and understand the adverse impacts that urbanization has on wildlife. Unfortunately, at least one local person doesn’t feel the same way, if he did, our equipment would not have been stolen. I just don’t understand why someone felt entitled to steal our camera. The theft was not done on an impulse. The cam was secured to a tree with a locked, steel cable, a security box and a padlock.

To the neighbor who stole the camera: do the right thing, either return the trail camera, the memory card and the security box or pay for them. Place them at the base of the tree from where you cut the cable and stole them. Unfortunately, because of your theft, the valuable night footage cannot be replaced. Please support us, instead of hindering our research.

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.

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

The post Why Steal a Wildlife Research Trail Camera? appeared first on Urban Edge Wildlife.

It’s always a delight to review the memory cards. Sometimes all we see are people, dogs and deer, other days, we are treated to videos of bobcats, the occasional mountain lion, coyotes and dusky footed woodrats.

During the last 10 days, bobcat kittens, rabbits and deer were the trail cams urban wildlife stars. The largest predators that were recorded were adult bobcats. Mountain lions, coyotes and foxes did not venture in front of the cameras.

Bobcat kitten

A bobcat kitten was repeatedly filmed bopping up and down the trail for a couple of days. The little one was not accompanied by mum or siblings—perhaps he was separated from his family. I hope that this baby eventually reunited with his mum. He’s too young and vulnerable to be out alone.

The next day he’s filmed again, but this time heading in the opposite direction on the trail. There are five more videos of this sweet baby alone.

Something startled this youngster. He might be the same little solitary bobcat kitten from a few days ago, but the ruff around his face seems more prominent than the kitten’s. This little one is so frightened, he momentarily freezes in place, then hurries away, keeping as low to the ground as possible, trying not to be seen. No possible threats were recorded before or after.

More bobcats

This gorgeous bobcat is frequently filmed near the creek. Check out the stripes on the inside of his back legs.

Deer

Deer are frequent visitors, often whole families show up, looking for vegetation to munch on.

Possum

These prehistoric looking marsupials fill an important niche in the eco-system. They are cleanup crews, eating an assortment of stuff, dead and alive, including garbage, snails and mice. Thank them—they also eat ticks. Unfortunately, the cams haven’t filmed any possums with babies riding on their backs.

Rabbit

There is at least one rabbit who lives at the fork in the trail. It’s amazing he hasn’t caught the eye of the resident predators. Rabbits are part of the diets of bobcats, coyotes and raptors. Usually he’s filmed at night, seldom during the day. I am rooting for his continual survival.

Protect the urban wildlife

Thank you to those of you who appreciate wildlife and understand the importance of keeping your dogs on leashes, not allowing them to run through the fragile habitats. You set a good example.

The cameras give us small windows for viewing the fragile eco-system. They let us glimpse vignettes of canyon wildlife and how it’s impacted by humans as well as natural events.

Marilyn is a certified cat behavior consultant. 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 A Ten day Glimpse of Urban Wildlife in the Canyon 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.

Two mature males fighting–it’s rutting season

During the months of September, October and November, the cameras recorded enough wildlife activity to see the effects that natural and manmade events have on the canyon eco-system. Devastating wildfires, drought, dogs running through sensitive and vulnerable habitats, poisons, apex predator changes and the season greatly impacted all the canyon residents.

Mountain lion

Mountain lions aren’t new visitors to the canyon. The cameras have filmed puma activity here since they were set up three years ago. Until recently, pumas were recorded walking the trails and occasionally marking about every three months. The canyon has probably always attracted them because of the abundance of their favorite food—deer.

The first mountain lion I wrote about was “Slim”, she died after she ingested second-generation rodenticide. After her death, other lions occasionally ventured into the canyon. That changed in August when the devastating wildfires drove the animals to seek safety from the deadly smoke and flames. Many found sanctuary in the canyon and by necessity, had to share the 90 acres with the already established residents. Last August, one male puma found the canyon an ideal spot to hang out for a few months—there was an abundance of deer as well as places to shelter. Since 90 acres is too small of an area for a mountain lion, he’d travel outside the canyon into the neighborhood late nights and early mornings. On November 25th, his regular appearances stopped.

I received a text late on Thanksgiving evening. It was a short text, stating that there was a dead mountain lion on Interstate 280, not too far from the canyon. We searched the freeway for hours without finding the carcass.  At first light the next day, I continued the search, walking the area, looking in the underbrush, but with no luck. It’s possible that the body was picked up by CalTrans the day before. Sadly, since Thanksgiving, none of my trail cams or the neighborhood security cameras have filmed the canyon mountain lion on his usual patrols. Although, I’m holding out hope that I’ll see him again, the odds are that his life was prematurely cut short on Thanksgiving Eve. Tragically many of our beautiful mountain lions along with other extraordinary wild animals lose their lives on the highways.

Bobcats

The trail cameras are usually packed with videos featuring bobcats. I’ve learned to recognize individuals from the unique patterns of spots on their legs. Earlier this year, a young resident female, who was born in 2018, had three kittens. This may have been her first litter, only one kitten survived. The other two may have fallen victim to other predators, vehicles or second-generation rodenticides. Kittens are vulnerable.

Bobcats, like most felids, live alone, hobnobbing with other bobs in only a few circumstances. Not surprisingly, when females are in estrus they hang out with the future fathers of their kittens. Bobcat moms have difficult jobs. They must keep their kittens safe, provide food for them as well as teach them important survival skills necessary for living in a dangerous world. It’s hard work and the mums have to do it alone. The little families usually stay together about 9-12 months, then the adolescents disperse, leaving mum’s protection to look for their own territories. Often when kittens disperse, siblings stick together for awhile, than finally go their separate ways.

The resident bobcat in the following video knows she’s not alone. Check out how she is walking and glancing to the left. Look at her tail, especially when she starts to crouch down. At the end of the video there is a second bobcat that appears at the upper left of the screen. I’m fairly certain that this is an admirer.

Deer dramas

The canyon has always been full of deer –there is an abundance of vegetation to munch on as well as a creek to drink from. Although the deer attract coyotes and mountain lions, it’s worth the risk for food.

Fall is usually a dramatic time for deer, especially for mature males. It’s rutting season; bucks have an increase in testosterone and the does may come into estrus. Mature males are amorous and challenge other competing males for the affections of the does. One of the cameras was in the right place at the right moment and filmed a violent encounter between two bucks and boy did they get into a rumble. It’s rare to catch such extraordinary action.

Bucks don’t fool around—these are violent fights that often result in injuries that can end in death. One of the bucks sustained a serious injury to his side. I hope he survives.

Disappearance of Coyote 09M and his pack

The presence as well as the absence of apex predators influences all of the resident and transient wildlife. It’s not a coincidence that when the canyon cams repeatedly film mountain lions, they don’t film coyotes. Most likely, not wanting to confront a puma, the coyotes moved outside the 90 acres favoring a safer, open space. Soon after the male puma started favoring the canyon, Coyote 09M, his mate and puppies disappeared. I hope they are safe.

Although 09M has not been seen, we filmed a fascinating sequence of a coyote hunting an underground rodent not too far from the canyon. Coyotes are amazing. Their hearing is so acute they can hear rodents scampering and squeaking in their tunnels deep underground. The first video shows the coyote hearing the rodents—note how he turns his head to listen.

After the coyote is certain that there is a possible meal under his feet he starts digging. The whole sequence is about three minutes long. Hunts aren’t always successful—he didn’t catch a rodent this time.

More wildlife in the canyon

Since 09M and his pack have moved out of the canyon, other animals are either moving in or feeling bold and venturing out more. Foxes are now running up the trail almost every night. Check out that tail!

There is always an abundance of squirrels, but this poor squirrel is furless. He might be suffering with notoedric mange or inflicted with a genetic condition or perhaps he has a fungal infection. He seems to have fur only on his tail. We also have videos of a squirrel with fur on his body but not on his tail.

Thank the Dusky-footed Woodrat for the preservation of the canyon. Because of them, there can be no development here. These precious animals are listed as a California Subspecies of Special Concern. And, they really are special. After 09M claimed the canyon they were rarely seen. Although bobcats and foxes also dine on them, since the coyotes have vacated the canyon, the woodrats are frequently being filmed.

The cameras show how busy this little canyon is. Every day people walk and jog on the narrow trail that follows the creek through the center of the canyon. Although they enjoy spending time in this small natural space, most of the people are unaware of the rich drama that is continually unfolding around them—how can they know? The wildlife in the canyon instinctually adjusts schedules and routes in order to avoid humans. Because of the images from the cameras we can see some of the dramas and the impact of natural and human-made events on the sensitive eco-system.

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 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 A Snapshot of Wildlife in the Canyon: Fall of 2020 appeared first on Urban Edge Wildlife.

After George died, the usual vibrant colors on the trail became dull

Life continues on

Despite the traumas and the natural and human made disasters that affect our world, life continues. In the midst of devastation, wildlife does its best to adapt, survive and regenerate. The life dramas in my favorite canyon still unfold and are continually recorded by my trail cameras. It’s all there, objectively imprinted on little memory cards which are copied and saved into the cloud. Thousands of 15-20 second videos document expected natural wildlife scenarios as well as the reactions of animals to unexpected events such as wildfires and the human responses to the pandemic.

Pandemic reset button

In addition to hoarding toilet paper during the initial pandemic months, people rarely ventured far from their back yards and front doors. Everyone was in lockdown. Streets became deserted, restaurants and businesses temporarily closed, downtowns were abandoned.  Urban centers transformed into ghost towns. Earth seemed to take note of the lack of human activity and momentarily reset herself. For the first time in years, the predominant sounds were bird calls and gentle breezes. The skies transformed into a rich blue and the mountains were no longer shrouded in brown smog. The air was so clear that the rock formations on the Farallon Islands were visible from the coast all day.  Many animals also responded to the absence of humans, changing their patterns and schedules, venturing into cities and neighborhoods at all hours.* This wasn’t just a local phenomenon, it was the same story throughout the world.

The memory cards were rich with images. They recorded more than the usual residents. Species that we’ve never seen before in the canyon were filmed. The animal’s schedules also changed—many, who before Covid-19 were typically recorded only late at night and early mornings, were filmed at all hours. Wild turkeys showed up and there was an increase in visits from coyote 09M, his mate and a couple of pups. Bobcats made a number of appearances regardless of the time of day. Although it proved to be a temporary re-wilding, it was refreshing to see.

People wanted out

The re-wilding was temporary. There’s only so long that humans can maintain their sanity restricted to their homes. At first, binge watching on Netflix, cleaning closets and socializing on Zoom help distract and eat up the hours, but after a couple months it took an emotional and psychological toll. Desperate to return to normalcy, people started driving again and they also searched for green places to walk. The local canyon trail was a little slice of wild almost in their back yards. Wanting to connect with nature, they over-crowded the trails.

Most everyone was respectful, keeping to the trails, enjoying nature and not tossing trash around. Many brought dogs with them—the majority of the dog people were responsible, keeping them leashed, on the trails and cleaning up after them. One conscientious walker unknowingly scooped up and bagged Coyote 09M’s poop—other predators may have appreciated the gesture. The cameras filmed it all.

The wildlife cams also caught walkers who let their dogs run off leash. Dogs were recorded trampling sensitive habitats and scaring the wildlife. The impact was immediately obvious—only a few wild animals were filmed.

Please be respectful and protective of the few wild areas that are left. Keep your dogs on leash—don’t let them run loose. It makes a big difference for the wildlife. Between our human developments and California’s wildfires, their habitats are dramatically shrinking.

The disasters keep coming

4 million acres have burned in California this year and it’s only the beginning of the fire season.  One of the fires, the CZU Lightning Complex Fire began the morning of August 16^th. It burned more than 86,500 acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties and was finally contained on September 22nd. Tragically, many animals perished while others fled for their lives—finding sanctuary in the remaining open spaces, near urban centers and in small patches of undeveloped wild spaces, including the little 90 acre canyon.

Because of the devastating fires that burned throughout the state, the quality of the air deteriorated. For weeks it hovered between hazardous and very unhealthy, sending people back into their homes where they could breathe. For a few days, the San Francisco Bay Area had the worse air quality in the world, some locations topping 500. During this time the cameras recorded an upsurge in animals and a decline in people. One lion was filmed frequently on all of my cameras. He hung around for about 3 weeks, having plenty to eat because the deer were abundant. Predators follow their food and venison is the mountain lion’s favorite meal. Note that this stunning lion is easy to distinguish because of the markings on his cheek.

Not surprisingly, very few coyotes were filmed while the lion favored the canyon. Although both are apex predators, lions are a threat to coyotes so they will avoid confrontations with the larger predator. The bobcats did stick around though; a number of them were filmed, including a little bobcat family. Originally there were 3 kittens in this family, unfortunately, only one survived.

During the last 8 months, the world turned upside down, and not in a good way. Every event, whether natural or manmade has repercussions on the environment and the eco-system—everything is impacted. Although, there are positive consequences, there is an over-abundance of negative ones.  It may seem out of our control, but there’s plenty we can do as individuals. Even though change needs to occur at government and corporate levels, we individuals can also make a difference. Actions as simple as picking up trash, keeping dogs on leashes in sensitive habitats, using renewable resources, recycling and planting trees are examples of a few activities that each of us can do that will help heal the earth.

*The Bay Area Puma Project is analyzing data they’ve collected of how wildlife responded the pandemic. Additionally they are tracking how the fires are impacting displaced animals and the disruption to animals in neighboring habitats.

Marilyn Krieger, CCBC, 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 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 everything feline on her Facebook page

The post The World Turned Upside Down appeared first on Urban Edge Wildlife.

The wildlife in the little canyon, like in other open spaces that are squeezed in by urbanization, must adapt and adjust to shrinking habitats that are increasingly fragmented by highways and buildings.

Predators, being territorial, need lots of open, wild acreage to live and hunt in. Additionally, some predators, such as mountain lions live solitary lives and in most circumstances don’t tolerate other lions. It’s a challenge for apex predators to navigate the dwindling open areas without encountering each other.

Bobcat on the trail

Canyon changes

At the rim of the canyon, trees are being cleared from the building sites while large equipment removes earth and pours foundations for future homes. Although the county has mandated the canyon below remains wild, the noise and chaos along with a slight reduction in acreage, is impacting the wild residents. Although the canyon still provides the animals sustenance and shelter, their routes have changed along with the times they use the shared trails.

Sharing the space

Marking is an essential way that predators, including bobcats, pumas, foxes and coyotes share the shrinking landscape. Animals distribute their pheromones/scent through urinating, defecating, rubbing and scratching objects and the ground. Through marking, individuals are identified along with their territories, state of health, age and when they passed by. Wild animals also mark to advertise for mates.

Marking helps territorial predators safely avoid each other in dwindling habitats. Perhaps marking increases with the decrease of space, enabling predators to successfully share the wild without potentially dangerous encounters.

Foxes are notorious for marking with feces in the middle of trails. The last couple of months the cameras have recorded this fox, along with it’s mate, cruising through the canyon—stopping periodically in the middle of the trail and pooping.

A few hours after the fox left his calling card, a resident coyote trotted up the trail, ran by the feces, hesitated, turned around, checked it out and then urinated on top of it, leaving his scent. Although marking is a typical behavior, predators may be engaging in more of it as they adapt to living in shrinking habitats.

Intriguing scents

Specific smells attract animals. The original “Obsession for Men” had the reputation of being alluring to felines. Lions, bobcats, jags and other felids would rub and mark areas that were saturated with it. There was a good reason for their obsessions with Obsession. The original fragrance contained civet musk scent, harvested from the anal glands of civet cats. The fragrance currently is formulated with a synthetic version of the scent and civets are no longer abused for the pheromone. The downside is that the new version of the perfume isn’t as intriguing to felids. I experimented and sprayed the stinky stuff on a couple of areas that are popular with our resident felids and canids. They all walked by without a glance or a sniff. The only reaction to the perfume was from a little boy who wrinkled his nose and wanted to know what the cloying smell was.

Pumpkin pie spice proved to be more lucrative. I sprinkled two different types of the spice on the trail. An adolescent coyote and a few deer were especially intrigued by the scent. Although last year the bobcats showed an interest, this year the cameras didn’t film them reacting to it.

An adolescent coyote was curious. He spent about 5 minutes investigating the spice.

Does were also drawn to the pumpkin pie spice. Although the cameras recorded mature bucks walking past the spiced up spots, none stopped to check it out.

Living in the hood

Novembers’ highlights wouldn’t be complete without videos of a some of the permanent residents.

Coyote 09M

Coyotes, being versatile, easily adapt to living near people, in some situations they thrive. The construction hasn’t put too much of a dent in the lives of 09M and his mate. They continue to hunt and patrol the canyon, with one visible change. 09M now only has one ear tag. It’s not known how he lost the other one. It may have been pulled out in a fight with another animal or by playing rough with his mate or perhaps he snagged it on something sharp like barbed wire or a branch.

Something has caught 09M’s attention. He held this position for three minutes before continuing up the trail.

Bobcats

The canyon’s resident bobcats consistently use the same trails for creek crossings. It’s easy to recognize individuals because the shapes and placement of their spots are unique to each cat.

It’s hard to tell what the evening catch is. It looks like a weasel or a ferret. The bobcats have been filmed occasionally catching and dining on them. It’s a mystery why this one wasn’t eaten.

Mature buck

This boy has been hanging out in the canyon for more than a year—he has an impressive set of antlers.

Banana slug sighting

The month wouldn’t be complete without a special tribute to California’s unofficial state mollusk—the banana slug. They have a tendency to show themselves during the winter months, sometimes hanging out in groups. It’s impossible to catch them on video because they move so slow…

Banana slug–California’s unofficial state mollusk

Marilyn Krieger, CCBC (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 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 cats, wild and domestic, on her Facebook page

The post November Highlights: Animals Adjust to Shrinking Habitats 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.

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.

The post August, a Visual Essay appeared first on Urban Edge Wildlife.

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.

The post The Bobcat Kittens Grow Up appeared first on Urban Edge Wildlife.