Following its supposed disappearance in the 19th century, an elusive predator has staged a remarkable comeback in a Midwest state.
According to Knox Pages, the once-deemed locally extinct bobcat has been spotted in 86 of Ohio's 88 counties.
A combination of extensive deforestation and overhunting led to presumptive local extinction by 1850. Some isolated sightings have been recorded since then, but now hundreds are being recorded across the Buckeye State.
Lindsey Krusling of the Ohio Division of Wildlife credited the bobcat's resurgence to habitat restoration.
"As we have kind of re-established our forest here in Ohio, that has caused a dramatic increase for them," Krusling explained to Knox Pages.
It's not just good news for the bobcats themselves; the entire ecosystem benefits from their presence. Bobcats are exceedingly efficient hunters found in wooded areas throughout North America.
Sometimes mistaken for a lynx, bobcats are a little smaller — but still twice as large as a common housecat. They are excellent ambush predators: they use stealth, smell, and immensely powerful legs to take down a variety of prey.
They can eat up to 2 pounds of food daily, meaning they hunt with much greater frequency than larger felines.
The bobcat's recovery isn't just restricted to Ohio. They've bounced back across the United States from the very brink of extinction at the turn of the 20th century.
Threats remain, but they are now listed as a species of least concern on the IUCN's Red List. As Mongabay noted, they indirectly protect humans by eating rodents that are most likely to spread disease.
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Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 The bobcat's incredible recovery demonstrates how important and effective local conservation work can be.
A century of reforestation in the eastern U.S. has facilitated the bobcat's resurgence. Reforestation has also helped to mitigate the effects of heat-trapping emissions created by dirty energy. Nature is resilient and will thrive when given the chance even if the future looks bleak.
Creating a welcoming space for beneficial wildlife can begin at home with rewilding your yard.
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