Trail cameras capture image of elusive predator attacking in the wild: 'We've got a lot of wildlife video ... but nothing like that'

A Flagler Beach, Florida, man captured a highly unusual animal encounter on his trail camera, the Miami Herald reported.

Trail cameras are a specialized form of equipment and an extremely important tool for conservationists and wildlife specialists. The devices are weatherproof and motion-activated, enabling anyone to observe animal activity from afar without direct interference.

Matt Hathaway set up his own trail cameras to observe Florida's wildlife, checking them at intervals to see if anything interesting made an appearance. Hathaway was surprised to discover that one device filmed a high-stakes encounter between a bobcat and a deer.

This has to be one of the wildest clips we've caught on our trail cams. Bobcat vs Deer. It happened a few days ago but we just checked the video today. 👀😳

Posted by Matt Hathaway on Sunday, February 25, 2024

Although bobcats are "widely distributed" throughout Florida's remote wooded areas and swamps, they're notoriously shy creatures. According to the state's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, bobcats are "not often seen even though their numbers are abundant" in the region.

Hathaway's discovery underscored just how valuable trail cameras are for monitoring wildlife and tracking conservation efforts, particularly when it comes to species known to avoid humans. 

Conservationists can gather data and measure the impact of protective measures without disrupting the very behavior they seek to encourage. Each species plays an important role in its local ecosystem, and small efforts can have a big impact on the food chain.

Although Hathaway's clip was a scant few seconds long, it was action-packed and emphasized the benefits of trail cameras for amateur wildlife enthusiasts.

"To see [the bobcat] pounce at that deer and the reaction and get it all caught on camera was pretty wild. It's two seconds. It's instant fast," Hathaway excitedly recalled to Fox 35 Orlando. He described the footage as "one of the wildest" videos captured by his trail cams.

"We've got a lot of wildlife video over the years, but nothing like that," Hathaway said of the bobcat/deer encounter. "I [didn't] think this bobcat [was] going to try to attack a deer. And sure enough, he did."

Ultimately, the deer in the video escaped the bobcat, and the pair went "their separate ways into the night."

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