Bobcats are thriving in Tucson, Arizona despite metropolitan growth in the Sonoran Desert

A group of scientists and volunteers has been conducting an extensive study about bobcats west of I-10 in Tucson. The “Bobcats in Tucson Research Project” involves trapping the animals, taking DNA samples, and recording details such as weight and overall health. So far, the group has captured and released more than 50 individual bobcats and collared most of them, which have been spotted in about 50,000 locations.
Producer: Tony Paniagua
Videographer/Editor: Nate Huffman

[@Corkboard753]

Love seeing the local Bobcats featured. Such incredible animals.

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

I tried hard to live in Tucson for five years, but the heat finally drove me out last September. I miss the bobcats, javelinas, hummingbirds and other wildlife a lot. I hope everyone watching this understands that these are NOT kitty cats. They are wild animals, and they live VERY challenging lives. Thank you for this AZPM. I'm still a supporter even though I live in San Diego County now.

[@azpm]

Thank you for continuing to watch despite your move!

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

@@azpm Watch AND donate!

[@Postitnews2024]

San Diego is a zoo of people, bet after sometime you head back to Tucson, the tax rates and homeless drive many nice people out....

[@tomrancor1818]

Had 8 Bobcats in my yard one evening. 2 adult females and 6 kittens.

[@JNosewicz7569]

💕😺

[@toonmeowslecs6791]

😄🙌YIPPEE

[@abdkwwo]

Bobcats are beautiful animals. What a treasurer for Tucson to have them...

[@Claudia-bo5vf]

Thanks those kind Tucson residents for co-living with those amazing bob cats with respect and understanding!

[@DJCole34]

Don’t be so kind, all these people aren’t the same.

[@mariafernandez5087]

Wow. We need more communities with this mindset!!!!!!!!!!!❤

[@YsabetJustYsabet]

Great video! One showed up at a friend's daughter's wedding I attended way over on the NW side a couple of years ago-- a person in the area kept chickens, and this young bobcat managed to take one and then jumped over the 6' wall right into the yard where the wedding was being held. He/she froze, we all froze, the chicken was dropped and the bobcat sat down and washed a bit and then continued on out of the yard. The chicken was put out where it could find it and he/she was seen returning and carrying it off (waste not, want not!) And the whole thing was gotten on film by the wedding photographer.

[@annap7678]

Bobcats apparently do the nonchalant, casual thing real well. We could all learn a lot.

[@sandys.1891]

I watched cubs grow up via video from one cat family friendly home. It was fascinating to see how Momma raised those cubs on a quiet side of a house undisturbed.

[@outposttucsontv]

I live on the Westside foothills, I've had a Bobcat nursing her cub on my front porch. She lives in outdoor patio fireplace a neighbor let her move into. Thrilling to see them. Tucson rocks.

[@truecapitalist4718]

I'm nearly 60 years old, a Tucson native and lifelong resident and was a UPS driver working mostly in the Santa Catalina foothills for over 27 years. These animals are spectacular. I've seen them mostly during their litter-bearing season either on rooftops or in the trees (often Mesquite) that they use as access. I'm grateful to hear of this project. Thank you to all the members and volunteers who make it possible.

[@cathylindeboo.9598]

Bless these people!!!

[@Gigi-xr3qs]

Nah.

[@Kim-lc3fv]

What a great project! ❤ Thank you for caring about wildlife. 🙏😊

[@myhounddog]

Yes! I love that she is populating a database spreadsheet for a hobby ❤❤.

[@calgal5752]

Such beautiful creatures !

[@caldadextra2063]

Bear Down!

[@denmotherjosh]

I have a mom and two kits that regularly started hanging out in my yard. I love watching the kits learn how to hunt.

[@jeffj2495]

Majestic animals. And the babies are incredibly cute.

[@Starlight03690]

BEAUTIFUL COEXISTING With , Respecting, Honoring Bobcats, Nature, Wildlife. Thank you Tucson community! Show the WORLD how it is done with Love. Bless ❤️🧡💛💚🌍☮️🤍💯💃🌟🕺🐱

[@julezDigz]

I love all the wildlife in the Tucson area! It feels very special that we have bobcats in our neighborhood!

[@sntslilhlpr6601]

Wow this is so cool. I understand what she said about javalinas as they are a bit of a menace in our neighborhood, knocking over trash cans and such, but it could be worse and there's no reason to shoot a minor inconvenience like that. I actually haven't seen a single bobcat since I moved down to the Tucson area. Just more javalinas, roadrunners, gray hawks, and ravens (as well as scorpions, tarantulas, snakes, and the dreaded giant desert centipede). Last time I saw one was riding north of Phoenix in some state land that eventually got turned into a subdivision despite our protests. Good to know that they are adapting to that down here. Vids of bobcats outside a sliding glass window is like my favorite genre of youtube vids ever haha. Cat's gonna cat.

[@05140842]

A great news piece. I love seeing them amongst all of our other native wildlife here in the Sonoran Desert of the Southwest.

[@Miyahideko]

Wow I love this bobcat community group! And i cant believe the amazing footage and photos they are all capturing in their backyards.

[@gailierunninglynx7310]

I had a pet Bobcat for 15 years!! "Spanky" my Big Purr!! ~❤~ Spanky and my Doberman "Jupiter" were in L❤VE!! Miss them soo MUCH ~!!

[@JNosewicz7569]

💕💕💕😺

[@kCuFfication]

This had me grinning from ear to ear the whole time! God bless you crazy Tucson people!

[@triciacherise8084]

Beautiful story. Thank you. Warms my heart. We need more news like this❤❤

[@andrew2371]

The spreadsheet lady is adorable

[@jimm6095]

Here's some neighbourhood cats that never have to fear Coyotes. Coyotes have to fear them!

[@RoxannSnyder]

What wonderful people! ❤ These projects seem to bring out the best in us! It does feel good to know you are helping in a cause, saving something so beautiful & wild.

[@nightigal]

Thought one was a house cat laying atop a brick wall facing away from me. I said "hey little kitty". Then it turned its head and realized it was a big kitty and crossed the street. One of my house cats had a bob tail so that didn't tip me off the way it should have.

[@mcaskey358]

I'm fairly sure I spotted one in my yard a few weeks ago. My only concern is I have a catio, it's completely enclosed, and I bring my cats in at night or when I leave the house. However, I keep an eye on my boys when they are out in the catio, and I feel like we can co-habitat with the wildlife just fine.

[@cathylindeboo.9598]

I want to build a catio!!! Any recommendations on brands, etc.?

[@jhoigaar]

Beautiful. Thank you

[@huskynation2318]

Interrupted a BC snacking on a snake last summer. I'm here in O.V. - was walking the dog - by one of our parks. Our eyes met - we shared a moment - then it took off. Talk about fast food! What a moment and a stunning, majestic animal. I reached for my phone to snap a pic but of course it's the one time I left it at home! Ugh!

[@lo_bobvrc]

I wish I saw Bobcats more often where I live, We regularly see and hear Javelina and Coyotes in the wash behind our house. The last time I saw a Bobcat was when I was riding a dirt bike in a wash near my house.

[@cestwhat1317]

Wildcat pride! Literally! Bear Down!

[@shipwreck8847]

It's kind of nice that they put this much effort into a piece about bobcats. They are a cool and interesting species but not much is documented publicly about them.

[@elrobo3568]

I have lived just outside of Oro Valley Az since 1974 and we have had a family of bobcats living and breeding all this time. I have trail cam photos of them along with many other wild animals and so far have never had any negative contact. I also live where bears often come around (Greer Az) and as long as people don't do stupid things they usually leave people alone. There is always the exception such as the teen boy in his house in Alpine Az and a bear came through a door and attacked him. They are wild animals and once and awhile they act wild. A great book about this subject is The Beast in the Garden, written about Boulder Colorado.

[@chesterwilberforce9832]

We have them in the suburbs around Dallas and Fort Worth. They've learned that there's plenty of food here and humans aren't going to shoot them. In a park near us, they are so accustomed to human presence that they will sit on a trail and just watch people walk by.

[@blacswanb1273]

This an AMAZING example of how co-habitation and humans showing how to be Guardians of nature. Now there needs to re-development of the roads so that the Bobcats can travel safer. The local indigenous people should be involved in this project.

[@LastOneOut]

The first intersection in this clip is Campbell Ave & Grant Rd, I live 3 blocks from there, approx. ½ mile north of University of AZ medical center (banner) & have had bobcats in my driveway along with many javelinas, coyotes and raccoons. I wish I had known about this project years ago but in the future I will add my bobcat visits.

[@FollowTheJohn]

I love seeing bobcats on my trail cameras.

[@TheOctubre12]

Excellent project! Congratulations to everyone involve!🙌👏🏻

[@Heavilymoderated]

I saw one walking along in daylight off of Orange Grove with half a rabbit in its mouth. He looked pretty happy.

[@Bridgeoverthevalley]

Before I Move to Tucson, I’m requesting that the Realtor find me a bobcat house!

[@Mr.SharkTooth-zc8rm]

Magnificent animals. Thank you people!

[@taffyb4007]

Bobcats are beautiful abd important!

[@_ac_7649]

how come they are so darn cute?

[@newerafrican]

Great work to all of you! I get the feeling that bobcats are fairly prevalent throughout the US but are very secretive and wary.

[@GaryEllington-p7b]

Animal's are amazing 😊

[@MrTM-fg6zn]

I learned to speak bobcat because I didn't know meow.

[@annap7678]

Awww… now that’s really sweet. Good of you to step up. Unfortunately, other than English, I mainly know dead languages. All of the Feline languages are constantly evolving… out of my league.

[@clayoreilly4553]

Excellent! Thank you.

[@Castle743]

Beautiful cats They should be protected

[@mariafernandez5087]

Bravo!!!!!!!❤

[@passaflora09]

This is so awesome, what they are doing in Tuscon. I have a mixed livestock guardian and a Border collie on my land in Northern Arizona so unfortunately my dogs will keep any bobcats that might wander on my property away, so I doubt I will see any here.

[@patwoltanski781]

Wonderful I love all cats

[@MuzzikisLife]

I love Tucson! It’s my hometown but I don’t reside there currently. I do visit. It didn’t feel the same for me anymore last time I was there. It’s getting too big. It’ll be a mini PHX metropolitan type area in no time.

[@MsWarriordiva]

I'm glad she brought up being more afraid of thw javelina. I'd never harm one, but I'm more "afraid" of javelina, too, ESPECIALLY if I'm walking my dogs. I love to watch bobcats & give them their space.

[@Dovietail]

No touchee wolf kitty! 😂

[@larsonfamilyhouse]

Pet!

[@jonibarger3147]

I love them!

[@GnosisJapan]

Glad to see people learning to live with the native animals rather than bringing other animals as pets like dogs or domestic cats.

[@MarSchlosser]

Please, a little respect! That’s A-1 Lady Avery, Queen of the Night. The royal family of Lady Avery blesses you. She and her kin are why when traveling I-10 after dark, I am very careful, watching for them. You know why old-times loved them, they do not tolerate Coyote eater of infants or mountain lions. We live in the upper San Pedro Canyon and Li’l Kitty is a regular. The only thing that scares her off is the roadrunners. But roadrunners aren’t after her. They like to play with innocent critters like rattlers and old man Coyote. Much thanks for the video! niio

[@baneverything5580]

Bobcats are great rat and snake catchers. I like having them around. I had a rescued pet female years ago and helped her return to the wild. She was a nice pet and extremely intelligent. She had kittens and finally got so nervous about the new neighbors that she left for the deep woods with them. They tried to shoot her with BB guns.

[@user-dixk2rx5gz8f]

Could you not design a slimmer tracking device? It must hinder them due to its large size! Otherwise - great project!

[@Idalianightfire]

So special 😊

[@pegsmith8401]

They are beautiful cats.

[@SOP83]

Is it true that they sometimes have hybrids with domestic cats ?

[@mtn1793]

Manx cats are considered to be a hybrid. They have a bob tail and an extra toe.

[@b.a.erlebacher1139]

Manx cats are not hybrids. They have a genetic trait that causes a form of spina bifida. There are several other known mutations in domestic cats that cause short tails. People often think they are bobcat hybrids but they aren't. Bobcats are only distantly related to domestic cats, not close enough for hybridizing.

[@tacoboy2218]

I have a bobcat trail outside my back yard

[@lars277]

I am retired from the railroad. We used to see coyotes all over Tucson from the tracks. Esp. just north of downtown on or near the tracks.

[@williamponce5907]

I've seen one many years ago on a neighbors roof looking for food

[@CountCraigula]

Bobcats are cool!

[@johnluiten3686]

They’re around here at the house. Dog spots them when we walk. The ones shown here however are kind of small. I’ve seen some huge ones. BTW, they don’t give a crap about you. They’ll walk right by. Very accustomed to people in the more urban areas. Cameras pick them up at night around the house as well as seen in day. But heck, I even saw a mountain lion once, so nothing special.

[@bobthetroll]

There's a bobcat that goes after squirrels in my shed in the mornings. I live in North Phoenix.

[@kenknapp2319]

I want to see the data for bobcats in vail

[@A3Kr0n]

Bobcats help keep rabbits out of your garden. Also, those people should stop messing with them with traps, drugs and other crap. LEAVE NATURE ALONE!

[@mike89128]

My niece looked out her front window earlier this year and saw a mountain lion sprawled on her lawn taking in the sun. Told her since it didn't have a collar, the city was going to fine her for letting her pet loose.

[@caldadextra2063]

Uhmmm……Bear Down?

[@kixigvak]

My grandmother in Oregon had a cat that was mixed house cat and bobcat. I've read this is not genetically possible. But it sure looked like it was half and half. It was not a Manx. And it was never completely tame. I live in Alaska and we have lynx in our suburban area. A lynx is a big bobcat. I've been surprised a number of times at how calm they are when I encounter them.

[@Dovietail]

Bobcats ate the coyotes of the cat world.

[@cathyburrows8162]

Do they give them vaccines to protect them from domestic cat diseases.

[@LaurenceDay-d2p]

They should if they can trap them.

[@Super-ew1ty]

I was at Fort Devens Massachusetts training for deployment to Iraq at the time in the Reserve. I come around a corner and there was a Mountain Lion chasing a deer around a sand pit. Tail dragging the ground and all that I called range control and told what I saw and invited them out to see the footprints. They come out, ask me where and covered up the prints and told me I see nothing. Fort Devens training area is a small patch of forest surrounded by city. I later leaned the Army knew but didn't want to get into conservation yada. Plenty of deer there. Must be working they have several Mountain Lions right there in Massachusetts that doesn't suppose to have them. I can tell you this, man can they jump. He went over a 35 foot send berm only hitting the thing mid way up once as a boost.

[@loismiller1609]

Please vaccinate for rabies!

[@charlesd3a]

Would it be nice to have the bobcat reintroduced to Ireland

[@leannaerickson9745]

Are there not lynx in Ireland?

[@mariafernandez5087]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@frankmorris4790]

Yeah, they do real well on "FeeFee" and "Puff", just like the Yotes.....

[@eurobeats1]

delightful

[@liz6cats280]

Hi Bob!

[@bluerose11]

I live on the outskirts of Tucson and I lost all of my chickens to bobcats and coyotes. Flipped the coop clean over one night. I gave up. It's their home and I would rather have the wildlife than fresh eggs.

[@southsidesky]

Tough to imagine a better looking animal...................................

[@carolechenowith900]

As a zookeeper for 40 of my 45 years at a zoo...I can catch bobcats in a net in a 6 by 6 area ( den area) with the cats bouncing all around me lol

[@dawnewinonamoore9364]

Please call the BABIES CUBS 😮😮😮😢😢😢❤❤❤

[@TT-kx9lg]

Why don't they just leave the bobcats alone instead of trapping, drugging and jabbing them?

[@toonmeowslecs6791]

Are you a Therian bro☠️☠️

[@toonmeowslecs6791]

You should be a bobcat man🤨

[@stevengill1736]

They're quite cosmopolitan - here in Nocal they're all over the place....so are feral hogs - that's why we need more of the former! Only problem is they'll feed on small pets, although it's the mountain lions that are more prone to that...

[@desert-walker]

Yeah, it’s hot here in Tucson but what are you gonna do? It’s winter now and the weather is great. I mean you can either freeze your ass off on the East Coast or you can be hot here. Take your pic. I’ve only seen three bobcats in 20 years here they’re very elusive.

[@Gonzo6389]

They are beautiful and they should be left alone.

[@Hannelore7]

I wonder if any Bobcat has been caught up by the collar? Hope not.

[@nightigal]

They use quick release collars. If the collar gets caught on something it'll release and fall off, letting the bobcat get away with minimal to no injuries.

[@MostlyBuicks]

Yeah, they munch on your little yappy dogs. GO CATS!

[@caldadextra2063]

🐻⬇️!

[@dianewalker9154]

Small pets and small livestock left outside are their food.

[@frankarenas300]

❤❤❤ bobcats rule javelinas drool

[@annap7678]

Homeless bobcats. Just when you thought things couldn’t get much worse. THAT was my first impression. Apparently I was wrong. We have more alligators than bobcats where I live, so perhaps my initial reaction was justifiable. I was putting bobcats in the alligator category in terms of peaceful coexistence capacity. But it seems that in Tucson the presence of bobcats is a plus for many people, even “an honor.” An alligator’s presence will never be considered an honor where I come from, but I honestly don’t believe the alligators care. 🐊

[@DoubleDogDare54]

It's all fun and games until one of them eats your Yorkie.

[@timthompson8297]

The animals are probably just eating a lot of pets.

[@bilbodiggins4274]

essentially we have this footage because the woman was feeding the bobcats as if they were pets. Why else would they stay in that back yard?

[@leannaerickson9745]

Probably no rats around that neighborhood. Sometimes water is more of a draw than food.🐀😼