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Wildlife Wildlife Updates Updates
As part of the Kiawah Bobcat GPS Research Project, the world’s longest continuous study of its kind, Town Biologists have successfully conducted two trapping sessions for 2023. The first trapping session of the year was conducted from Jan. 31 to Feb. 10, and the most recent session took place Feb. 27 - Mar. 10. The last trapping session was conducted from Feb. 27Mar. 10. During these successful sessions, six bobcats were fitted with GPS collars:
Bobcat 125 (new): Adult Female, Parkside Villas, 15lbs, 5oz.
Bobcat 175 (recapture): Adult Female, Ocean Park, 15lbs, 14oz. Originally collared on 3/10/22 on Flyway Drive at 12lbs, 3oz (2022 Bobcat 900).
Bobcat 225 (new): Subadult Male, Preserve, 17lbs, 8oz.
Bobcat 275 (recapture): Adult Female, Captain Sams Spit, 16lbs, 10oz. Tagged as a kitten on 5/11/21 and on 2/8/22 on Flyway Drive (2022 Bobcat 850); offspring of 2021 Bobcat 300
Bobcat 325 (new): Adult Female, Flyway Drive, 17lbs.
Bobcat 210 (new): Juvenile Male, Ocean Park, 12.5 lbs.
Now in its 17th year, the study provides valuable data on bobcat survival, reproductive success, food habits, habitat use and movement patterns. Biologists have collared a total of 104 bobcats and obtained more than 200,000 individual GPS locations. Stay tuned for project updates and learn more about the study here.