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New Bobcat GPS Study
The Town of Kiawah Island, in partnership with the Kiawah Island Natural Habitat Conservancy, is conducting a study of fine-scale habitat use by bobcats (Felis rufus) on Kiawah Island using global positioning system (GPS) tracking collars. Bobcats play a very important role in the Kiawah Island ecosystem by helping to control small mammal and white-tailed deer populations. A healthy bobcat population is necessary to maintain the balance of wildlife communities currently present on Kiawah Island.
Four bobcats were fitted with collars during March and tracked extensively for approximately one month. An additional collar was placed on a bobcat in April and tracked until June. All 5 of the GPS collars have dropped off of the animals and the data has been downloaded. Each GPS collar contained approximately 2,400 individual locations for each bobcat. These data will allow researchers to determine preferred habitat types, travel corridors, and other areas of importance to bobcats on Kiawah Island. The findings from this study, and future GPS studies, will aid in making future land management and conservation decisions.
The final Pilot Bobcat GPS Study Report is now available. Click here