Bobcats and snow

[Glacier]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#186259

You can blame the snow, in part, for the number of bobcat sightings on the valley bottom this winter.

There's a direct correlation between the higher than normal sightings of bobcats and the heavy snow year says conservation officer Terry Myroniuk.

Are you kidding me!? Don't these guys know that the snowpack is BELOW normal this year!?

[Lady tehMa]

I was wondering about that - didn't they have a story to that effect recently?

[Retrosnap]

http://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/18 ... l-the-snow

According to the province's River Forecast Centre, snowpacks on Okanagan mountains are just 79 per cent of normal.

Maybe things are different as of today, but this would suggest that the heavy snowpack is not a factor in the increased number of bobcat encounters

[kgcayenne]

They may be 89% of normal, but if I'm not mistaken, we've had below normal for a number of years. Glacier might have the time to indulge us with finding/graphing that information. (unless I grab it first)

[Glacier]

[Retrosnap]

http://bcrfc.env.gov.bc.ca/bulletins/watersupply/archive/2016/2016_Jan1.pdf

Above normal snow pack (>110%) is
present in the Okanagan, Similkameen, and Boundary.

http://bcrfc.env.gov.bc.ca/bulletins/watersupply/archive/2015/2015_Jan1.pdf

Moderately low snow packs
(60-80% of normal) are present in the West Kootenay, Upper Columbia, Boundary, Peace
and Stikine basins. Elsewhere in the province, snow packs are closer to normal (90-100%)
for this time of year.

http://bcrfc.env.gov.bc.ca/bulletins/watersupply/archive/2014/2014_Jan1.pdf

Table 1 - BC Snow Basin Indices – January 1, 2014
Basin Percent of Normal Basin Percent of Normal
Okanagan-Kettle 115
Similkameen 80
North Thompson 98
South Thompson
Upper Columbia 88
Lower Columbia
East Kootenay 93
West Kootenay 82

http://bcrfc.env.gov.bc.ca/bulletins/watersupply/archive/2013/2013_Jan1.pdf

BC Snow Basin Indices – January 1, 2013
Basin % of Normal Basin % of Normal
Kootenay 112%
Okanagan-Kettle 99%
Similkameen 97%
North Thompson 101%
South Thompson 100%
Columbia 96%

[Urban Cowboy]

I see Glacier put it up because I was going to mention that no way were we low in snow last winter.
I know because I shoveled way more than I cared to and was running out of places to put it.

[kgcayenne]

Retrosnap, I think you're right about:

...the heavy snowpack is not a factor in the increased number of bobcat encounters

Is there less food up there for them?
Habitat losses?
Easy meals due to irresponsible pet owners who let their (especially kitties) outside to wander?

[reidabix]

The big cats are in town to feast on RATS, easy picking for them. Much bigger than a mouse yummy!

[Glacier]

Is there less food up there for them?
Habitat losses?
Easy meals due to irresponsible pet owners who let their (especially kitties) outside to wander?

It's also the coldest winter in at least 20 years. My guess is that animals have come down in search of warmth and water as streams that would normally be open have frozen over.

[Rwede]

Quite possibly that the explosion in the Okanagan's wolf population has pushed bobcats to seek safety closer to humans, as it has with cougars.

How many times do you get chased up a tree and away from your dinner before you seek a better place?

[kgcayenne]

I saw some scat on a neighbourhood trail this morning, and am not sure I can figure out whether it was bobcat, cougar, or coyote. It was snowing a fair bit, and snow had already masked any tracks, but did not cover the scat (melted).

[Bunnyhop]

Quite possibly that the explosion in the Okanagan's wolf population has pushed bobcats to seek safety closer to humans, as it has with cougars.

How many times do you get chased up a tree and away from your dinner before you seek a better place?

This!! Yes!!

Rwede, what's your best guess as to when we will start seeing wolves show up in urban areas? I've already seen one in a semi-rural area, and have noticed a huge reduction in the number of deer in our neighbourhood this year. Coincidence?

[lightspeed]

The big cats are in town to feast on RATS, easy picking for them. Much bigger than a mouse yummy!

Can't be. No report of bobcat sightings at City Hall.