URI-Led Research Project Calls On Public To Report Bobcat Sightings

KINGSTON, RI — A project led by researchers at the University of Rhode Island has called on the public to report bobcat sightings.

The goal of the Rhode Island Bobcat Project is to support bobcat conservation, promote public understanding of their important ecological role, and provide critical data to inform wildlife management and biodiversity conservation in Rhode Island.

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"Once eradicated from the state, bobcats have returned over the past few decades and are now being spotted more frequently across Rhode Island," the University of Rhode Island said in a media release.

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"Bobcats are elusive and require extensive work to monitor; thus, the research team has launched a three-pronged approach including camera traps, collaring bobcats with GPS units, and citizen science data," the release said. "For the latter, Rhode Island residents are encouraged to report sightings and submit photographs to help researchers better understand the animals’ movement patterns, habitat use, and population dynamics."

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Bobcats are vital to the ecosystem, according to the release, "because they offer services such as rodent control and disease suppression."

"While bobcats tend to avoid human interaction, their flexibility and generalist nature has likely allowed them to adapt better than other carnivores to human-dominated landscapes," the release said. "Understanding their resilience is vital in a changing natural environment."

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