TRANSCRIPT:
Hello this is Dr. Tom Mullikin with SCDNR for Into the Wild.
A bobcat can live surprisingly close to people and still go almost unseen. Its spotted coat, quiet feet, and habit of moving through thick cover make it one of South Carolina's most secretive predators.
Bobcats occur across the state, with strong populations in the Coastal Plain. They hunt mainly by sight, watching for mice, cotton rats, rabbits, and squirrels. Forest edges and openings can be especially useful because they bring cover and prey close together.
Most sightings last only a few seconds: a short tail, pointed ears, and a cat slipping back into brush. That brief glimpse is a reminder that wildness is not always far away. Sometimes it is simply good at staying out of view.