Endangered in New Jersey, bobcats have gradually reemerged in the state's most remote areas. In New Jersey, the bobcat was historically widespread and common; occurring in all counties, but by the 1970s was considered extremely rare. Hunters are not the problem, or not a significant one. The only sign of their quarry is a small stain in the snow. Bobcats are widely distributed across northern New Jersey, but the core of their range is in the northwestern counties of Sussex, Warren, Passaic and Morris. "We need to keep that gene pool flowing," Mick adds. In many photos Bear waits patiently, or appears to happily chew a soft rubber ball. She was snarling and lunging at me. They are absent in the highly cultivated areas of the northern mid-states, and were once widespread and common in New Jersey, probably occurring in all counties. Report a sighting of a banded shorebird or rare species. Explore the remarkable personality of this place and get a year-round supply of great things to see and do!! Close breeding can weaken the gene pool, so a healthy population must have access to outsiders. Most sightings continue to come from Warren, Sussex, Passaic and Morris counties but there have been recent sightings from Bergen, Hunterdon, Ocean, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem counties. Gretchen and Bear dominate the photo. The most remote areas in northern New Jersey offer prime bobcat habitat. But technology is not the only tool at the division's disposal. Mackenzie Hall, an employee with the Conserve Wildlife Federation of New Jersey, had left the trail in search of timber rattlesnakes. A bobcat becomes independent of its mother at about 10-12 months of age, and lives 12-13 years in the wild. The information from this study provided important data necessary to protect the habitat needed for bobcats to survive in New Jersey. Used Bobcat excavators for sale in New Jersey, USA. In addition, a road killed specimen was recovered in 1982 that was not one of the released cats and too old to be offspring of the releases. In February of 1997, biologists captured three adult male bobcats to fit them with radio collars. Similar reintroduction efforts have been successful in the state for wild turkeys. Intent on reaching her den, the bobcat did not see the woman ahead. We offer the best selection of BOBCAT models to choose from. In 2002-2003 the program began placing satellite collars on trapped bobcats. Most of the food she brought to her kittens consisted of squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, and mice. Populations became isolated and plummeted. The fur along the middle of the back is usually darker, while the underparts are whitish, and also spotted. She shows pictures of the shaggy black dog sitting by bobcat sign while Gretchen retrieves lumpy brown objects from the snow. Their fur ranges from yellowish brown to reddish brown and bears markings that vary from ‘tabby’ stripes to heavy spotting. BOBCAT Equipment in New Jersey : Find New Or Used BOBCAT Equipment for Sale in New Jersey on EquipmentTrader.com. Mick Valente explains. This project will continue in the winter of 2007-2008. The bobcat population in New Jersey was plentiful through the Colonial period. "To maintain a viable population, we need more gene flow." The males and females breed in mid-late February to early April, but otherwise they have few interactions. Let our dealers find it for you! In 2005, a new project began to train a working dog to search for bobcat scat. The soft pads on their feet help them sneak up quietly on their prey. Done. New tools soon brought in a wealth of data. Volunteers are always be recruited to expand the search area for New Jersey’s bobcats. Personnel engage in other efforts to locate and study the animals; cotton swabs, spritzed with bobcat urine and left on the ground, serve as scent post stations designed to lure in the stealthy creatures, while motion detection cameras record activity at the site. From 1978 to 1982, the NJ Department of Environmental Programs brought in twenty-four bobcats from Maine and Massachusetts. This would allow them to track the bobcats and find out where they lived and hunted. She was fierce.". "Maintaining a sustained bobcat population in New Jersey continues to be a challenge," said former DEP Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell in a … DNA can be extracted from the scat, which can tell us the gender of the bobcat and distinguish between individuals. A bobcat stands about two feet tall, making it larger than a house cat but much smaller than, say, a mountain lion, according to the New Jersey Department of … While tracking the new bobcat, a radio collar of the remaining original cats captured in February 1997 was found to be still transmitting a signal. Ospreys are an indicator species. This outcome has simultaneously signaled successÑand a cause for concern. Can't Find It? This confirmed that at least a remnant population of bobcats still existed at the time of the releases. 25. Rines says bobcats generally avoid people, and most sighting come from security or wildlife cameras. As more data surfaced, Mick and his team came to an important realization. The cat Mackenzie spotted was very likely a descendant of one of those bobcats. Return Home < Our Species < Field Guide <. Bobcats are one of four species grouped within the Lynx genus. 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