Poison and Photographs: Documenting Texas’ Bobcats

In the United States, bobcats often live alongside human communities. As a result, they may come into contact with dangerous substances like rat poison. Read this blog from wildlife photographer Karin Saucedo about her time documenting the bobcats affected by poison in her North Texas neighborhood.

I live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas, a rapidly growing area. As human development expands, we come into closer proximity with bobcats — often with detrimental effects for the wild cats.

Over the last several years, I have had the opportunity to photograph bobcats in Texas and have increasingly started to notice bobcats affected by mange.

This bobcat in my neighbor’s yard is threatened by the anticoagulants in poisons that have the power to suppress its immune system. Awareness, conservation and, ultimately, legislation are key to ensuring the species can safely remain in my neighborhood.

Anticoagulants are very popular modes of pest control here, but if the public doesn’t realize the threats they pose to bobcats, these cats face serious risk, like this bobcat found dead on a local road.

If anticoagulants continue to be used regularly, we run the risk of losing more and more of this species that is so central to our communities. Texans may no longer see these backyard cats, like this one lounging in my yard.

To learn how we can help bobcats, read Panthera bobcat expert Dr. Laurel Serieys’ blog about California’s bobcats and poison. If you want to get involved in wild cat protection, make a donation to Panthera. Together, let’s protect the bobcats we live alongside.