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OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — While bobcats may be smaller than cougars, they can still pack a punch.
The scrappy predators have been known to eat everything from rabbits to sharks. And while there is video evidence that bobcats are sometimes intimidated by deer, they’ve been known to take down large deer during the winter.
A new video from Washington’s Olympic National Park showcases these hunting skills, as a bobcat catches a salmon that is nearly as big as it is.
According to a report from the Idaho Statesman, the video was taken by a ranger named Lee Snook. She was at the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center to train new staff members and decided to take a quick break to check out the salmon in a nearby stream.
“I was looking for fish and something caught my eye,” Snook told the Idaho Statesman. “It was a bobcat staring at me from across the river.”
After a few moments, the bobcat returned its gaze to the stream. It soon became apparent that the predator was angling for a meal so Snook began filming with her camera phone as the cat stalked a sockeye in the water.
The bobcat finally managed to snag the fish and pull it from the water, which was quite a feat considering the size of the fish.
“It’s as big as she is,” Snook said.
The bobcat actually allowed the amazed ranger to watch it for about 30 minutes. Snook later learned that the rangers at that particular station were aware of the bobcat, but it was known for being extremely shy and they’d rarely seen it.
“They were just in awe,” she said. “I was told just how lucky I was to have gotten that.”
One lesson that Snook took from the encounter is that the offseason is a perfect time to see wildlife in our national parks. With fewer people on the trails, animals will often become more active.
“Take a minute to slow down, take a look around," Snook said. "You never know what you’re going to find."
