(December 2019) In 2019, we completed our second annual survey of our 26 permanent field sites across Coshocton and southern Holmes counties, so we can now compare data from these sites in 2018 and 2019. Although analysis of our images in ongoing, we can share some preliminary findings on bobcats in the area. What we are tracking is a statistic called “occupancy” — it is a measure of the proportion of sites at which we detect bobcats. Between 2018 and 2019, we had a net increase of 3 sites occupied by bobcats. That can be due to various factors, including numbers of bobcats, sizes of their territories, and detectability. So although an imperfect measure, the fact that we detected bobcats at more sites this year than last shows that bobcats are expanding their range into areas we have not found them before, and might even indicate that they are increasing in numbers. Statistical analyses will help us tease out more information from the data, and more data in the coming years will help us determine if there is a positive trend in occupancy over the long-term. In the meantime, here is a brief comparison of our 2018 and 2019 bobcat data:
Sites with bobcats detected in both 2018 and 2019 = 8
Sites with no bobcats detected in either 2018 or 2019 = 11
Sites with bobcats detected in 2018 but not 2019 (a loss) = 2
Sites with no bobcats detected in 2018 but detected in 2019 (a gain) = 5
We are looking forward to the 2020 field season, gathering more data on bobcats and the other wildlife that call Coshocton and Holmes counties home!