Staff at a state park in East Texas recently had a rare encounter with an elusive native species. At Village Creek State Park, located in the Piney Woods of eastern Texas, about 10 miles north of Beaumont, maintenance staff recently spotted a mother bobcat with her two cubs while working to reopen trails damaged by Hurricane Beryl. Bobcats, white-tailed deer, rabbits, and opossums roam the park’s woodlands, along with various amphibians, insects, and reptiles.
“Bobcats are one of the few native wildcats in Texas and are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk,” the park shared on Facebook. “Female bobcats have a litter of 1-6 cubs, who stay with the mother for up to 12 months to remain safe and fed until they learn to hunt. They get their name from their naturally stubby ‘bobbed’ tail.” A photo shared by the park shows one of the bobcat kittens partly concealed by brush.
Bobcats are found throughout Texas and are especially abundant in the South Texas brush country, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Due to their shy nature and nocturnal activity, bobcats are rarely seen by people. While other native wild cat species struggle to survive in the Lone Star State, bobcats’ secretive nature, physical capabilities, and adaptability have allowed them to thrive.
This isn’t the first time bobcats have been caught on camera at a Texas state park this year. In January, a park ranger at Lake Somerville State Park snapped exciting photos of a bobcat pair at the park located between Houston and Austin.