East County News Service

March 9, 2022 (Ramona) – Photographer Scott Lagace was hiking in the Ramona Grasslands Preserve this week when he was fortunate enough to encounter a bobcat basking in the sun that obligingly posed for photos. Though this was one cool cat around the human present, bobcats are normally secretive and solitary. They have been protected species in California since 2020.

Poisonings prompt California to reassess super-toxic rodenticides 

East County New Service

Mountain lion photo courtesy USFWS

December 12, 2018 (La Mesa) -- A new state analysis has documented super-toxic rat poisons in more than 85 percent of tested mountain lions, bobcats and protected Pacific fishers, prompting state regulators to open a new evaluation of whether to further restrict or ban the powerful toxins.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Bobcat with necrotic mange in Deerhorn Valley, 2012

November 18, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Deadly outbreaks of mange in wildlife across California has been linked to second-generation anti-coagulant poisons meant to kill rats and other rodents.  Locally, numerous cases of mange have been reported among coyotes in Lakeside as recently as this month.  In Deerhorn Valley, the Antler documented bobcats dying of necrotic mange from second generation rodenticides in 2012. 

Local legislators divided on measure

Photo: Bobcat family in Lakeside, photo by Billy Ortiz

September 13, 2013 (Sacramento) – A bill to prohibit trapping of bobcats around public parks and wildlife refuges in California is now on the Governor’s desk awaiting signature.  The bill, AB 1213, would also prohibit trapping bobcats on private property without the landowner’s permission.   

An estimated 1,813 bobcats were killed in the 2011-2012 license season, up 51% over the prior year. The vast majority of those (1,499) were taken by trappers, the rest by hunters.  Bobcat pelt prices have soared from $78 in 2009 to over $700 today, the Los Angeles Times reported.

August 9, 2011 (Jamul) – What could be cuter than a bouncing baby bobcat? How about an entire bobcat family?