A trail camera in a Minnesota forest captured an intense scene between two elusive but fiercely territorial predators.
The video shared by Northern News was captured with a trail camera at the Chickwok Museum and Nature Center in northern Minnesota. (Viewers are advised to lower their volume before viewing the video, which shows a pair of bobcats engaging in a loud verbal fight.)
The two big cats let it all out with a series of piercing screams. The video ends with a close-up of the presumed victor, with a slight flick of its tail before it disappears from view.
As their name suggests, Canada lynx are found across Canada and are labeled “of least concern” on the IUCN Red List because much of their historic range remains intact. However, the U.S. population is small and scattered—only about 200 people remain in northern Minnesota. Due to their elusive nature and habit of hunting at night, they are rarely seen in the United States.
Sometimes mistaken for bobcats (part of the lynx family), the easiest way to tell these animals apart is the bobcat’s unique ear hairs and oversized claws. Like bobcats, bobcats play an important role in boreal ecosystems. Rewilding UK says they protect forests directly by controlling prey numbers, and indirectly through an “ecology of fear”. Essentially, the pungent smell of bobcat urine and feces keeps prey moving and prevents overgrazing.
The footage captured shows how useful trail cameras can be in unobtrusively monitoring wildlife in an area. Bobcats are typically solitary animals, so observing territorial disputes can be valuable to researchers seeking to better understand their behavior.
Such footage can also help provide an accurate picture of species populations to better inform local conservation efforts. Trail cameras are also a key tool in measuring the progress of reintroduction efforts.
Commenters on the video found the verbal sparring hilarious. One commenter joked: “This sounds a bit like my kids in the car.” Another viewer said: “Imagine walking alone through the woods at night and hearing this!” A similar comment added, “This is so weird.”
One viewer pointed out that the resemblance to a bobcat goes beyond appearance: “Sounds a bit like a bobcat. Great trail camera capture.”
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