Watch a Stealth Bobcat Launch a Midnight Attack on a Trespassing Coyote

The action in this clip is over in just a few short seconds. It’s filmed at night, so you have to concentrate hard to catch what is going on. But you won’t miss the scream! A bobcat sneaks up on an unsuspecting coyote and then crouches in the long grass. Only its shining eyes are visible. The coyote trots into the field, completely oblivious to the waiting feline. When the bobcat strikes it launches itself at the coyote who lets out an unworldly scream. Then the coyote leaves pretty quickly!

Coyote’s Predators and Lifestyle

Coyotes are also known in some areas as prairie wolves and are one of the most common species of mammals in North America. They are nocturnal and are one of the animal species that have been able to adapt to live alongside humans very successfully. There are actually 19 subspecies of coyotes including the plains coyote and the Mexican coyote. They look a bit like a slim wolf with very large ears and weigh up to around 50 pounds.

Coyotes have a huge range of vocalizations which include barks, howls, growls and, as we hear here, screams! They use sounds to communicate greetings and warnings.

Thanks to their speed and ferocious nature, they do not have many predators but they are hunted by wolves, cougars, bears and alligators. According to recent research, bobcats and coyotes compete for prey but there is no evidence that bobcats feed on coyotes. This was probably more of a warning than an attempt to hunt the coyote as prey.

All About Bobcats

Bobcats are native to central and north America and are medium-sized members of the Felidae family. Their usual prey includes rabbits, mice and deer. These animals lead a solitary life and are about double the size of a domestic cat!

They are carnivores and are nocturnal or crepuscular – which means that they are most active at dusk and dawn. As a result, they are out and about at the same time of day as coyotes.

Bobcats are highly territorial and males in particular patrol their home ranges marking them with urine, faeces, and claw marks on trees. Perhaps this attack was just a warning gesture when the coyote accidentally stumbled across the bobcat’s territory.

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