The Comeback Cat: Bobcat Recovery and Movement Across Rhode Island


ID : 2155   

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ClassGraphic Bobcats (Lynx rufus), a native species, have only reappeared in southern New England within the past 30 years, while other similar-sized mammalian carnivores (i.e., fisher, gray fox) are decreasing in numbers. Bobcats play a crucial role in the ecosystem's function by controlling rodent populations and mediating biodiversity in plant and microbial communities, thereby impacting all trophic levels.
URI faculty, in collaboration with local agencies such as the RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM), are studying whether bobcat populations are truly increasing, by how much, and how they interact with human development and recreation. Their increasing population trend and key ecosystem role make bobcats an ideal study species for evaluating wildlife responses to human land use and for balancing human and wildlife needs. This presentation will focus on the extirpation of bobcats, the history of their recolonization, and current research happening to better understand these trends.
 
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Class Details

1 Session(s)
Mon

Location
OLLI

Instructor
Multiple

Tuition: 

$15.00

Registration Closes On
Sunday, July 12, 2026 @ 12:00 AM

Schedule Information

Date(s) Class Days Times Location Instructor(s) Instructional Method
7/13/2026 Mon 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM Kingston, OLLI  Map Kathleen Carroll  ; Chris Hickling  ClassRoom

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