Cougar vs. bobcat: Tree-top tussle captured by B.C. photographer
A tense confrontation between a cougar and a bobcat played out on a very precarious battleground last week in B.C.’s Fraser Valley.
Chilliwack resident Tammy Jordan, a hobby wildlife photographer, told CTV News she spotted the animals tussling atop a towering cedar tree near their backyard Wednesday evening.
“I was in the kitchen making dinner and something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention,” she said. “Something big was moving.”
Jordan initially thought there might be a raccoon in the tree – but her family broke out the binoculars and eventually confirmed not one, but two wildcats were balancing on the upper-most branches.
Jordan estimated the cedar is at least 30 metres tall, or about 100 feet.
From the family’s vantage point, Jordan said it appeared the cougar had chased the bobcat up the tree – and was climbing up and down in pursuit, repeatedly trying to attack the much smaller animal.
“It moved really fast, but it was three times the size of the bobcat,” Jordan said. “It would move up to that tiny top little branch, and the whole branch is moving and (the bobcat) is doing whatever he could to get away.”
A bobcat evades an attacking cougar atop a cedar tree in Chilliwack, B.C., on Feb. 14, 2024. (Credit: Tammy Jordan)
When the cougar – identifiable by its reddish-brown coat – retreated to the base of the tree, Jordan said the bobcat – with its stripes and short tail – would zip its head back-and-forth watching the predator pacing down below.
Jordan said the sun set before they could see whether the bobcat managed to make it down safely, but the family did their best to scare the attacking cougar away.
“It was too far away to throw a rock so we just made lots of noise, hoping we were intimidating it,” she said. “But we couldn’t see anything.”
Jordan mostly photographs birds, but has been hoping for a bobcat sighting – something she said has become increasingly common among neighbours in their Hillside community, particularly as the local rabbit population has boomed.
“I’ve always wanted to see a bobcat, so it was really cool,” Jordan said. “It was sad – I really hope it got away – but it was really cool.”
According to wildlife experts, showdowns between cougars and bobcats are very rare – but not unheard of – in British Columbia.
Mollie Cameron, wildlife specialist with Pacific Wild and founder of the Cougar Coexistence Initiative, told CTV News she was only able to track down records of two incidents in which cougars preyed on bobcats in the province.
While cougars often go after ungulate species, such as deer and moose, Cameron said they are creatures of opportunity.
"The cougar's higher on the food chain than the bobcat, and more than likely saw it as a food source," she said. "There's a documented case of a cougar attacking a wolf in the Cowichan Valley here on Vancouver Island, there's many cases of cougars going after unsecured livestock and even off-leash pets – a food source is a food source to them."
As for whether the bobcat might have escaped, Cameron said the odds were against the much smaller cat.
"The cougar more than likely won the fight," she said. "Unless gravity won the fight."
With files from CTV National News' Andrew Johnson
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
LIVE UPDATES Multiple homes, businesses 'lost' to wildfire in Jasper National Park: Parks Canada
Officials from Parks Canada and Jasper say "multiple structures, including a number of businesses and homes, in and around the town of Jasper, have been lost" to wildfire in Jasper National Park.
Alberta premier says a third, perhaps half, of all Jasper buildings destroyed by fire
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says early reports indicate a third and perhaps up to half of all buildings in the historic Rocky Mountain resort town of Jasper have burned in a wildfire.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
Tourist suffers 3rd-degree burns to feet after losing flip flops amid soaring temperatures in Death Valley
A tourist was hospitalized after suffering serious burns on his feet on Saturday when he lost his flip flops at a U.S. national park where temperatures soared past 48 Celsius.
'There's mom and dad's house': New video appears to show destruction of Jasper neighbourhood
Video posted to social media on Thursday morning appears to show the charred remains of a Jasper, Alta., neighbourhood.
Former judge with disputed Cree heritage likely has Indigenous DNA: law society
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.
Australian field hockey player opts to amputate part of his finger in order to compete in Paris Olympics
In the run up to the Paris Olympics, athletes have been stepping up their preparations in order to maintain their edge over competitors. But for Australia’s Matt Dawson, those preparations looked a little different this year, with the field hockey player opting to have part of his finger amputated in order to compete in the Games.
Canada to bring home fewest Olympic medals since 2012, according to forecaster
Fewer Canadians are expected to reach the Paris podium than in the previous two Olympic Summer Games, a global data analytics company predicts.
Jennifer Aniston criticizes JD Vance for 'childless cat ladies' remarks: 'I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children'
Jennifer Aniston is criticizing JD Vance for comments he made in his past about women without children.