|
Felines Hunting
|
 
Puma taking a page out of the Jaguars book.
 *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author *This image is copyright of its original author
Extremely impressive Kill by that leopard.
That warthog looks to be much larger and we all know how durable those suckers are. 
Can you see the snow leopard?
 *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author I most confess, I have never saw such a perfect camouflage! :shocked-fill:  
I've seen the second picture before, and it still took me a bit to find it again.
Bobcat pulls large salmon from the water
"This bobcat makes hunting for salmon look easy, and frankly puts human fishing to shame. Just reach in, grab a snack almost as big as yourself for breakfast, and even manage to stay mostly dry in the process. The wildcat's expert display of fishing prowess was caught on camera in Washington's Olympic National Park by ranger Lee Taylor, who was out and about looking for salmon in the streams of Hoh, a temperate rainforest located within the park. "I went looking for spawning salmon and found a fishing bobcat," Taylor wrote on the park's Facebook page. "You never know what you might come across even on a quiet snowy morning." Though getting to watch a bobcat fish or hunt might be unusual – they're primarily solitary and nocturnal creatures, meaning they generally hunt at night and away from prying eyes – fishing for a meal is hardly unusual for a bobcat (Lynx rufus). These far-ranging, opportunistic hunters are found throughout North America, as well as Canada and as far south as central Mexico – and their unfussy diets can sometimes land them odd meals. The felines tend towards smaller prey like fish, rabbits, rodents and birds, as well as other small animals local to their habitat. However, they'll occasionally try their luck with larger prey like deer or pigs. In 2015, a bobcat was photographed dragging a shark out of the surf on a beach in Florida. The incident was unusual enough that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission examined the photo to verify it – and according to spokesperson Liz Barraco, it checked out. "We have no reason to believe [the photograph is] fake," Barraco told National Geographic, noting that bobcats were strong occasional fishers. "But this is the first time we've seen them fishing in saltwater." The animal apparently realised the shark was more than it had bargained for and abandoned its catch on the beach, but the capture itself was still a success. With the shark incident as context, it's perhaps less surprising that Washington's wild cat managed to nab a salmon so easily. One thing's for certain: with skills like that, the bobcat won't be going hungry anytime soon. " http://www.earthtouchnews.com/natural-world/predator-vs-prey/bobcat-goes-fishing-casually-catches-massive-salmon
Caracal predation on a heron
"When photographer Kelsey Green stopped beside the road in South Africa's Garden Route National Park recently to take some snapshots of a heron on the hunt, she had no idea that her camera lens wasn't the only thing focused on the water bird. Hidden in the grass nearby, a caracal was stalking its prey. Luckily for Green, she had her camera in hand when the tawny cat made its move.  *This image is copyright of its original author At first, Green's attention was entirely absorbed in the avian action: the black-headed heron was putting on a show, skewering rodents from the long grass and swallowing them whole. But just as she was preparing to leave, a streak of russet caught her eye. "My first thought was that it was a spooked duiker or grysbok," she told Wild Card Magazine. "Until I managed to pinpoint the heron and saw a caracal hanging on to its neck. I was shocked." The wild cat dispatched its prey in seconds with a swift bite to the neck, before carrying it into a nearby thicket to enjoy the meal in peace. "As I work in conservation, I have had the privilege of seeing some pretty amazing sightings in the Kruger National Park and other big reserves," Green explained. "Wildlife sightings like this are not as commonplace in the Garden Route, so it was particularly special."  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Although caracals are widespread throughout much of Africa, these shy felines are rarely seen. With their distinctive ear tufts, the cats are often referred to as Africa's lynx (a misnomer as caracals are only distantly related to their American and European cousins). A current research project into the diets of caracals in Cape Town has turned up everything from penguins to mole rats proving that these opportunistic hunters will feed on whatever food is available. According to Laurel Serieys, Project Coordinator for the Urban Caracal Project, birds are often on the menu. "We have observed [caracals] to prey on a vast array of birds including guineafowl, peacocks, smaller song birds, buzzards, and an array of birds you would expect to find near the coast or in marshy areas including Egyptian geese, oystercatchers, sea gulls, and cormorants." Like many wild cats, caracals rely on stealth to hunt their prey, stalking as close as they can to a target before pouncing or leaping to catch it. Known for their impressive acrobatics, these spring-loaded cats can launch themselves ten feet (three meters) into the air to nab their prey. Caracals are thought to be particularly numerous in South Africa's Western Cape province, where they are sometimes persecuted for preying on livestock. In fact, they're regarded as "pests" by farmers in much of southern Africa, and are often killed to avoid livestock losses. In addition to unregulated hunting, habitat loss poses a threat to their survival. " http://www.earthtouchnews.com/natural-world/predator-vs-prey/in-photos-caracal-snatches-a-heron-in-surprise-attack |
:
| Users browsing this thread: |
| 1 Guest(s) |