Animal Predatory Behavior Decreases Near Desert Wind Turbines, Study Finds

"These findings could be helpful in assisting managers to design future wind energy facilities with species in mind."

Wind turbines overlooking Whitewater Creek and Interstate 10 near Palm Springs, California. (PHOTO: David McNew / Getty Images News / Getty Images)

By Patch CA (Patch Staff)
Patch Banning

PALM SPRINGS, CA – A study conducted at the windmills near Palm Springs showed that predators are less likely to attack prey living near the wind turbines, including desert tortoises that burrow in the Coachella Valley.

Researchers from the University of California, Davis and the U.S. Geological Survey employed motion-activated cameras facing the entrances of 46 active desert tortoise burrows at the 5.2-square-kilometer wind energy facility.

They found that predators are far more likely to visit the tortoises' burrows near dirt roads and far less likely to visit burrows close to turbines.

The five predator species monitored included bobcats, gray foxes, coyotes, black bears and western spotted skunks, who scientists say were not actively hunting the tortoises but seeking smaller prey that frequently live in desert tortoise burrows.

"These findings could be helpful in assisting managers to design future wind energy facilities with species in mind," said lead author Mickey Agha. "There may be benefits to adding space between turbines and increasing the number of dirt roads, to potentially provide habitat for sensitive terrestrial wildlife."

Scientists behind the study -- which was published in the April issue of The Journal of Wildlife Management -- say the findings show that the design of wind energy infrastructure impacts animal behavior, an area of study rarely touched on.

"There is little information on predator-prey interactions in wind energy landscapes in North America, and this study provides a foundation for learning more," said Jeffrey Lovich, USGS scientist and study co-author.

"Further investigation of causes that underlie road and wind turbine effects, such as ground vibrations, sound emission and traffic volume, could help provide a better understanding of wildlife responses to wind energy development," he said.

Protection For East Mojave Bobcats Now In Place

Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

San Bernardino Sentinel

Efforts to protect San Bernardino County’s bobcat population have moved ahead, including the enactment of legislation last year which bans the trapping of the majestic creatures or the harvesting of their pelts in and around Joshua Tree National Park and the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve.

At present, state officials are awaiting the outcome of a survey of the entire state of California’s bobcat numbers to determine whether the Fish and Game Commission should set further restrictions on bobcat trapping permits.

Farmers and keepers of livestock have for centuries engaged in an effort to suppress the bobcat population, offering bounties on the animals, which are opportunistic predators. The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, which most often preys upon available rabbits and hares, small rodents and deer. If chickens are available, bobcats will voraciously feast upon them and will attack and kill foxes, minks, skunks,, dogs, goats and sheep. Bobcats have been credited with being responsible for roughly 11,000 sheep killings nationally every years, or 4.9% of all sheep predator deaths, though bobcat predation in this venue may be misattributed since bobcats have been known to scavenge on the remains of livestock kills by other animals.

Concern had been growing for years over human predation of bobcats. Bobcat pelts are commonly sold for $200 to $1,000 to collectors. Traders and collectors in China, Russia and Greece are particularly fond of bobcat pelts.

A common way of controlling the bobcat population consists of trapping. Trappers will monitor a bobcat’s habits and find areas they frequent. Since bobcat are territorial and mark their territory with its urine, trappers will use commercially available bobcat urine to bait a trap. They often cover the trap with sticks or brush and accentuate the baiting process with a piece of meat, mimicking the bobcat's practice of hiding away portions of larger animals it cannot finish in one sitting.

Popular nowadays are long-spring traps or coil traps, or a homesteader or rear door trap which is designed to capture the bobcat without injuring it or its pelt.

A watershed event occurred in January 2013 when Joshua Tree resident Tom O’Key found a bobcat trap on his property just outside Joshua Tree National Park. The trapper claimed he thought he had placed his device on public land.

As a result, Richard Bloom of Santa Monica sponsored Assembly Bill 1213. Which was passed into law and signed by Governor Jerry Brown in October 2013. In signing the bill Brown called for a bobcat survey to determine the appropriateness of more inclusive bans.

The law went into effect on January 1, 2014, establishing a no-trapping zone around Joshua Tree National Park and within the Big Morongo Preserve, require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to amend its regulations to “prohibit the trapping of bobcats within, and adjacent to, the boundaries of a national or state park, monument or preserve, national wildlife refuge and other public or private conservation area identified by for protection.”

The bill also codified as illegal to trapping bobcats on private lands without the written consent of the property owner.

Bobcat kits snuggle in tree

By Rebecca Unger
Hi-Desert Star

Photo by Julianne Koza

PIONEERTOWN — Julianne Koza and her friend LynAnne Felts were cruising down Pipes Canyon Road on their way to the Orchid Festival last Saturday morning when they stopped short at an unusual sight — a pair of bobcat kittens.

“We thought we saw house cats up a Joshua tree,” Koza said. “Then we saw the tufted ears and realized those guys will never be house trained!”

Koza and Felts got out and jumped around to get the bobkittens’ attention. “They were quite unconcerned about our presence,” remarked Koza. “Like all cats, they knew we were there but didn’t care.”

Koza said she took “millions” of photos, and is happy to share some of them with Hi-Desert Star readers.

“It pays to always have your camera with you, because you never know what treasures the desert may choose to display.”

Officials say bobcat sightings not a cause for concern

By JASON SMITH, staff writer
Desert Dispatch





BARSTOW — Wildlife biologist Neal Darby was walking his black lab on desert lands close to his Barstow apartment several weeks ago when his dog started barking wildly at a nearby bush.

He thought that his dog detected a snake, fox or squirrel and was a little surprised when a bobcat darted out from under the bush and ran away into the desert.

“It’s just another example of
a healthy local ecosystem”
“They’re more common than people believe,” he said

In recent weeks, people living close to the Robert A. Sessions Sports Park and the Veterans Home of California in Barstow have reported seeing the 20-pound wildcats close to human habitats, worrying some residents.

Darby, a biologist with the Mojave National Preserve, said that bobcats are nocturnal animals that dislike interacting with humans.

“Overall, it’s not a big concern. They’re very shy creatures. As long as people don’t harass the animals, they’ll hardly know they are there,” he said.

Darby said that though sightings of the animals in the wild are not a cause for concern, residents who see bobcats near human habitats should call the county animal control office because the animals may be rabid.

He said that the cats are attracted to the sports park because the lush grass provides habitats for rabbits and squirrels, the bobcats’ main source of food.

City Council member Joe Gomez said that he’s heard several complaints from residents worried that the cats might attack children or pets.

“I’m very concerned about it. The sports park has become an oasis for reptiles, rodents and animals in the area,” he said.

Gomez said that with houses being built in the area, he fears that confrontations between humans and animals will become more common.

Patricia Morris, assistant to the city manager, said that several city staff members and sports park neighbors have seen the animals, and the city is monitoring the situation. She said that staff contacted wildlife biologist Kevin Brennan from the state Fish and Game office. He advises residents to leave the cats alone.

“He assured us they do not attack people, but like any cat if you antagonize them, they will scratch and defend themselves,” Morris said.

Judy Carmon, who lives close to the area, said she that she notices that the cat food she leaves outside is disappearing overnight, something she blames on the bobcats. Although she hasn’t seen any recently, she said that early this year residents often witnessed a bobcat lurking in the early morning.

The sports park isn’t the only place where bobcats have been seen. Jack Stormo, director of environmental programs for the Marine Corps Logistics Base, Barstow, said that several bobcats have been seen near the bases’ Nebo annex.

He said that this year has been a good year for the animals because of a relative abundance of their food sources.

“It’s just another example of a healthy local ecosystem,” he said.

Stormo said that he’s been told of animals approaching housing units on the base, but he generally doesn’t consider the animals to be a nuisance. He said that residents shouldn’t be concerned, but acknowledged that some people are taken aback when seeing the cats for the first time.

“It is a little startling sometimes to see them sitting on your back step,” he said.