Cathy Terry was driving down the road in Bartow, Florida when she came across an alligator crossing the road and thought it was just another wildlife traffic jam in Polk County. However, the moment was about to be much rarer than that and she had front-row seats.
As Cathy took out her phone to take a photo of the alligator, she noticed a bobcat stealthily creeping up behind the reptile. With the alligator’s back turned, the bobcat took advantage of the opportunity of not being seen and began stalking its prey.
Cathy couldn’t believe what she was seeing and decided to go from taking pictures to recording the scene on video.
In a once-in-a-lifetime event, the bobcat was filmed following the alligator across the road, carefully treading behind it. The wild feline was so focused on its prey that it didn’t even notice Cathy recording it.
Cathy later posted the video on Facebook where it went viral. People from all over the world were amazed by what they saw with many of them resharing the video.
Bobcats are native to Florida and are commonly found in wooded areas, swamps, and scrublands. In recent years, the bobcat population has declined due to habitat loss and hunting. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there are an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 bobcats in Florida.
On the other hand, alligators are a common sight in Florida, and there are more than 1.3 million alligators in the state. Alligators can be found in all 67 counties in Florida and are considered a keystone species in the state’s ecosystem.
In the end, the bobcat eventually gave up on its pursuit of the alligator, realizing that the reptile may have just been too big and dangerous to take on.
Cathy was left with an unforgettable experience and a video that captured a rare moment in nature. It’s not every day that you get to witness something as remarkable as this, and Cathy will undoubtedly treasure this experience for a lifetime.
“One of the most amazing things I’ve EVER seen! Yesterday I thought ‘another Polk County traffic jam’ and, no camera, snapped a pic with cell of the gator crossing the road. All of sudden there was a full sized bobcat after the gator! Bobcat eventually gave up. It was AWESOME!!!!!!!” Terry wrote on Facebook. “Once in a lifetime.”