Many species of cats are great fishers, and bobcats are no exception. But one bobcat created anamazing fish tale when it pulled a shark out of the surf.
The dramatic moment was caught on camera by John Bailey in Vero Beach, Florida, when he was walking along Sebastian Inlet State Park.
Bailey told the local media that he saw the bobcat fishing in the surf. When suddenly, the cat leaped and dragged a shark three to four feet long out of the water.
The stunned photographer immediately snapped the action. The bobcat, seemingly startled, then ran off into the woods, leaving the shark on the beach.
Meanwhile, Liz Barraco, a spokesperson for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said that they have no reason to believe the photograph is fake.
Bobcats are known to eat a variety of mammals and birds, and they occasionally eat fish.
“But this is the first time we’ve seen them fishing in saltwater,” explained Barraco. “Still, it’s not too surprising since bobcats are opportunistic predators.”
Barraco also added that the number of bobcats in Florida is unknown.
“They can successfully live near the coast if there are patches of natural habitat nearby, even if there is development in the area,” she said.
On the other hand, National Geographic Photo Editor Ken Geiger stated that an examination of Bailey’s image, which was made on an iPhone 6, suggested it is authentic.
While, Seth Riley, a wildlife biologist, University of California, Los Angeles professor, and National Geographic explorer who works for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in California, said via email that he hasn’t seen anything like that before in his years studying bobcats. But the behavior doesn’t surprise him.