Kiawah Island’s historically healthy bobcat populations began to decline in 2017, due primarily to increased mortality rates caused by second-generation anticoagulant (SGA) poisoning. Numbers declined from a historic population of 30-35 bobcats down to as few as 10. Thanks to voluntary efforts under the Bobcat Guardian Program, bobcat numbers have started to increase though still remain below historic numbers. Bobcats can be seen in all parts of the island, typically during the hours from dusk to dawn. Bobcats pose no threat to humans and serve a vital role in managing populations of rats, mice, and deer on the island. Because of their vital importance to the island’s ecosystem, several research projects have been conducted to better understand their habitat needs and requirements.
General Description
Bobcats are about twice the size of a house cat. Adult male bobcats weigh 18-25 pounds and adult females weigh 15-20 pounds. Their hind legs are longer and their tail is shorter than domestic cats. Bobcats are yellowish or reddish-brown and spotted or streaked with brown or black.
The bobcat’s eyes are prominent and are its primary means of locating prey. Unlike other carnivores, cats have excellent binocular vision and depth perception, which makes stalking and catching prey much easier. Like the house cat, bobcats have elliptical pupils, which allow in as much or as little light as necessary. Their hearing is exceptional and they can hear even the faintest sound. Because bobcats are primarily a visual hunter, they do not have a very developed sense of smell.
Life history
kittenThe breeding season for bobcats is February through April and kittens are born 62 days later. The den is typically located under a brush pile, in a hollow tree stump, or in a thicket of palmetto. Kittens are born blind and remain so for 10 days. They are totally dependent on the mother’s milk for four weeks, after which the female will begin to bring rodents and birds back to the den for them. The female will also teach the kittens how to hunt and kill. When the kittens are 6-8 weeks old, they will typically leave the den but remain with the female for up to a year.
Bobcats are very opportunistic hunters and will eat a variety of animals, including rabbits, rodents, raccoons, birds, deer (primarily fawns during the summer), and even reptiles and amphibians. Bobcats often stalk their prey, sneaking in as close as possible before jumping to capture it. At other times, the bobcat will merely hide in an area where prey is abundant and wait for something to come along.
Bobcats are at the top of the food chain on Kiawah and have very few natural enemies. Anticoagulant poisoning, automobiles and disease are the greatest threats to bobcats, though disease is quite rare. Bobcats will live in close proximity to humans when suitable habitat is available, typically living on the fringes of development. Due to their normally secretive nature, bobcats are rarely seen. Current research focuses on identifying and preserving as much of their critical habitat as possible.
Kiawah’s historically healthy bobcat population declined dramatically between 2017-2020. The use of second-generation anticoagulant (SGAs) rodenticides was the primary contributing factor and was responsible for at least seven bobcat deaths during 2019-2020. Biologists estimate that Kiawah’s bobcat population declined from a historic population of 30-35 to less than 10 during this time period. Thanks in large part to voluntary efforts under the Bobcat Guardian program, Kiawah’s bobcat population is showing signs of recovery, but continued efforts are needed.
Take the Pledge to Become a Bobcat Guardian
We need community-wide participation to mitigate the issue and save our bobcat population! Eliminating the toxic SGA foursome will ensure fewer poisoned prey entering the food system, and our bobcats have the chance to thrive once again. Take the pledge that you have either told your pest control provider: “I do not authorize the use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (Brodifacoum, Bromadiolone, Difenacoum, and Difethialone) on my property and I want you to use alternative methods” OR, “I personally commit not to use the above products on my property.” Click here or the button below for the Bobcat Guardian list.
Click Here for Current Bobcat Guardian List
Pledge Forms- Become a Bobcat Guardian Resident (One response per household, please.)
- Become a Bobcat Guardian Pest Control Provider
- Become a Bobcat Guardian Business/Entity Partner
- Learn More About Bobcats
- Secondary Poisoning Infographic
- Recent Press
Eliminate the Toxic Foursome
Tell your pest control provider not to use second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGAs) on your property. These include:
- Brodifacoum
- Bromadiolone
- Difenacoum
- Difethialone
Pest control companies are required to disclose the active ingredient in all pesticides they are using. Ask your pest control provider to provide in writing what they are using on your property. If you do your own pest control, check the active ingredient on the label to make sure you are not using any of the active ingredients above.
Rethink Your Rodent Control Strategy
Use Integrated Pest Management to address rodent problems:
- Identify specific rodent problems and locations by doing a thorough survey of the property. Only take action if a problem exists. Seeing a rodent in your yard is not a rodent problem.
- Use non-chemical methods of rodent control (eliminate food/water sources, exclude rodents from structures by sealing exterior holes and cracks, use traps).
- Pesticides should only be used as a last resort for large infestations inside structures. The pesticide should only be applied for a short time (typically 10 days) and then stopped once the problem is resolved.
Know Pesticides – It’s All About Ingredients
If pesticides are necessary, first-generation anticoagulants (warfarin, chlorophacinone, and diphacinone) are slightly better than second-generation anticoagulants but still have secondary effects on wildlife and should not be used. The best option would be a product that uses bromethalin or cholecalciferol. While these products have significantly lower secondary effects on bobcats and other predators, they are still potentially toxic if consumed directly by pets and can only be used inside of a tamper-resistant bait station. Brand names of products containing these rodenticides are listed below:
- Cholecalciferol – Terad3 Blox, d-Con Pro Bait Station Blocks
- Bromethalin – Tomcat Bait Station Blocks, Victor Fast Kill Refillable Rat Bait Station
Federal law requires that all rodenticide packaging clearly display the active ingredient and instructions for use. Failure to follow the instructions on the label is a violation of state and federal law. Always check the label before using any rodenticide product.
Other Ways to Help
While Kiawah still has plenty of excellent bobcat habitat, it has less than it did ten years ago. This means that bobcats have to travel further and expand their home range size to meet their needs. Because bobcats are territorial, larger home range sizes mean fewer bobcats on the island. Also, increased travel by bobcats makes them more susceptible to vehicle collisions and other mortality events.
Residents can easily help replace their habitat by exchanging or adding native landscaping to their property that promotes bobcat habitat (Saw Palmettos, Yaupon Holly, Black Needlerush, Wax Myrtle, Saltmeadow Cordgrass, Little Bluestem, and Broomsedge) and let buffer areas grow back naturally. More information is available through the Town’s Grow Native initiative at www.grownativekiawah.com
Regulation Information
The Town currently cannot regulate or prohibit the use of SGAs. In April, Town Council was prepared to pass an ordinance that would have done this. That action was challenged, and legal opinions since have confirmed that South Carolina law broadly prohibits municipalities from enacting local regulations to control pesticide use. The Town has not ruled out the possibility of challenging that law, but such a challenge will be costly, time-consuming, and in the meantime, the use of these chemicals would continue unabated. The Town and the Kiawah Conservancy have both petitioned the SC Department of Pesticide Regulation for a one-year temporary ban on the use of these chemicals in the Town. The request is pending.
Update August 13, 2020
The Clemson Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has denied the Town’s request for a temporary, one-year prohibition on second-generation anticoagulant (SGA) use on Kiawah Island. The temporary ban would have immediately removed these products from our ecosystem and mitigated any further damage to our bobcat population and other wildlife while our community works on a permanent solution to this issue.
The public announcement is provided here.
Below is a list of all pest control companies offering rodent control services that have a business license with the Town of Kiawah Island. Companies in bold red are Bobcat Guardians and have pledged never to use SGAs on Kiawah Island. Thank you for your efforts!
Pest Control Providers
A-Advanced Pest Control
Advanced Termite + Pest ControlAlpha Wildlife
American Hi Tech Pest Control, LLC
Anchor Pest ManagementAnticimex Carolinas dba Clark's Termite & Pest Control
Applied Sciences Pest Group, LLC
Atllantic Pest and Termite Mgmt Inc.
Barrier Pest ServicesBug Commander, LLC
Carolina Coastal Pest Management LLC
Champion Pest Managemen
Cingo
Crescent Pest Control, LLC
Critter Control LLCDodson Bros Exterminating Co, Inc.
Ecolab, Inc.
Elams Pest Control
Hart's Nuisance Animal Management
HomeTeam Pest Defense
Ledford’s Termite and Pest Control
LOGO'S EXTERMINATINGLow Country Pest Specialists
Massey Services, Inc.
McFadden Pest Control Inc
Mr. Critter
Orkin LLC
Palmetto Exterminators LLC
Pest-free Pest Control
Precision Pest & Home Services
Proterm LLC
Sandlapper Pest Control
Rick Hendricks Pest ManagementStark Exterminators
Terminix Service, Inc.
Trutech Inc Wildlife ServicesWilliams Wildlife Removal
Businesses, entities, regimes and residents who have taken the Bobcat Guardian pledge are listed below. Thank you!
Bobcat Guardian Business, Regime, and Entity Partners
| ACE Preferred Inspections | Luxe Coastal Concierge |
| Akers Ellis Rentals | Maritime at Kiawah |
| Campbell Interiors | Oceanwoods HOA |
| Captured by Kate Family Portrait Photography | Poston Community Management, Inc. |
| Carolina Gutter Company of SC LLC | Property Management Services |
| Cava Custom Build | R&E Home Solutions |
| Cinder Creek Construction | Rachel Weber Photography LLC |
| ESPM Vacation Rentals | Ravenel Associates |
| Hanebrink Jewelers | Seascape Villas at Kiawah HPR |
| Kiawah By Owner | Tennis Club Villas |
| Kiawah Conservancy | The Cape on Kiawah |
| Kiawah Island Club Holdings, LLC | Timbers Kiawah |
| Kiawah Island Community Association, Inc. | Turtle Point Villas 1 |
| Kiawah Island Golf Resort | Windswept II HPR |
| Kiawah Island Storage Solutions | Windswept Villas III |
| Linda MacArthur Architect, LLC |
Resident Bobcat Guardians
| Al & Grace Sined | Kara & Neal Crowell | |
| Al and Susan Russo | Karen DiCapua | |
| Alison & Gerry Frey | Karen & Bill Davis | |
| Allison Lang | Karen & Len Madoff | |
| Amelia Wilkinson | Karen Marston & Greg Buzan | |
| Andy and Kim Kuchan | Karla and Dale Mugler | |
| Andy and Maryann Bugas | Katherine Innis | |
| Andy Capelli | Kathleen and Steven Carroll | |
| Angela & Bob Wills | Kathleen Bixler | |
| Ann Moriarty & John Fitzgerald | Kathy and Bob Halayko | |
| Anne and Leonard Long | Kathy and Joe Sweeney | |
| Anne and Steve Campanella | Kay & Paul Ballenger | |
| Antonio and Patricia Dillon | Kelly & Gregg Bragg | |
| Arlene Camp | Kenneth R. Button | |
| Art Glenn | Kevin Donlon | |
| Ashwini Udgaonkar | Kevin Mooney | |
| Audrey & Randy Ostroff | Kim & Paul Anuszkiewicz | |
| Barbara and John Sirianni | Kimberly Dautenhahn | |
| Becki McSwain | Kit & John McMurray | |
| Ben and Ann Farabee | Ladner | |
| Betsy & Bob McQuade | Lance Spencer & Melissa Yeardon | |
| Betsy Wright | Larry & Kathleen Knolhoff | |
| Bill & Noreen Beaman | Larry Aronson | |
| Bill and Cindy Perry | Lee Carpenter | |
| Bill Carney and Carol Hurley | Leigh and Barbara Tyler | |
| Bob & Barb Struble | Leo and Bethann Horey | |
| Bob & Kathy Blue | Leslie and Gordon Baylis | |
| Bob & Mariellen Perugini | Linda & Carl McHugh | |
| Bob & Rosie Omahne | Linda Dove | |
| Bob and Jo-Ann Oeters | Lisa A Mittnacht | |
| Bob and Kim Fellner | Lisa M Giles | |
| Bob Martineau | Lisowski/Johnson | |
| Bob Townsend | Lois and Bob Cheney | |
| Brad and Laura Belt | Lori and Michael chandler | |
| Brenda and Gerry Mullane | Lynn and Cindy Feldman | |
| Brendan & Cathie McCrann | Lynne and Steve Sager | |
| Bruce and Bonnie Butler | MacKinney Family | |
| Buck and Amy Beltzer | Madeleine Kaye | |
| Buddy & Beth Franklin | Mae Carey | |
| C. Lynwood Bramlett | Margaret Harris | |
| Cameron Findlay | Margaret Vernon | |
| Caralynn Sandorf & Dr. Michael Perskin | Marie Ganott & Mark Geller | |
| Carl and Linda McHugh | Mark and Patti Borst | |
| Carla Davis | Mark and Paula Griesbaum | |
| Carol and Ben Osbun | Marlene and Perry Molinoff | |
| Carol and Robert Ray | Marshal and Donna Mize | |
| Carol Medendorp | Martha Brown | |
| Carroccio Family | Mary and John Cassidy | |
| Catherine & Grant Verstandig | Mary Beth Salowich | |
| Cathy & Jim Gidcumb | Mary Graves | |
| Charlen Cathcart | Mary Houston and Chip Cater | |
| Charles Teal | MaryAlice and Tom Roberts | |
| Chris and Betsy Dahlstrom | Mastrangelo Family | |
| Chris and Bill Sudell | Maura and Brad McIlvain | |
| Chris and Karen Narwold | Maureen and Don Gibson | |
| Christine Joyner | Max and Laura Gibbs | |
| Claudia Ruedrich | Mayer Family | |
| Craig and Vivian Asche | Megan and Bill Goeller | |
| Cyndie Mynatt | Megan and Bill Goeller | |
| Cynthea and Tom Riesenberg | Melissa Newhall and George Yu | |
| Dan and Susan Barnes | Michael & Deborah Kogan | |
| Dan Sullivan | Michael & Marianne Gardner | |
| Darrell and Carol Johnson | Michael & Suzanne Bown | |
| Dave and Linda Profozich | Michele & Ben Garren | |
| David & Fiona Lythgoe | Mr. and Mrs Zampino | |
| David and Diana Mezzanotte | Nancy and Dan Prickett | |
| David and Kim Schaeffer | O'Kieffe family | |
| David Rynecki and Margaret Shergalis | Pam and Michael Wilson | |
| Dawn Hawley | Pamela Menefee | |
| Deb Morton | Pamela Pollitt | |
| Debbie Chiumento and Mark Miklavic | Pat Baumann and Mike Swomley | |
| Debra Sheldon | Patrick and Valerie Luzadder | |
| Dennis and Toni Winans | Paul and Rosie Dussault | |
| Dennis and Toni Winans | Paula Frldman | |
| Dennis and Vicki Klein | Pete and Cherie Gallagher | |
| Diane & Rick Flaherty | Peter and Livingston Grant | |
| Diane Gulyas | Peter and Mary Meyers | |
| Donna and Marshal Mize | Rachael Zufall | |
| Donna Nicholson | Rebecca & Grier Bomar | |
| Doreen & Michael Chapman | Reggie and Mike Sommer | |
| Doris & Kenny Shuman | Retta Koch | |
| Dot and Don Brookshire | Richard and Patricia Gatens | |
| Doug and Brooke Golwas | Richard and Tannis Alkire | |
| Doug and Sheila Epp | Richard and Tannis Alkire | |
| Douglas Ellington | Richard Diemer | |
| Dr and Mrs Richard Yevak | Richard Family | |
| Dr. Jeffrey & Pamela Cohen | Rick & Bette Popillo | |
| Dwight Williams | Rick Scarborough | |
| Elaine Verma | Rob Cushman & Family | |
| Elisabeth and Wade St. John | Robin and Walter Wolak | |
| Ellen and James Gragnolati | Rod Barlow & Tricia Fithian | |
| Elly and Ted Kannen | Ron and Nancy Curran | |
| Eniko Nicolais—Rolando | Rus& Dixie Hapgood | |
| Ernie & Deanna Cochran | Russ and Deirdre Halberstadt | |
| Eva and Thomas Brandt | Sabrina Y Williams | |
| Evan Dyal | Sally and Brad Gabosch | |
| Evelyn and Robert Manetta | Sam and Cynthia Hunt | |
| Faith and Carter Eskew | Sandy Devine | |
| Fox Family | Sarah and Larry Barden | |
| Fran and Sue ORourke | Scott Koruba | |
| Fran Williams | Spencer & Farish Perlman | |
| Frances Boyd | Stephen snd Barbara Kimbrough | |
| Frank & Denise Seidelmann | Steve and Connie Andersen | |
| Frank X. Prudent & Charles W. Jordan | Steve and Joan Hogrefe | |
| Fred & Mary Jo Armbrust | Steve and Robyn Fisher | |
| Gary & Susan McCray | Steve Rolando and Eniko Nicolais | |
| Gary & Susan McCray | Stuart and Rosalind Walman | |
| Gene Hutchinson & Julie Provenson | SueEllen and Morris Hanan | |
| George & Betsy Plattenburg | Susan Schaffer | |
| Ginny Bush | Susie & Andy Rush | |
| Greg & Shawn Nelson | Tamarra and Jim Giertz | |
| Halayko | Tammy and Jerry McGre | |
| Huddleston family | Tara Lipinski | |
| Jack & Retta Koch | Tara Smith Tyberg | |
| Jack and Marla Mahler | Ted and Caitlin Mucha | |
| Jack and Susan Curtis | Ted and Elly Kannen | |
| Jack Barnett | Terry & Cindy O’Connell | |
| Jack Morton | Terry and Peter Stockman | |
| James & Amanda Zifer | Thomas & Denise Nudo | |
| James Reynolds | Tobe and Anne Sherrill | |
| Jamie and Rob Ryan | Todd & Dellann Harvey | |
| Jane Brown | Todd and Sally Cuter | |
| Jane Mougey | Tom & Patti Hotchkiss | |
| Jane Payne | Tom and Connie Cole | |
| Janie Stanek | Tom and Dawn Blackman | |
| Jeanne Ball | Tom and Kathy Lewis | |
| Jeff & Beckett Kimble | Winter Family | |
| Jeff and Amy Lime | Wylie and Stuart Small | |
| Jeff and Heidi DeDay | York Family | |
| Jeff and Lisa Alter | ||
| Jeff and Sonia Keller | ||
| Jeffrey and Sharon Porter | ||
| Jenkins Family | ||
| Jennifer Nsuyen | ||
| Jerald & Terri Katz Kasimov | ||
| Jerry Rubino | ||
| Jim & Lisa Braun | ||
| Jim and Cookie Gilliam | ||
| Jim and Darlene Mieszala | ||
| Jim and Gaye Stathis | ||
| Jim and Stacy Cunningham | ||
| Joan Collar | ||
| Joan T. Avioli | ||
| Joanne and Paul Hennessy | ||
| Joe & Kristin Thompson | ||
| Joe and Sue Hitselberger | ||
| Joe Buongiorno | ||
| Joe C. Hollar | ||
| John & Karen Lombardo | ||
| John & Vicki Parry | ||
| John and Karen Lombardo | ||
| John and Linda Connolly | ||
| John and Lynda Leffler | ||
| John and Marilyn Stott | ||
| Joseph and Karen Gallagher | ||
| Joseph and Pamela Buongiorno | ||
| Joseph Omlor | ||
| Joyce and Tom Walsh | ||
| Judy O’Brien | ||
| Julie Garrick | ||
| Justin & Jennifer Cronk | ||
