Bobcats – Bobcats are one of two species of wildcat that exist in Florida, along with the much larger Florida Panthers and they are present on Disney property. Bobcats live throughout Florida, primarily in the forests and swamps and they can be seen on wooded areas of Walt Disney World. We spotted one during an April 2009 visit around 7:00am on the pathway between Old Key West Resort and Saratoga Springs Resort. After admiring it for a short period of time, it went on its way into a nearby stand of trees. Other guests have recently photographed them near the Wilderness Lodge.
Bobcats are easily distinguished from possible stray house cats by their size (over 30 pounds) and their tufted ears and bobbed tails. They are shy and elusive and will usually make themselves hidden if they can hear you coming. If you are fortunate enough to see one, admire it from a respectful distance and please do not feed it.
In October 1963, The Wahoo Bobcat aired as the 4th episode of the 10th season of the Magical World of Disney. It is the story of an aging Bobcat who is befriended by a fisherman Florida’s Okefenokee Swamp. Of course, one Bobcat you can always see at Disney World is Octavia the Bobcat who plays a horn on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
