The mountain lion that was stalking him however just circled the base, stared upwards and growled for a few minutes before giving up and walking off.
The drama unfolded on the Giant Saguaro Cactus in Arizona's Sonoran Desert. It is an enormous plant with two-inch spikes and is thought to be up to 300-years-old.Photographer Curt Fonger, 69, captured what happened on film.
He said: 'A friend called me at 7am saying one of his workers had seen a bobcat being chased by a mountain lion.
'It ran across the road in front of his car and climbed up a large saguaro cactus at the roadside, with the lion hot on its tail.'The lion didn't pursue the bobcat up the cactus but circled the base.
'It looked up at the bobcat, growled several times, then turned around and trotted back up from where it had come.'The mountain lion probably had cubs, the bobcat had intruded on its territory and she gave chase to warn the bobcat not to come close to her young family.
'I was astonished that the bobcat was on such a high prickly perch.'In fact, the beautiful creature seemed quite content and was lying on top of the cactus. It only stood up when I got it's attention.'But I found out later that the bobcat stayed put for over six hours before finally deciding it was safe enough to come back down.
Curt, from Gold Canyon, Arizona, added: 'Although it may be common for a bobcat to escape one of it's major predators, it is very uncommon to have witnessed such an event first hand. 'I personally examined the base of the giant cactus after the bobcat had left. 'There was no hair or blood - only claw marks.
'Its a successful story of a bobcat avoided being eaten by a mountain lion with a happy ending of it's successful exit back into the desert.' The giant cactus is extremely rare. Just one in 1,000 seeds germinate and it then takes up to ten years to grow one inch.Its first arm develops between the ages of 75 and 100 years old or about the time they reach 15ft.
The drama unfolded on the Giant Saguaro Cactus in Arizona's Sonoran Desert. It is an enormous plant with two-inch spikes and is thought to be up to 300-years-old.Photographer Curt Fonger, 69, captured what happened on film.
He said: 'A friend called me at 7am saying one of his workers had seen a bobcat being chased by a mountain lion.
'It ran across the road in front of his car and climbed up a large saguaro cactus at the roadside, with the lion hot on its tail.'The lion didn't pursue the bobcat up the cactus but circled the base.
'It looked up at the bobcat, growled several times, then turned around and trotted back up from where it had come.'The mountain lion probably had cubs, the bobcat had intruded on its territory and she gave chase to warn the bobcat not to come close to her young family.
'I was astonished that the bobcat was on such a high prickly perch.'In fact, the beautiful creature seemed quite content and was lying on top of the cactus. It only stood up when I got it's attention.'But I found out later that the bobcat stayed put for over six hours before finally deciding it was safe enough to come back down.
Curt, from Gold Canyon, Arizona, added: 'Although it may be common for a bobcat to escape one of it's major predators, it is very uncommon to have witnessed such an event first hand. 'I personally examined the base of the giant cactus after the bobcat had left. 'There was no hair or blood - only claw marks.
'Its a successful story of a bobcat avoided being eaten by a mountain lion with a happy ending of it's successful exit back into the desert.' The giant cactus is extremely rare. Just one in 1,000 seeds germinate and it then takes up to ten years to grow one inch.Its first arm develops between the ages of 75 and 100 years old or about the time they reach 15ft.
VIDEO
Cats love to perch on impossible things. This reminds me of a Bunuel film.
How the hell are they going to get a fire truck out there! :)
beautiful animal
Just saw a Bobcat here in North Carolina and thought I had the world's most magical moment…perhaps this is that…
What a cutie =^,^=
I'm still blown away by how it can withstand all those spikes! I've messed around and got hit by some cactus, and they don't play...serious pain. This guy, however, he just does not give one half of a damn.
Does anybody still believe we need to get cats down from trees...? :) Wild cats wouldnt climb a cactus like that if they don't know how to get down. Do you hear me grandmothers??
Everyone loves acupuncture.
"Born and bred in a Briar Patch", said Brer Bobcat.
Majestic
way cool cats
"Jump, Bob -- you know you'll land on your feet!!
They should arrest that cat for defacing an endangered species. :)
This a very rare sighting. I`m 72 and have been an outdoorsman all my life and have only seen two; one briefly at night and the other I hit in my car at dusk in New Hampshire two years ago. I was devastated. After I calmed down I examined it in all its beauty. There is a good reason why so many schools adopt this animal as its mascot. They are powerful, resourceful and ferocious.
Such a magnificent creature! So glad a confrontation with the mountain lion was avoided......
I think he may have simply velcroed himself to the top. Great shots....!
Love him?!
she need help
Sad, he doesn't or possibly can't come down.
"It only stood up when I got it's attention."
It's = a contraction of "it is."
Its = the possessive form of "it."
If it takes 10 years to grow “about” 1 inch then it would take 120 (ish) years for 1 ft so by that logic that 40ft. cactus is 4800 years old.... How are we getting 300 years old, as stated in the article?
When deciding between life & death one will always choose life inspite the pain in comes with hi
Nice video ehy? I took it! It happened just down the road from my home in Gold Canyon. ❤️
Unbelievable! Thank you so much for sharing it with the world 💖💕
It looks so sweet and harmless but I'll bet it isn't anything like my housecat! It's adorable, though.
that is the coolest thing I've ever seen
Geez.......Six hours in the desert, on top of a forty foot cactus, wearing a fur coat!!!! I'd be dead! Fella's got some major fortitude!!
That is the coolest thing I've ever seen
At @Jess, about the 10 years:1 inch logic, that’s 10 years for the first inch to grow after germination. We can’t and shouldn’t assume it’s a linear relationship, more likely some sort of growth curve. It’s still a slow growing plant if 75-100 years:12 ft, but I suspect it would grow faster once it develops more roots.
Also (hate to double post but I can’t seem to find the edit button): I think the cat’s fur maybe acts like a Velcro to the spikes letting the bobcat just hang on top of the cactus. Total conjecture, not an expert.
What a beautiful creature! So glad it didn't end up being a snack for the Cougar. Just hoping it didn't get full of needles, etc. Hard to believe it came down from there totally unscathed but I certainly hope so.
This is not good. Something must have chased it up there an it's scared to get down plus the pain of it an hot sun. Not a great pic unless someone helped it down.
Julie:
Did you watch the video? This bobcat was chased by a mountain lion. It climbed up the cactus to get away. It came down after 6 hours when it was safe to do so.
if you talk to him you'll get a side quest
so cute but i think need help
WOW ! What a cool story / Cats in all varieties have profound survival skills .
here in the mountains of Northern California where I live, I have been considered a prey item by predators (bears and several mountain lions) on a half dozen occasions. obviously to this point I have survived, and I guarantee you this: it is a feeling one cannot quite imagine until one is placed in this position, and climbing that Cactus would be done without hesitation, if one finds one's self with any of these large Predators on one's heels- as the few who have faced this will confirm. peace be with us.
But mountain lions can climb too... risky move bobcat.
If a mountain lion chased and wanted to kill/eat me, I would climb a cactus too and stay until my heart recovered. They are both beautiful animals and I'm glad the Bobcat escaped. 😊
Uncle Staple is the real MVP with best comment.
I don't understand the arrogance of the people in this thread that assume that this magestic creature needs help down from that cactus! That cat is perfectly comfortable climbing that cactus, resting there, surveying the surroundings, and coming down on its own at its leisure.
Any cat person can appreciate this beautiful animal. The sharp spikes seem not to bother it.
.
Survival of the fittest! or the cleverest.
Its! Its! "Belonging or referring to it" is "its"! "It's" is "it is"!
How cool that you got to see this first hand.
I am sure this beautiful desert animal is well built for avaiding harm from the thorns of cacti in its enviroment.
it has its mouth open,,, breathing through it shows sign of trouble,, my real cat has asthma, when having trouble breathing he has mouth hanging open .. stess can cause it too. i hope it gets saftely down, too hot for it.
it needs some water
Something horrible must have been chasing this Bobcat for it to run up a cactus. But whatever it was could not or would not chase the Bobcat up that mean cactus.
How the heck will it get down?!? lol ��
Thanks for sharing such an interesting story of nature.
Thanks for the interesting story of nature in action.
It probably reminds him of his high school algebra class.
Bobcat making sure we notice the middle finger to Trump...
Okay but is no one going to talk about the cactus itself? That cactus could very well be 1,000 years old, which is insane!!!! Like yes, neat a bobcat atop a prickly perch, BUT TAKE A LOOK AT THE PRICKLY PERCH! It’s massive and beautiful and I would like one in my front yard.
GUESS THIS CAT IS A REAL STICKLER FOR DE-TAIL IT HASN'T GOT!!! SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL~
Are there any photos of it climbing down and actually being safe? The cat is very stressed and over heated. Is there any proof it actually made it safely down and was uninjured?
"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"! His thick coat protected him. He yawned at least 3 times before the end of his 6 hour Cat-nap. Glad the Mountain Lion didn't get the point too!
A very smart cat! One doesn't want to climb for protection on something a lion would be able to also.
I'm so glad the bobcat escaped!
"a successful story of a bobcat avoided being eaten by a mountain lion with a happy ending". Until you see the dead mountain lion, which starved to death.
I wonder why the mountain lion couldn't climb up and get it. The lion is just a larger version of a cat?