While out walking on a little-used woods trail beneath a steep cliff in central Vermont, we found this patch of yellow moss attached to the vertical rock face at the base of the cliff, surrounded by green moss of the same species. Closer inspection revealed that some of the moss had been rubbed away, and there were scratched up leaves below this spot. What’s going on here?
Answer
This is a bobcat territorial marking. Bobcats will spray urine onto areas within their territories, including on absorbent plant matter such as moss or wood that holds scent well. The scent warns off interlopers and announces a bobcat’s presence to potential mates. Bobcats will also sometimes rub against these marks (hence the worn away moss), and scrape up leaves that they also spritz with urine.
This week’s contest winner was Charles Wohlers