Joe Kahlo
Bobcats are largely solitary animals, so even spotting a single cat is a rare experience, much less three of them comfortably spending time together.
Capturing a great photograph requires a few things, these include technical skill, foresight, and intuition. More than anything though you need a bit of luck! After all, being in the right place at the right time is something that’s very difficult to plan for. But a skilled photographer should be able to recognize the charming scene and know when to snap perfect the photo.
Mike Mayou found such a moment while flying his drone on the St. Louis River in Minnesota, US. There, he managed to capture a few once-in-a-lifetime shots of a trio of bobcats sitting on a log near the icy water. The amazing photo manages to capture all three of the big cats looking straight into the camera with curious expressions that are quite reminiscent of the kitties many of us know well at home.
Photographer Mike Mayou used his drone to capture three bobcats together near the St. Louis River in Minnesota.
Mayou wasn’t looking for anything in particular that day when he set out on his “photography adventure”; all he was hoping for was to find a nice place to catch the sunset. “The sun didn’t end up making an appearance, so I was about to leave after exploring the area around the river, but I happened to spot something crossing the ice,” he tells My Modern Met.
“After flying a drone over to investigate, I discovered that there were three bobcats venturing together! It was quite a breathtaking experience, and I decided to turn my camera on while I was around them.” He spent a few minutes close to the animals and then left so he didn’t disturb them any further.
Bobcats are largely solitary animals so Mayou was definitely surprised to find three bobcats traveling together. Spotting just one of these creatures is a rare experience. This unplanned image surely wouldn’t of been possible without his drone. “It’s quite rare for humans to see bobcats in the wild, but the drone, which is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, allowed me to capture these animals in a unique way,” Mayou says.
But would he do it again? “After looking into the ethics of drone photography around wildlife, I realized I may have actually gotten a bit too close to the bobcats for comfort,” he admits, “and looking back, I would not have gotten as close as I did. If the behavior of the animal changes, the drone is too close.”
Here’s a video of the bobcats from that day:
