Pretty cool cat
Not sure if this has been posted yet - from our biologist over the weekend.
Congrats to the hunter
From: "Baccus, John" <John.Baccus@ttu.edu>
Subject: Re: Melanistic Bobcat
Seems the bobcat you shot gets more interesting as I research about this color phase. I learned it is called a Maltese or blue variety that is very rare. According to the Hudson Bay Fur Company only a few bobcats of the blue variety were bought between 1700 and 1900. There have been no reports of a blue bobcat in over 100 years until you killed the one in Grimes County. The only other blue variety wildcat known to science was a blue tiger in China in the early 1900s.
There is little known about the genetics of melanistic wildcats especially bobcats. Your bobcat has presented us with a once in a life time opportunity to look at the genetics of this cat. I have a colleague interested in studying this cat. What we need is any bones from the cat or muscle tissue. I don't expect you have these items, but may be the taxidermist that did your mount has some. I would appreciate the phone number of the taxidermist so I can see if these items are available.
I really appreciate your contacting me about your bobcat and hope we can do the genetics.
John Baccus
Not sure if this has been posted yet - from our biologist over the weekend.
Congrats to the hunter
From: "Baccus, John" <John.Baccus@ttu.edu>
Subject: Re: Melanistic Bobcat
Seems the bobcat you shot gets more interesting as I research about this color phase. I learned it is called a Maltese or blue variety that is very rare. According to the Hudson Bay Fur Company only a few bobcats of the blue variety were bought between 1700 and 1900. There have been no reports of a blue bobcat in over 100 years until you killed the one in Grimes County. The only other blue variety wildcat known to science was a blue tiger in China in the early 1900s.
There is little known about the genetics of melanistic wildcats especially bobcats. Your bobcat has presented us with a once in a life time opportunity to look at the genetics of this cat. I have a colleague interested in studying this cat. What we need is any bones from the cat or muscle tissue. I don't expect you have these items, but may be the taxidermist that did your mount has some. I would appreciate the phone number of the taxidermist so I can see if these items are available.
I really appreciate your contacting me about your bobcat and hope we can do the genetics.
John Baccus
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