Bobcat Attacks World's Largest Rattlesnake in Rare Camera Trap Photos
In a remarkable wildlife encounter, a remote camera in Florida documented a bobcat hunting an adult eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the largest rattlesnake species. This dramatic event unfolded over 90 minutes on August 20, 2022, at the University of Florida's Range Cattle Research and Education Center in Hardee County, resulting in 38 vivid images. The footage reveals the bobcat skillfully evading the snake's rattling tail before launching an attack aimed at its head. Although the rattlesnake fought back, research published in the journal Southeastern Naturalist in August 2026 suggests that such predation events may be more frequent than previously acknowledged.
Key facts
- A bobcat attacked an adult eastern diamondback rattlesnake in Florida.
- The encounter was captured by a camera trap on August 20, 2022.
- The photos were published in the journal Southeastern Naturalist in August 2026.
- The camera trap took 38 photographs over roughly 90 minutes.
- The bobcat bit the snake's tail and head, leaving it visibly injured.
- The rattlesnake attempted to strike back but was unsuccessful.
- The study provides rare photographic evidence of a bobcat attacking a large venomous snake.
- The research was conducted at the University of Florida Range Cattle Research and Education Center in Hardee County, Florida.
Entities
Institutions
- Southeastern Naturalist
- University of Florida Range Cattle Research and Education Center
Locations
- Florida
- Hardee County