The Jekyll Island Authority Historic Preservation and Conservation Committee is hoping to find out if the recently discovered bobcats living on Jekyll Island are from the same genealogy as the bobcats on Cumberland Island.

According to Ben Carswell, director of conservation for the authority, the first bobcat genetic samples have been sent off to Penn State University for analysis.

A recently confirmed sighting of the mate and two kittens of a bobcat known to live on the island was announced last month.

Motion-triggered cameras placed throughout the island captured pictures of the bobcat family.

Bobcat sightings have been reported throughout the years on Jekyll Island, however, Sept. 1, 2014, was the first documented sighting.

Its been suggested that the male, in his search to establish territory, may have wondered over to Jekyll Island from the mainland.

The DNA analysis from Penn State could provide some insight into the origins of these particular cats.

Bobcats have been sighted on the Downing Musgrove Causeway in the past. Reportedly, its possible for them to either cross the bridge or swim Jekyll Creek to get to the island.

In the late 1980s, bobcats were successfully reintroduced on neighboring Cumberland Island. As native predators to Coastal Georgia, they are part of the areas biological diversity.

With a yellowish, gray, or reddish-brown, leopard print coat and short, stubby tail, bobcats are about twice the size of an average house cat. Adult males weigh between 18 to 25 pounds and adult females weigh 15 to 20 pounds.

Though the bobcats are predators, Carswell said previously they pose no threat to humans, but cautioned residents to keep a close eye on their pets, something he said should be done anyway.

According to Carswell, the bobcats are feeding on deer on Jekyll Island, a natural and important occurrence for the ecosystems balance and health.

The authoritys conservation team continues to monitor the cats to track, analyze and understand the population.

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