Bobcats

About the Program

When a boy is between the ages of eight and eleven years old or has completed the first grade, he can become a Cub Scout. Every boy must complete the Bobcat Trail as the first step in Scouting.

Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of scouting, created the Cub Scout section for children from 7-11, he used the The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling as the symbolic framework for cubs.

"Each of the animals in the jungle symbolises certain areas of personal development identified by Scouting: intelligence and creativity, emotional development, spirituality, physical development, etc.This symbolic language also explains the characteristics of the relationship between the old wolves (the adult leaders) and the cubs and the institutions which exist in the group (the Rock Council) to make decisions together and evaluate the group life.In other words, the Jungle Book is a reference framework, which can be used by Scout leaders to explain, in a symbolic language (more easily understood by children), what Scouting proposes to them: what values, what objectives of personal development, and the qualities of the group life that they can find within the pack."

The Jungle Book also shows us the values and attitudes of real friends, like Baloo (wisdom, decency, goodness, strictness); or Bagheera (astuteness, agility, skilfulness, sharp observation, tenderness); or Akela (bravery, determination, experience, honesty, authority); and Kaa (intelligence, experience, ingeniousness); Hathi (strength, knowledge); Rasha (valour, tenderness)....

In Rudyard Kipling's story, the black panther Bagheera is the mighty hunter that teaches the cubs the skills of the jungle. In Cub Scouting we use the symbol of the Bobcat. You'll find his trail in the "Wolf Cub Scout Book." Once a boy has acheived the Bobcat rank, he begins his path through scouting by following Akela. Akela is the wise leader of the wolf pack, the symbolic representative of all leaders and mentors for our scouts.