The UC Riverside Botanic Gardens’ crew spotted a charming new newcomer to the gorgeous 40-acre site in Southern California the other day.

It was a bobcat kitten who had boldly stepped away from his mother to explore the world.

The gardens, which are located near a wildlife corridor, are no strangers to wild visitors who come to appreciate the tranquility. But they rarely provide such a striking glimpse of their attractiveness as this guy did.

The curious kitty had to move in for a closer look after seeing a staff member.

“We get quite frequent sightings of adult bobcats, and occasionally spring sightings of kittens,” UCR Botanic Gardens director Jodie Holt told The Dodo. “When a bobcat is spotted, it always surprises and delights the staff and guests.”

A video of the small bobcat in action may be seen here:

Bobcats that come to the gardens usually keep their distance from people. In this occasion, though, the kitten’s mother may have been preoccupied with another of her children, enabling him to explore a little more. Even yet, his lone exploration didn’t last long.

That brief glimpse of the kitten, on the other hand, served as a delightful reminder of the world’s untamed beauty, which is frequently overlooked.

“This one was extraordinarily close, but the mother relocated them to parts unknown shortly after,” Holt added. “Managing a public botanic gardens and nature preserve in a major urban region like SoCal, and giving our guests the option to come out in our tiny piece of nature, is a great responsibility.”