Year Of The Bobcat? CT Sightings On The Rise: Town-By-Town Updates

CONNECTICUT — Forget real estate prices, standardized test scores or Frank Pepe's pizza, the real Connecticut success story is the bobcat.

After nearly being wiped out in the state through trapping and hunting in the early 70s — there was even a pelt bounty paid until 1971 — the bobcat population has more than bounced back.

From the beginning of this year through April 19, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Wildlife Protection has recorded 1,653 bobcat sightings. That's 159 more than the agency registered over the same period last year, according to DEEP biologist Melissa Ruszczyk. The total number of bobcat sightings in 2022 was 4,412.

The cats have also been seen in every one of the state's 169 towns. In 2014, only 75 towns registered bobcat sightings.

Much of the state biologists' more granular knowledge of bobcat comings and goings came from The Bobcat Project, a three-season study, begun in 2017, disrupted by COVID, and concluded last year. For the final season, DEEP biologists focused on the Farmington Valley area to the Connecticut River (that statistical advantage can be seen in the map data below).

Among the many fascinating insights gleaned from the study is the new knowledge that young female bobcats, called "queens," don't stray as far from their moms and other related females as scientists once reckoned. Although male ("tom") bobcat ranges overlap the ranges of multiple females for obvious reasons, the range of female bobcats were never known to cross, until the DEEP study revealed the exception.

Bobcats Walk Among Us

Another recent revelation was bobcats' preference for human living space over deep woods or open country. DEEP biologist believes it's likely due to the "easy prey sources" we provide the beasts.

"We've got bird feeders. And what do bird feeders attract? Well, squirrels, birds, deer will eat bird seed, turkeys will eat bird seed," Ruszczyk said. What all these species have in common is that they are among bobcats' most prized entrées.

"Bobcats are actually doing pretty well in urban areas because of these prey items," Ruszczyk said.

That's a feather in the predator's fuzzy hat, to be sure, but one not without some risks.

"They have to cross roads more, so they're more apt to get hit by cars," Ruszczyk said. "They are more apt to be considered a nuisance animal because they're closer to people, whether they're getting people's chickens … or just someone doesn't like seeing a bobcat, because they might be afraid of it."

For bobcats, an "ambush predator" species, patience is not only a virtue, but their meal ticket. They have no issue sitting camouflaged in the scrub that borders many suburban lawns and waiting the better part of a day for dinner to show up, Ruszczyk said.

Although it's never a good idea to get between a wild animal momma and her young, bobcats will not generally attack humans. The only exceptions have involved cats that were confirmed believed to be rabid. But chickens, domestic turkeys, pet ducks? They are most certainly on the bobcat menu, and Ruszczyk said the best way to protect those critters on your property is to juice up.

"If you're going to invest the time and money into feeding them, go that extra mile and buy an electric fence."

The hot fence will also protect the predator, Ruszczyk said, "because that bobcat is no longer going to be considered a nuisance to you or be a conflict to you."

If you do spy a bobcat prowling around your gazebo, be sure to report the sighting to DEEP. Be prepared to have handy the date and specific location of the sighting, number of bobcats observed, and whether there were visible ear tags or collars on the animal.