Bobcat Spotted In Wallingford

WALLINGFORD, CT — A Wallingford resident recently spotted a bobcat roaming around in her backyard. NBC Connecticut’s Heidi Voight shared video of the roaming bobcat on social media on Tuesday morning. (See the video at the end of this article).

According to the state DEEP, the bobcat is the only wild cat found in Connecticut and the most common wild cat in North America.

“Its status has changed dramatically in our state,” according to the DEEP. “Historically, bobcats were not protected in Connecticut and were viewed as a threat to agriculture and game species. The state even had a bounty on bobcats from 1935-1971. By the early 1970s, a large increase in the value of bobcat pelts raised concerns that the population could be overharvested. In addition, deforestation of the state’s landscape that peaked in the 1800s greatly reduced habitat for bobcats and many other wildlife species. In 1972, the bobcat was reclassified as a protected furbearer in Connecticut with no hunting or trapping seasons.

“Based on observation reports submitted to the Wildlife Division by the public and others, bobcat numbers appear to have increased in Connecticut in recent years. Sighting and vehicle-kill reports indicate that bobcats now reside in all eight Connecticut counties. However, the heaviest concentrations occur in the northwestern corner of the state.”

Bobcats are most active just after dusk and before dawn and rarely cause conflicts with human activities, according to the DEEP.

“Infrequently, they kill livestock, especially fowl, and attack domestic cats,” according to the DEEP website. “Conflicts are addressed on an individual basis and can often be remedied by preventive methods, such as fencing for livestock.

“Bobcat attacks on people are extremely rare. Bobcats are not a significant vector of disease and rarely contract the mid-Atlantic strain of rabies.”

For more information on bobcats, visit the DEEP website here.

Has anyone else seen a bobcat wandering around Wallingford? Have a photo you’d like to share? If so, email vincent.salzo@patch.com.