Bobcats find valley refuge

Photo: The Nature Conservancy

You can blame the snow, in part, for the number of bobcat sightings on the valley bottom this winter.

There's a direct correlation between the higher than normal sightings of bobcats and the heavy snow year says conservation officer Terry Myroniuk.

"What happens is bobcats, for example, don't do well in deep snow. They tend to migrate lower into the valley which coincides with where we live," said Myroniuk.

"So, years like this we tend to see an increase in bobcat complaints, especially this time of year."

The deep snow at the higher elevations brings the animals lower in the valley to feed.

Usually, he says, bobcat feed on small mammals and birds such as quail, but they will pose a danger to small pets and farm animals.

Myroniuk suggests if bobcats are in the area to keep pets inside or supervised while outdoors.

"With things like chickens and small livestock, it's always good to keep them in a pen at night where bobcats and cougars can't enter."

He says bobcats don't pose much of a threat to the human population, but adds it's a good idea to make noise and discourage the animals from being around, as opposed to running and getting a camera.

Bobcats have been sighted mostly in interface areas such as Joe Rich, Glenrosa, parts of Rutland and the Mission Greenway.

A few cougars have been found in town, but mostly, they hang around interface areas where deer populations congregate. He says any interface area with deer populations seem to have the most sightings.