CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department told 3NEWS that people are often surprised to learn that bobcats are important predators in urban areas after a small bobcat was caught relaxing in a Kings Crossing resident's flowerbeds back in April.
Lerrin Johnson with TPWD said that the predators play an important role in keeping other wildlife populations in check, especially rodents.
Johnson said that bobcats typically avoid people and that responsible precautions allow people and the animals to safely co-exist within our cities.
For an updated guide on how to protect yourself from wildlife animals in case you feel threatened, scroll to the bottom of this article for tips.
According to posts from a public Facebook group, Kings Crossing Residents and Friends, a local bobcat seen around the neighborhood is causing a slight divide between those who are happy to see the animal and others who fear for their pets and small children.
Belinda Luddeke posted the photo that got her neighbors talking about the cool cat they all seem to have seen around the block. She told 3NEWS that she was happy to snap a photo of the animal enjoying some shade in her yard and believes he had a nice drink of some water from her garden fountain before 'quietly sauntering away.'
"I was really amazed to see him and [glad] that he found comfort under our tree," she told 3NEWS.
But not everyone in the group can say they're happy to see the animal.
Some comments left by residents say the bobcat is a known to 'mind his own business' when spotted around different neighborhoods, but others feel the news of his presence is 'alarming and scary' for those with pets or small children.
"If someone’s cat or small dog goes missing, you now know where it went," said Tyler Millerstrom, who believes the animal is literally too close to home.
"Just fyi, I know it looks cute and peaceful but that’s actually not a good situation," Millerstrom continued. "The fact that it’s so calm in those surroundings means it’s very comfortable and doesn’t feel threatened. A full-grown tom bobcat can take down a deer that’s over twice its weight."
"He's fine doesn’t bother anyone," said another commentor with the screenname Ñìssæ Gïłl. "If he sees you, he will just cross the street and mind his business. I’m on Macarena and we see this guy all the time at night."
So far, the bobcat has also been spotted in the Toulon, Lovain, and Garden Court neighborhoods.
Other members of the group have chimed in saying that area bobcats are not very big and usually prefer to stay away from people if possible.
Todd Griffis says he's seen one bobcat cross his back yard several times and even caught the animal on his game camera.
"I enjoy seeing the wildlife in the neighborhood...we also have coyotes on a regular basis and of course rabbits."
The Kings Crossing resident says he appreciates seeing the animal around his neighborhood, but he can also see another perspective.
"It doesn’t bother me, we are the ones that invaded their space," said Griffis. "Although I can see how people with small pets would be concerned."
Tips on staying safe
The items below are most effective when implemented community-wide:
Never intentionally feed wildlife! Feeding bobcats can result in habituation and undesirable behaviors.
Don’t feed wildlife accidentally. Bobcats will exploit any potential source of food. Because bobcats frequently eat rodents, anything that attracts rodents can also attract bobcats. The following actions can prevent bobcats from being attracted to your yard:
o Keep pet food indoors
o Sweep up fallen seed under bird feeders, or remove bird feeders completely
o Pick up fallen fruit from trees
o Remove firewood or brush piles
o Secure trash
To keep pets safe, it is imperative that pet-owners do not allow their pets to roam freely. Pets that roam freely face many threats and may wind up missing, injured, sick, or killed. Pets are often injured or killed by cars or other domestic animals. Lastly, they may encounter a hungry wild animal that doesn’t discern a domestic pet from prey. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department joins other organizations in recommending that pets are kept indoors or on a leash where they are safest.
Do not panic if you see a bobcat. As mentioned before, they occur in our cities. A sighting of a bobcat acting appropriately and non-aggressively does not require a response.
If a bobcat frequents an area, show them that they are not welcome. “Hazing” a bobcat, or showing it signs of aggression each time it is seen, will usually discourage its presence and helps to re-establish its fear of humans. Bobcats respond to human actions, and negative behavior can often be corrected. Examples of hazing include:
o Making loud noises such as yelling, clapping, blowing a whistle, hitting noisy objects together, or using an air horn
o Waving hands, stomping feet, or jumping
o Spraying water
o Throwing small objects at the animal with the intent to hit
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