Bobcat on the Prowl in Orange Neighborhood

The proof is in the pictures: a bobcat is in the area.

An Orange resident saw a bobcat on his porch Saturday night, at about 11 p.m. "This one did not respond to our putting on the porch light so it may have been a domestic pet at one point which is a scary thought," the resident, who wished to remain anonymous, wrote to Patch.
 
The resident lives in the Great River area of Orange, and said he just wanted neighbors to be aware that there is a bobcat around.

In a Fact Sheet on its website, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection reports that there are limited populations of bobcats in Connecticut, with the heaviest concentrations occurring in the northwestern corner.

"Compared to many wildlife species, bobcats rarely cause conflicts with human activities," the DEEP writes. "Infrequently, they kill livestock, especially fowl, and attack domestic cats. Problems caused by bobcats are too infrequent to justify efforts to reduce populations. Conflicts should be addressed on an individual basis and can often be remedied by preventative methods such as fencing."

The DEEP also says bobcats are most active just after dusk and before dawn. "They are secretive, solitary and seldom observed, tending to hunt and travel in areas of thick cover." 

Have you seen the bobcat?