SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A Springfield resident came across two bobcats in their backyard this week.
Amanda Wood sent 22News photos of two bobcats poking through her backyard fence in the East Forest Park neighborhood on Sunday.
According to Mass.gov, bobcat habitats usually involve mountainous areas such as those that have rocky ledges, hardwood forests, swamps, bogs, and brushy areas near fields. The bobcats become more visible in backyards and residential areas throughout Massachusetts as they adapt to suburban settings.
Bobcat tracks may be mistaken for domestic cats, but bobcats actually appear to have five toes. When leaving their tracks behind, a person may only notice the four toes. However, their fifth doesn’t impress into the ground when it walks, since it is raised high on the forefeet.
Bobcats are the only wild cats in Massachusetts. There is no evidence of a mountain lion population in the state.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 providing local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Follow 22News on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
