As the weather warms up, creatures of all kinds are beginning to come out and about more often throughout North Texas, including bobcats and coyotes.
According to NBCDFW, bobcat sightings in Frisco have increased recently. A number of posts on sites such as NextDoor, further highlight the increase of residents spotting the animals.
“This is the time of year coyotes and bobcats are moving, and this can result in an increased number of sightings,” Frisco PD Officer Grant Cottingham told Local Profile. “The majority of the bobcats and coyotes that we come across in Frisco are natural to the area and are behaving normally.”
However, according to Cottingham, in the event one of these animals approaches people or appears to be injured, residents are encouraged to contact Frisco Animal Services at 972.292.6010 so the animal can be assessed.
These carnivorous wild cats typically weigh between 11 and 30 pounds, according to National Geographic. They measure 26 to 41 inches in length, with tails ranging from 4 to 7 inches. To put this in perspective, bobcats can be roughly twice the size of an average house cat.
Animal Services reminds residents:
- Never feed wild animals.
- Never approach wild animals.
- Should a wild animal approach, make noise to scare them off.
Safety tips regarding coyotes, bobcats and other urban wildlife:
- Keep domestic pets restrained.
- Keep pets vaccinated.
- Keep trash containers secure.
- Teach children about urban wildlife.
But Bobcats play a crucial ecological role as effective predators of small mammals like rodents and rabbits. By controlling the population numbers of these and other herbivores, they help maintain ecological balance.
The city of Frisco encourages people to report coyote and bobcat sightings through an interactive form that links to a map designed to track sightings in the city – including attacks and aggressive behavior. Frisco Animal Services will use the information to identify territories, travel patterns and places where unusually aggressive animals have been spotted. Visit the sightings map here.
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