Ohio bobcat sightings are on the rise

ATHENS, Ohio (WDTN) - Bobcats are back in Ohio. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ’ (ODNR) Division of Wildlife verified 136 bobcat sightings in Ohio in 2011. There were 106 verified sightings in 2010.

Bobcats once roamed across Ohio during early settlement, but by 1850, the cats were gone. A handful of unverified sightings of the bobcat in the 1960s announced the introduction of the return of the Ohio bobcat. Since 1970, there have been 691 bobcat sightings in 38 counties verified by state wildlife biologists. The majority of wildcat-verified reports for 2011 occurred in Noble County and surrounding counties.

The bobcat is listed as an endangered species in Ohio and is protected by state law.

The efforts to learn more about the locations of bobcats have been supported by the Wildlife Diversity and Endangered Species Fund. Ohioans give donations to this fund through the state income tax check-off program and by purchasing cardinal license plates. People may also make donations toward this cause online at wildohio.com .