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The man was attacked by the animal at approximately 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 18 while golfing at the seventh hole of the Mohegan Sun Golf Club in Baltic. Officials said that another golfer was able to fight the bobcat off.
The golfer was transported to a local hospital with reported non-life-threatening injuries. Members of the Connecticut DEEP Wildlife Divison were called to the golf course, and the bobcat was eventually located and euthanized.
According to police, the bobcat later attacked a horse before being put down. Tests at the UConn Medical Lab on the bobcat later determined that it was rabid. According to reports, the last known bobcat attack was more than five years ago, involving an animal that was also rabid. Officials said the golfer and the owner of the horse have been notified that the bobcat tested positive for rabies.
“Please be aware there was a bobcat attack at the Pautipaug golf course this morning along with an attack on a horse. We believe the bobcat to be the same animal and maybe rabid. Please make sure your domesticated animals are up-to-date on their rabies shots and if seen please call 911,” police posted stated at approximately 10 a.m. on Thursday. “There will be a heavy presence of State police and (DEEP) police near / on the Houlton / Pautipaug Hill Road area.”
According to DEEP, “Connecticut's once dwindling bobcat population was facing extirpation until 1972 when unregulated exploitation was halted and the bobcat was reclassified as a protected furbearer with no hunting or trapping seasons.
"The bobcat population has since recovered due to improving forest habitat conditions and legal protections. By 1825, only 25 percent of Connecticut was forested due to a loss of trees from agricultural activities and other uses of timber. Today, close to 60 percent of Connecticut is now covered in forest, and bobcats are regularly observed throughout the state.”
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