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The photo, above, taken by Rick Conkin, is posted on the Facebook page of the Connecticut Fish and Wildlife Division of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
Bobcats are most active just after dusk and just before dawn, and the timestamp on the image above is 4:34 a.m.
"Thank you to Rick Conklin for sharing this photo with us," the state said in a Facebook post.
An image of a second bobcat was also posted, this one was taken in Brookfield. "Wow! Awesome photo of a bobcat in Brookfield. Thanks for sharing, Rocco," the Fish and Wildlife Division said in its post. (See second photo above.)
The bobcat is the only wild cat found in Connecticut and the most common wild cat in North America, according to DEEP.
Known for its short, “bobbed” tail that is about six inches in length, the bobcat is a stout-bodied, medium-size feline with prominent cheek ruffs, and tufts of black hair on its pointed ears.
Adult males typically weigh 18 to 35 pounds and measure about 3 feet in length. Adult females typically weigh 15 to 30 pounds and measure from 28 to 32 inches in length.
Bobcats are about two to three times the size of their distant relative — the domestic house cat.
Historically, bobcats were not protected in Connecticut and were viewed as a threat to agriculture and game species. But in 1972, the bobcat was reclassified as a protected furbearer in Connecticut with no hunting or trapping seasons.
Bobcat numbers appear be increasing in Connecticut, according to the state, with sighting and vehicle-kill reports in all eight counties. However, the heaviest concentrations occur in the northwestern corner of the state.
Secretive, solitary, and seldom observed, bobcats tend to hunt and travel in areas of thick cover, relying on their keen eyesight and hearing for locating prey.
Bobcats rarely cause conflicts with human activities and attacks on people are extremely rare.
Bobcat sightings can be reported to the Wildlife Division at deep.wildlife@ct.gov or by calling 860-424-3011.
For more information on the bobcat, check out the DEEP website.
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