Fish and Wildlife officials warn about wild bobcat in neighborhood

About the time St Johns County elementary school students were arriving for class this morning, one mother in the Bartram Springs neighborhood looked out of her window and spied a medium-sized bobcat crossing her back yard. Historic City News was informed that there have been additional sightings of the wild cats in the neighborhood.

This morning’s sighting was at about 8:30 a.m., when the resident was walking her golden retriever. Another large cat was spotted at about 1:15 p.m. Monday afternoon near a playground off Race Track Road.

Florida Fish and Wildlife officials said several parents of students who walk to and from the school called the school expressing their concern. Wildlife officials said the cat was not spotted on the school’s campus.

Bobcats are about the size of a medium-sized dog, with male bobcats averaging 39 inches in length and weighing about 24 pounds. Females are slightly smaller. They are nocturnal, territorial and solitary, and while they are common in every county in Florida, they rarely let themselves be seen.

FWC officials believe the bobcat is healthy and warned parents to keep their children at a distance, and keep pets indoors. They said the cat is rather shy and may have been out looking for food, but suggest parents keep a close eye on small children and pets until the cat is captured.