HARFORD COUNTY, MD — The first bobcat sighting has been reported in Harford County.
A private landowner in the northern part of the county sent the Susquehannock Wildlife Society video footage of the bobcat that dated back to September. The wildlife society went to the site where the bobcat was spotted to verify that the three submitted videos were recorded at that particular spot in Harford County.
The wildlife society shared the news in a Nov. 17 Facebook post.
“To our knowledge, this sighting represents the first time a bobcat has been photographically recorded in Harford County. Several eyewitness accounts of this species have occurred locally, although none of these sightings have been backed up with evidence until now,” the wildlife society’s post read. “We are very excited about this finding, as we can now confidently add a new species of mammal to the list of Harford County’s flora and fauna.”
The wildlife society shared that bobcats are “highly adaptable predator species that play a crucial role in helping regulate prey populations like rodents, rabbits and other small mammals.”
“The presence of a bobcat is a good indicator of healthy biodiversity. This is a reminder that wildlife is full of surprises. Documenting observations such as this are critical to helping us better understand species distribution and guide future conservation efforts,” the society said.
The wildlife society requested that anyone else who has seen a bobcat in the area to contact them.