CLEVELAND — Here's something you don't see everyday. In fact, the Cleveland Metroparks is reporting a sighting of an animal not seen in Cuyahoga County for more than 170 years.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Cleveland Metroparks announced that its wildlife cameras have recorded a bobcat in a remote area twice in the last five months. The first sighting was on July 9, with a second discovery on Oct. 6.
The Ohio Division of Wildlife reports that the sightings of a bobcat are the first within Cuyahoga County since the species was eliminated from Ohio in 1850.
"When I saw it, I'm like, 'That is a bobcat,'" says Cleveland Metroparks wildlife ecologist Jon Cepek.
According to the Metroparks, bobcats are considered "extremely elusive animals that avoid humans and are rarely seen." They can be heard and identified by their "tremendous, horrifying screech."
There are only a few hundred sightings each year across the entire state. They are common in Southeast Ohio, but not in our area.
That said, another recent bobcat sighting has taken place in Summit County. According to a Facebook post from Summit Metro Parks, a bobcat was filmed in a conservation area in the northern part of the county. It is the first video evidence of a bobcat at Summit Metro Parks. You can see the video captured by Corey Dearth below.
Last year, Summit Metro Parks revealed a trail camera photo of a bobcat lurking around Furnace Run Metro Park in Richfield. At the time, Metro Park leaders said that the confirmation of the animals living in the park "is a good sign of a healthy system."
Cepek agrees with that assessment.
"When we see the recovery of this species and have it come back and show up in a metropolitan county, it's pretty exciting to be able to balance recreation and conservation within Cleveland Metroparks and see those species," he says.
Cleveland Metroparks also add that bobcats weigh between 15-35 pounds on average and consume insects, reptiles, fish, amphibians and small mammals including squirrels and rabbits. "Predators like bobcats are important for a balanced ecosystem and this sighting is a signal of our regional biodiversity and the species slow but successful return across Ohio," Cleveland Metroparks wrote on its Facebook post.
Those who use the Cleveland Metroparks and live near their land have no need to worry, according to Cepek. He says bobcats stick to themselves and their habitat.