An animal rarely spotted in the Maritimes made an appearance in the backyard of a home in Eastern Passage, N.S. on Monday.
Though not uncommon in Nova Scotia, bobcats are rarely spotted. Dean Grijm and Alice Gagne say they were shocked when they saw one in their backyard around 4:30 p.m. Monday.
“I said to her, come quick, there’s a bobcat in our yard,” says Grijm.
Grijm was inside when he spotted the bobcat, which he says was the size of a large dog. He says the animal wandered around for ten minutes, giving him enough time to grab his camera and snap a perfect picture.
“I was pretty elated, I was trying to get her attention so she would believe me, and I just, I just thought it was really cool to see something like that,” says Grijm. “I love wildlife, like anybody else, just nice to see, rare.”
Gagne didn’t believe her husband until she saw the bobcat re-emerge from the woods.
“The bobcat came back up along here and he was just behind a few of the branches and I took my son outside to take a look and he was pretty excited to see it,” says Gagne.
The couple decided to put their photo up on the Eastern Passage Facebook page, where area residents can share photos and information. Since the photo was posted last night, the picture has been shared more than 1,000 times.
Wildlife technician Butch Galvez says the family is lucky to have spotted such a secretive animal. He says the Department of Natural Resources records about 40 sightings a year, mostly during February and March.
“This time of year, natural prey abundance is getting a little bit low, so bobcats, in some cases, will begin to hang around homes,” says Galvez.
While bobcats aren’t a threat, and there are no records of a bobcat attacking or injuring a person in Nova Scotia, Galvez says they are a sight best enjoyed from a distance.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Amanda Debison
