Bobcat Spotted In West Roxbury's Millennium Park

WEST ROXBURY, MA — There is at least one bobcat in town. One Boston woman was out walking her dog Jax and birdwatching in Millennium Park Sunday when she caught one on camera. She had stopped to watch a rare bird splash in the creek. Then, as she started to walk away, something else caught the birdwatcher's eye.

Longtime West Roxbury resident Mary Ellen McMahon caught the shape of a large cat from the corner of her eye crossing the creek on a log there.

"I could not believe my eyes," McMahon told Patch. "I thought: 'bobcat' — but had never seen one. It totally stared me down and I walked away (after taking photos) as it wouldn’t stop staring or move while I was there."

She estimates that she and her Catahoula Cur cross Jax who, incidentally, did not react, were about 40 feet away from the cat looking down at him from above the creek.

She sent the photo to a naturalist and state officials, but didn’t hear back. MassWildlife then confirmed the sighting.

"This is a special and unusual sighting-- really something to be celebrated," said MassWildlife spokeswoman Marion Larson in an email.

Experts say there's no threat to humans, but recommend a leash for any small dogs hanging out by the river and cat owners should remember that bobcats, like coyotes can make a meal out of cats left to roam.

According to MassWildlife, the bobcat is the only wild cat now found in the state and are

common, but not commonly seen. They are much more shy than foxes, coyotes, and other mammals.

"It’s a tribute to the resiliency of wildlife among people. We don’t get a lot of reports of bobcat in Boston proper, however the bobcat population is thriving in MA and is increasing in the eastern third of the state," said Larson.

Several of the state's mid-sized carnivore species like bobcat and fisher are doing very well in the suburbs. The rodents and birds that are attracted to bird feeders make up the bulk of these animals prey, so they are finding good hunting in people’s backyards.

West Roxbury itself tends to be home to lot of different wildlife sightings because of the string of parks and natural areas in that part of the city. Millenium Park itself has extensive wetlands and other natural areas that provide great refuges for wildlife, according to MassWildlife.

During the summer, the fur on the cats tends to be short and reddish. Adult bobcats weigh anywhere between 15 and 35 pounds and measure between 28 and 47 inches in length, according to MassWildlife.

Bobcats most commonly prey on medium-sized animals like rabbits and hares but will eat mice, squirrels, skunks, opossums, muskrats, birds and snakes. Every once in a while, bobcats will prey on larger animals such as deer, but this is generally when other food items are scarce.

And if you have chickens? You're gonna want to secure those. Last week, 20 chickens were snatched from the nearby Newton Community Farm. They still haven't determined the animal responsible. Although there are plenty of predators in the area - from coyotes to fisher cats to foxes.

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).