SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) – Bobcats are not new to San Diego, but a lot more of them appear to be popping up around San Diego County - leaving many residents wondering if they should be concerned.
Viewers across the East County sent News 8 videos showing bobcats and mountain lions strolling closer and closer to homes. “This is not uncommon. In Colorado we have seen the same thing where they are drinking out of hot tubs and pools, said David Bittner.
Bittner is with the Wildlife Research Institute. He set up trail cameras to capture eagles drinking from a water hole, but this year it started attracting animals of all kinds. “While we are monitoring these eagles, we are also getting bobcats, coyotes, weasels and everything bird-wise to get a drink.”
It’s an example of the wildlife that also calls the East County home. For the most part, bobcats and mountain lions are not dangerous to humans. In fact, they are likely more scared of humans than humans are of them.
“Anytime you have a bobcat in your yard just enjoy it. They're not going to hurt anything. If you have mountain lion then be cautious because if it is hungry enough they may attack,” said Bittner.
Big cats may not attack humans, but they could attack small house animals like dogs and cats. “They might kill a house cat. I have had a cat killed so I know they do that. If you have a small dog that weighs ten to twelve pounds, you probably want to keep it in at night,” said Bittner.
Bittner said that there are more times when big cats see humans, and humans don’t see them than humans seeing them.
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