Rare bobcat sighting surprises Iowa playground visitors<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIS IOWA\u2019S NEWS LEADER KCCI EIGHT NEWS AT FIVE STARTS RIGHT NOW. WELL, NEW AT FIVE. IT WAS QUITE THE SIGHTING IN GRUNDY COUNTY. THIS BOBCAT RIGHT HERE BEHIND US WAS SEEN AT A LOCAL PLAYGROUND AND IN BACKYARDS IN CONRAD. IT\u2019S ACTUALLY KIND OF A BEAUTIFUL PHOTO. ARMOUR MARCUS MCINTOSH HAS MORE ON THE SURPRISE SIGHTING IN TOWN AND JUST HOW RARE IT IS. THIS IS DREAMLAND PLAYGROUND IN CONRAD, WHERE SUNDAY THE BOBCAT WAS SITTING PRETTY. THESE PICTURES OF THE BOBCAT WERE TAKEN AT THE PLAYGROUND BY BEN NEFF. AND A FEW OF THE PICTURES. HE APPEARS TO BE TRYING TO HIDE FROM THE CAMERA. IT\u2019S KEPT HIS DISTANCE, SO THAT\u2019S GOOD. THEY DON\u2019T USUALLY POSE CONFLICTS TO HUMANS. NICK BOZEMAN IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GRUNDY COUNTY CONSERVATION BOARD. HE MARVELS AT THE ANIMAL\u2019S SHORT TAIL AND CHEST COLORATIONS, POSTING ABOUT THE BOBCAT AND HOW TO HANDLE IT. IF YOU DO SEE HIM ON THE CONSERVATION BOARD\u2019S FACEBOOK PAGE. HE SAYS BOBCATS USUALLY FOLLOW THE RIVER, SO AS FAR AS HE KNOWS, SIGHTINGS IN CONRAD ARE BASICALLY NONEXISTENT. SOMETHING WE\u2019VE NEVER HAD IN GRUNDY COUNTY. BOZEMAN SAYS EVEN IF THERE ARE NO PICTURES OF THE BOBCAT ENJOYING HIS SUNDAY AT THE PLAYGROUND, THE SIGNS HE WAS THERE ARE OBVIOUS. WHEN YOU SEE A PRINT IN THE SNOW OR IN THE MUD, YOU WILL NOT SEE CLAW MARKS WHERE A DOG. THEIR CLAWS ARE ALWAYS OUT. SO BOBCATS ARE GOING TO BE OH 50 CENT PIECE A LITTLE BIGGER ROUND, BUT YOU WILL NOT SEE ANY CLAW MARKS. BOZEMAN TELLS US THE BOBCATS NATURAL HABITAT IS HEAVILY WOODED AREAS, WHICH CONRAD DOES NOT HAVE. HE MENTIONS A FEW POSSIBLE REASONS THE BOBCAT VENTURED AWAY FROM WHAT OUR MORE NATURAL SURROUNDINGS. SO A LOT OF TIMES IN TOWNS, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT PEOPLE PUTTING BIRD FEEDERS OUT. BOBCATS, THAT\u2019S WHAT THEY\u2019RE LOOKING FOR. FEBRUARY TO MARCH IS THEIR BREEDING SEASON. SO THEY\u2019RE OUT LOOKING FOR A MATE. LIKE I SAID, YOUNG MALE DREAMLAND PLAYGROUND IS PART OF BCLUW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WE SPOKE WITH THE PRINCIPAL OFF CAMERA, WHO TELLS US HE\u2019S AWARE OF THE BOBCAT SIGHTING, AND HE\u2019S TOLD STUDENTS AND STAFF TO BE AWARE OF WILD ANIMALS. BUT, HE ADDS, THE STUDENTS ARE SO LOUD DURING RECESS, THE BOBCAT PROBABLY WOULD NOT STICK AROUND LON\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tA bobcat turned up Sunday at Dreamland Playground in Conrad, where photographer Ben Neff captured images of the animal sitting in the play area and, in some shots, appearing to try to hide from the camera.Nick Buseman, executive director of the Grundy County Conservation Board, said the bobcat kept its distance and typically does not pose a conflict to humans.Buseman said sightings in Conrad are essentially unheard of, calling it \u201csomething we\u2019ve never had in Grundy County.\u201dEven without photos, he said tracks can confirm a bobcat\u2019s presence because the round prints \u2014 about the size of a 50-cent piece or slightly larger \u2014 show no claw marks.He said the animal likely wandered into town in search of prey, drawn by bird feeders that attract rodents, and because February through March is breeding season, as bobcats look for mates.Dreamland Playground is part of BCLUW Elementary School, and the principal said off-camera that staff and students were warned to stay away from wild animals, adding that the noise of recess likely would not keep the bobcat around long.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n