Two Baby Bobcats Spotted Off Route 1 in Portsmouth

This isn't a sight you see every day!

Dr. Jeff Donatello and his wife, Kelly from the Center for Well Being in Portsmouth (3201 Lafayette Road) were just minding their own business saving people's lives in their office, when all of a sudden, out of their window, they spotted two baby bobcats! Jeff had the exact same thought that I would have had. Where's the Mama? She was probably somewhere in the woods lookin' for "those damn kids." Been there, Mama Bobcat, been there.

Did you know that Bobcats, according to NH Fish and Game, are the most common wildcat in all of North America?  It gets the name bobcat from its short tail which usually measures about 4-6".

There are woods and brush just behind Dr. Donatello's office and that is exactly the type of environment that the bobcat likes.

In Native American folklore, the bobcat represents clear vision, patience and vigilance.  Of course, they do.  Just like their domesticated sisters and brothers that we know and love, our house cats are the same.

Kittens are weaned from their Mother only 2 months after they are born, which could explain the low numbers of the bobcat population.  That's not a lot of time to learn how to hunt for rodents, squirrels, chipmunks and occasionally, big game white-tailed deer.

According to "The gift of the bobcat" on the NH Fish and Game website, the number of bobcats in the State of NH is the "64 Thousand Dollar Question."  UNH researchers estimate the numbers to be approximately 1,000 for adult bobcats and about 1100 kittens, for a total of about 2,100.  That's not a lot, considering the majority of bobcats only live for 2-5 years.  Some live around 15 years, but those numbers are low.