1st bobcat verified in northwest Ohio

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) – For the first time, wildlife officials have verified a bobcat in northwest Ohio, in Williams County.

The animal is known to inhabit southern Ohio, where the bobcat is the mascot of Ohio University. The state Division of Wildlife says previous reports of the wild cat in the northwestern area of the state could not be verified.

District wildlife supervisor Scott Butterworth tells The Blade of Toledo ( http://bit.ly/tuNeyG ) a young male bobcat was caught in a raccoon trap set by local fur trappers. He says it died when it was sedated by a humane officer after being taken from the trap.

Butterworth says the species is very sensitive to being tranquilized.

He says the bobcats have migrated from southern Michigan or northeast Indiana, where bobcat populations have been expanding.
------

Information from: The Blade, http://www.toledoblade.com/