More bobcats being seen in urban areas around the Valley?
Posted: 01/07/2011 * By: Jay Reynolds
SCOTTSDALE, AZ – A bobcat attack in Scottsdale has left dozens of chickens dead as the owners wonder what has brought the animals so far into the Valley.
“It was just shock, I couldn’t believe it,” said owner of The Simple Farm, Michael Ledner.
Keeping an eye over the five chickens he has left, Ledner checks his coop to make sure there are no more holes where a bobcat could get in.
“Just yesterday it managed to find a three-inch space to come in and take out our 70 chickens,” said Ledner.
A loss like that could cost the family $600 a month in egg sales.
“We were going to start selling eggs and we would have had four, five or maybe six dozen a day,” said Ledner.
It’s not just a financial loss; the family says they will miss their chickens.
“It’s a real kick in the gut, so to say,” said Ledner.
The Arizona Game and Fish department says Arizona has a strong urban bobcat population.
They usually aren’t any danger to humans unless they are rabid, which they say is very rare.
But Ledner is not taking any chances with his family or his animals.
“No matter what it takes, we’re not going to let a bobcat come in and take our chickens or goats,” said Ledner.
The family got a dog to try and scare away the bobcat, and they have already bought 18 new chicks to repopulate the chicken coop.
“This is a farm. We do chickens, goats, and vegetables and herbs. That’s what we do here and that’s how were going to make our living here,” said Ledner.
bigcatrescue.org
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