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03-07-2006, 09:18 PM
Article published Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Endangered bobcats, bears still in Ohio
Bobcats and black bears, two species that capture public attention as symbols of wild country, continue to have a limited presence in Ohio.
Solid evidence continues to be collected that bobcats reside in the state's eastern and southeastern counties, with 20 confirmed sightings in 16 counties in 2005, up from 14 such sightings in 2004, the Ohio Division of Wildlife reported.
A confirmed sighting is one in which photographic evidence of the animal or its tracks are collected, an animal is incidentally taken in a trap and later released, or an animal carcass is collected as a roadkill.
In addition the wildlife division received 65 unverified bobcat reports in 2005. The wild cat was found in Ohio by early settlers, but as land was converted to crops and communities the population declined and disappeared by 1850.
Then a handful of sighting were reported in the 1960s, signaling a return of the bobcat.
Since 1970 state wildlife biologists have verified 94 bobcat sightings in 33 counties.
The species is listed as endangered in Ohio and is protected by law.
A special presentation on bobats in southeast Ohio's hill country is scheduled for tomorrow during the 2006 Ohio Wildlife Diversity Conference, set for the Aladdin Shrine Center in Columbus.
The public conference, "Looking Beyond the Surface,'' also includes presentations on the eastern fox snake and the badger, monitoring osprey migrations, and more. The Shrine Center is at 3850 Stelzer Rd. just south of Morse Road, east of I-71. For other details call 1-800 WILDLIFE.
On the black bear front, a total of 105 of the animals were reported in 2005 with 43 of the sightings confirmed, which is just under the 2004 tally, the wildlife division said. The verified reports came from 12 counties and involved 24 different bears.
Bear sightings came during every month, but most were reported in May, June, and July, the peak period for dispersal of young male bears and the peak of breeding.
Thirty-five sightings involved damage or nuisance control, such as damage to bird feeding stations, beehives, or refuse containers and consumption of unsecured pet food. It is thought that 13 individual bears were involved in these cases.
Most bear sightings occurred in northeast and southeast counties, with Ashtabula reporting a leading 33 sightings. Trumbull and Lawrence counties followed with 12 and 7 sightings, respectively. Five of the sightings involved sows with cubs and two were of a sow with yearlings.
In 2004, 46 sightings were confirmed by the state with 91 bear sightings reported in 16 counties. A record 165 bears were seen in 2002. The state wildlife division began keeping bear records in 1993, and since then bears have been confirmed in 42 of 88 counties.
As with the bobcat, the black bear is protected in Ohio. Monitoring of both species is done through the state wildlife diversity and endangered species fund, which receives donations from the state income tax refund check-off program and from sale of cardinal license plates. For details visit the state Web site, www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife.
In other bear news, the Pennsylvania Game Commission reported a record bear harvest of 4,164 in the regular and extended hunting seasons in late 2005. The Keystone State is home to some 15,000 bears, and some are taken annually to keep the population in check.
The prior record bear bag in Pennsylvania was 3,075 in 2000. Some of the state's bears grow to 800 pounds and more.
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Steve Pollick is The Blade's outdoor writer
» E-mail him at spollick@theblade.com
» Read more Steve Pollick columns at www.toledoblade.com/pollick
Endangered bobcats, bears still in Ohio
Bobcats and black bears, two species that capture public attention as symbols of wild country, continue to have a limited presence in Ohio.
Solid evidence continues to be collected that bobcats reside in the state's eastern and southeastern counties, with 20 confirmed sightings in 16 counties in 2005, up from 14 such sightings in 2004, the Ohio Division of Wildlife reported.
A confirmed sighting is one in which photographic evidence of the animal or its tracks are collected, an animal is incidentally taken in a trap and later released, or an animal carcass is collected as a roadkill.
In addition the wildlife division received 65 unverified bobcat reports in 2005. The wild cat was found in Ohio by early settlers, but as land was converted to crops and communities the population declined and disappeared by 1850.
Then a handful of sighting were reported in the 1960s, signaling a return of the bobcat.
Since 1970 state wildlife biologists have verified 94 bobcat sightings in 33 counties.
The species is listed as endangered in Ohio and is protected by law.
A special presentation on bobats in southeast Ohio's hill country is scheduled for tomorrow during the 2006 Ohio Wildlife Diversity Conference, set for the Aladdin Shrine Center in Columbus.
The public conference, "Looking Beyond the Surface,'' also includes presentations on the eastern fox snake and the badger, monitoring osprey migrations, and more. The Shrine Center is at 3850 Stelzer Rd. just south of Morse Road, east of I-71. For other details call 1-800 WILDLIFE.
On the black bear front, a total of 105 of the animals were reported in 2005 with 43 of the sightings confirmed, which is just under the 2004 tally, the wildlife division said. The verified reports came from 12 counties and involved 24 different bears.
Bear sightings came during every month, but most were reported in May, June, and July, the peak period for dispersal of young male bears and the peak of breeding.
Thirty-five sightings involved damage or nuisance control, such as damage to bird feeding stations, beehives, or refuse containers and consumption of unsecured pet food. It is thought that 13 individual bears were involved in these cases.
Most bear sightings occurred in northeast and southeast counties, with Ashtabula reporting a leading 33 sightings. Trumbull and Lawrence counties followed with 12 and 7 sightings, respectively. Five of the sightings involved sows with cubs and two were of a sow with yearlings.
In 2004, 46 sightings were confirmed by the state with 91 bear sightings reported in 16 counties. A record 165 bears were seen in 2002. The state wildlife division began keeping bear records in 1993, and since then bears have been confirmed in 42 of 88 counties.
As with the bobcat, the black bear is protected in Ohio. Monitoring of both species is done through the state wildlife diversity and endangered species fund, which receives donations from the state income tax refund check-off program and from sale of cardinal license plates. For details visit the state Web site, www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife.
In other bear news, the Pennsylvania Game Commission reported a record bear harvest of 4,164 in the regular and extended hunting seasons in late 2005. The Keystone State is home to some 15,000 bears, and some are taken annually to keep the population in check.
The prior record bear bag in Pennsylvania was 3,075 in 2000. Some of the state's bears grow to 800 pounds and more.
●
Steve Pollick is The Blade's outdoor writer
» E-mail him at spollick@theblade.com
» Read more Steve Pollick columns at www.toledoblade.com/pollick