LYNNWOOD, Wash. — Many people across western Washington use park and ride lots but what you might not know is that sometimes wildlife can be spotted in those spaces.
KIRO 7 received a video sent to the newsroom by Justin Luckenback, which showed a bobcat strolling in a park and ride lot off Interstate 5 in Lynnwood.
While bobcats are very elusive, it is even harder to spot them in broad daylight as they typically hunt in the dark. A bobcat’s vision is six times greater than what a human is able to see in the dark.
However, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife agents said bobcats occasionally do mark their territory in daylight.
One other thing to note is that if small dogs and cats are near bobcats, they are at risk of being attacked.
Officials said bobcats are not typically a threat to people but have been known to be aggressive around people if a bobcat is sick with rabies.
Bobcats can be found throughout the state and are more common than most people realize.
Officials said the animals appear to be present in suburban settings more often.
Physical description:
Bobcats can be various shades of buff and brown, with dark brown or black stripes and spots on some parts of the body. The tip of the tail and the backs of the ears are black. They have short ear tufts, and ruffs of hair on the side of the head, giving the appearance of sideburns.
Adult male bobcats weigh 20 to 30 pounds and average 3 feet in length. Females are considerably smaller and may weigh less than a large house cat.
Bobcats of eastern Washington tend to be a much lighter buff color than those of western Washington. Both color phases occur along the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.