A very rare bobcat has been found in Northwest Indiana, dead at the side of the road near the intersection of U.S. Highway 6 and Ind. 49 in Liberty Township.

Chesterton resident Rick Burton spotted the animal while driving recently, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources said in a statement released Thursday.

“Bobcats are very rare in Indiana and are on the state endangered species list,” DNR Conservation Officer Matt Shurr said. “That makes them illegal to possess. The bobcat was an adult female that weighed 23 pounds. We get several calls from the public each year stating that they see something that resembles a bobcat, but it usually turns out to be a domestic cat.”

Adult male bobcats weigh up to 30 pounds, the DNR said. Bobcats may travel as far as 50 miles in a day, but are “extremely shy and avoid any contact with people.” Bobcats mainly eat small rodents like mice and rats but will also eat insects, rabbits, and small birds.

Posted 12/31/2004