Residents of the Greenwich Village Apartment Complex saw an unexpected visitor  wandering near the complex last Thursday.

Video taken by passerby Brandon McGuire shows a bobcat sitting in an opening near the complex, before entering into the nearby woods.

According to DEM Public Affairs Programming Services Officer Evan LaCross, the DEM has received an increasing number of bobcat sightings in recent years, with more reported in 2023 than in 2022. This year, according to LaCross, the number of bobcat sightings is roughly on track to match 2023’s totals.

Though bobcats are mostly active during twilight hours, LaCross said bobcats can be seen during the day.

“It is not unusual to see bobcats out during the day, even in neighborhoods, since that is often where we see their main food source: rabbits and other small mammals,” LaCross stated. “Squirrels and chipmunks are commonly attracted to bird feeders, so it follows that bobcats can be found sniffing around those areas too.”

The West Bay, according to LaCross, tends to see fewer bobcats than more rural areas closer to the state’s borders with Connecticut and Massachusetts.

The DEM cautioned, though, that the number of bobcat sightings in an area does not necessarily correlate to the actual number of bobcats in the area.

LaCross said that the DEM recommends that pets never be left outside unattended, to secure outdoor pet enclosures and to not have pets’ food dishes outside at night in order to protect them from bobcats.

However, LaCross said that ultimately bobcats are not likely to pose significant threats to people or animals unless provoked.

“Merely seeing a bobcat is not a cause for alarm,” LaCross stated. “Bobcats are typically wary of people and will not remain in an area for long; they are unlikely to pose any threat to people or pets and provide a vital role in controlling small mammal populations. In most cases, the best course of action is to leave it alone and let it go on its way.”

Anyone looking to report a bobcat sighting to the DEM can do so at http://www.dem.ri.gov/reportwildlife