KENNEBUNK — Police are alerting residents of local bobcat sightings in the town.

The Kennebunk Police Department posted on its Facebook page some of the photos and video the department has received of bobcats wondering onto local yards and property,

“We remind our residents to continue to enjoy our native wildlife from a distance,” said police.

Adult male bobcats weigh 20 to 30 pounds and average three feet in length, while females are considerable smaller, according to information from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Bobcats are various shades of buff and brown with dark brown or black stripes and spots on some parts of their bodies.

The tip of a bobcat’s tail is black on top and white underneath according to IFW.

Tufts of hair on the sides of the bobcat’s head give the appearance of sideburns.

Although bobcats are rare in northwestern Maine due to more severe winters and deep snow, they are common throughout the rest of the state, according to IFW.

Bobcats are reclusive animals and are rarely observed in the wild, they appear to becoming more common in urban and suburban settings, as deep snow force bobcats closer to communities and homes in search of accessible food, according to IFW.

“Most conflicts with our native Maine wildlife can be prevented by properly securing and removing common food attractants around homes,” advised Kennebunk Police on Facebook.

Police advise residents not to feed wildlife, bring trash outside the morning of trash pickup, keep dumpster lids closed and clean grills after use.

Police also advise feeding dogs and cats indoors and clean up after them, keep dogs and cats indoors, especially from dusk to dawn and enclose poultry in a secure enclosure.

“Sadly (bobcats) were in my yard and my cat is gone …. be careful with your pets,” wrote one commenter on Facebook.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 780-9015 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.

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