Rare sighting: trio of bobcats spotted in N.S. family's backyard

Bobcats spotted in N.S. neighbourhood Lucasville woman captures video of trio of wild feline visitors – a mom and two kittens. Marie Adsett reports.

A rural Halifax neighbourhood had some interesting guests pass through recently and fortunately it was all captured on video.

The video of a bobcat family has garnered thousands of views and it all started with the sighting of just one bobcat hunting for food in Nichole Lamontagne’s backyard.

“Well my son came downstairs he was upstairs and saw it his bedroom window that the bobcat walk across the backyard so we nearly jumped up went to the back door and had a look,” said Lamontagne.

She started to take a video and got an added bonus as two more bobcats – mature kittens learning from their mother how to find food.

“I was completely blown away,” Nichole Lamontagne said.“I mean it's very rare to see one, but to see three is just unheard of really. So I was lucky enough to get it on video. I posted it and went viral -- it was spectacular really.”

Zoologist Andrew Hebda from the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History was also excited to see the video.

“Seeing a bobcat right in a residential area it's a little bit unusual,” Hebda said. “This time of year you’re more likely to see them than other times of the year. They're easier to spot because of the contrast with the snow in the course of the foraging and looking for food right now.”

Hebda believes the animals are a mother and her two kittens born last year and now learning to survive their first winter.

“I think it's kind of interesting to have them coming around,” Lamontagne said. “We live in nature and they are a part of it.”

Lamontagne says there has been mixed reaction to the sighting in her neighbourhood, but Hebda says there is little to worry about.

He says bobcats prefer to hunt rabbits and mice, but cautions homeowners to keep an eye on small pets when they're outdoors.

Bobcats aren't endangered in Nova Scotia but sightings are not all that common.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Marie Adsett.