By Trish Svoboda

During a recent deer density survey conducted by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District (JCPRD), Natural Resources staff witnessed and were able to get pictures of “two elusive bobcats on the south side of Shawnee Mission Park”, as stated on its social media.

Although bobcats are known for their secretive nature, they easily adapt to the urban environment of Johnson County. Expansive green areas, such as Shawnee Mission Park, provide critical habitat for species like the bobcat, especially in the quickly developing county.

Shawnee Mission Park offers an ideal combination of rocky limestone slopes, open woods, and rolling prairies. According to JCPRD, the home ranges of bobcats can vary, local males may use up to 8 square miles, with females occupying about half of that