Video of bobcat fight sparks fear among SE Calgary residents

A violent bobcat fight caught on camera, steps from an elementary school, has ignited concern among southeast Calgary residents who say the animals are showing up too often, and too close to home.

The video, captured by Riverbend resident Samantha Galpin, shows two bobcats locked in a vicious struggle on a residential lawn.

“I am very fearful,” she said. “I’m just so afraid that it will attack a child and kill a child, because a natural reaction for a child when they see a wild animal is to run. And these bobcats, they run after prey.”

Galpin says the fight happened directly across from a local elementary school, heightening her alarm.

She’s not alone. Dozens of residents have been posting photos and videos of bobcats roaming streets, alleys, and backyards in a community Facebook group, many saying the sightings have surged over the past several months.

Frustrated by the lack of response, Galpin contacted Ward 11 Coun. Rob Ward and the mayor’s office. She says she hasn’t heard back.

When CityNews approached Mayor Jeromy Farkas at a public event and showed him the video, he said he had been away and would need to check his emails.

Galpin also reached out to Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services. She says officers told her bobcats rarely attack humans.

In a statement, the agency noted that the most serious incidents typically involve small pets, advising owners to keep cats indoors and supervise small dogs when bobcats are known to be in the area.

“Wild bobcats, normally most active at sunrise and sunset, are usually shy of humans,” reads the statement. “It remains extremely unlikely that a bobcat would attack a human.”

But reassurance hasn’t eased Galpin’s fears. She says bobcats have been appearing in her neighbourhood for nearly eight months, and the stress has forced her to take precautions.

“It’s very heartbreaking for me, because this is the city, and living in the city, you should feel comfortable,” she said. “I had to build this, what I call a prison in my backyard, for my dog.

“I can’t even comfortably go and walk my dog because I’m constantly looking all around, on the ground and in the treetops.”