RENSSELAER CO., N.Y. (News10)-A family in Rensselaer County has been capturing some amazing video of bobcats scampering in their backyard. First on New Year’s Day, and again two days later. One of the bobcats even caught a fish out of their pond.

Busy wife and mom, Tiffany has recently taken on the role of backyard nature photographer. Tiffany (she did not wish to disclose her last name for privacy reasons) and her husband have been capturing the activity of bobcats on their Rensselaer County property. On New Year’s Day, they spotted 4 of them on the semi frozen pond in their backyard. One, even showing off its expert fishing skills. “They would kind of slide across the ice and jump, and the one was batting the fish on the ice,” she said. “It was really exciting. My daughter said, ‘I love kitties’. She said, ‘I want to go pet them.’,” said Tiffany while giving a little chuckle.

It seems like these occasional bobcat sightings are happening more frequently. As the animals pop up from their ever-narrowing natural habitat, slivers of wild spaces in constant competition with suburban sprawl. One recent example was in September when News10 reported on a bobcat that was photographed walking the grounds of a cemetery in Tupper Lake.

“We are seeing the results of conservation,” said Dan Bogan, an expert on urban wildlife and a professor with the Environmental Studies department at Siena College. Bogan told News10’s Anya Tucker that the bobcat population has been growing thanks to conservation efforts and it’s likely why we are seeing bobcats, like the ones spotted in Tiffany’s backyard. “And if I had to guess, I would bet that’s probably an adult female that’s fishing, that’s learned a trick. And there’s some young bobcats watching,” he added.

Tiffany says one of the bobcats returned again Tuesday morning, stirring within her a sense of excitement as well as unease, due to concerns for her children who enjoy playing in their backyard. But Bogan says she needn’t be too concerned. “It’s not typically one of the species that we’re concerned about with human conflicts.” He says bobcats are not really know for their fishing skills either, mostly hunting rabbits and squirrels. But they are well known opportunists and a good example as to how nature always seems to find a way to survive. Click here for information on bobcats in New York from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.