Dry weather forcing bobcats into Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Dry weather has driven a growing number of bobcats into populated Las Vegas neighborhoods in search of water.

Nevada Department of Wildlife game warden Victor Gamboa said he even recently attempted to catch one of the parched animals at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the city's main strip, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Sunday.

"He was just huddled down in the corner just minding his business," he said of the hotel-casino's unwanted visitor on Thursday.

Nevada Department of Wildlife Law Enforcement spokesman Nick Duhe said the recent influx of bobcat sightings in such populated area is a direct result of two years of dramatically warmer weather.

"For the past two years, we've had extreme drought. Water and food are really hard to find for these animals," he said.

The Review-Journal said that the bobcats are typically trapped alive and later released into the wild, but have been killed when they pose a possible threat to children in the area.