IRENE DUNN / Special to the PVT A bobcat is trapped by Animal Control after raiding a chicken coop near the downtown area. Such wildlife has been showing up more frequently in recent months. This one was released in the mountains outside of town. Advertisement

Early Friday morning Animal Control was called to a residence in downtown Pahrump to trap a wild bobcat which had been found inside a chicken coop.

The residence is located at Long and Howly, directly behind the Nye County School District Office and in direct proximity to Manse Elementary School, the Community Christian Academy and the Pathways/Adult Education complex.

The bobcat had killed three chickens and eaten one.

The owner of the chickens went to the chicken coop in the morning to feed them, when she heard growling and slammed shut the chicken coop door. She went to a neighbor's house to call Animal Control, which arrived shortly after to trap and remove the bobcat.

Animal Control released the female bobcat on the backside of Mt. Charleston.

According to Tim McCarty, the officer who responded to the call, there has been a considerable influx of bobcats in urban Pahrump this year, including this specimen. At least one other has taken up residence around the Calvada duck pond as well.

There was not much monsoon this year and the weather has turned chilly. The animals come down to find food. Animal control has already caught four bobcats in rural Pahrump this month.