On May 29, 2008, a 3-week-old bobcat was rescued from underneath
a bridge that had collapsed when the swollen Pit River flooded from
heavy rainfall and destroyed an old log dam.
On May 29, 2008, a 3-week-old bobcat was rescued from underneath a bridge that had collapsed when the swollen Pit River flooded from heavy rainfall and destroyed an old log dam.
The tiny female kitten was shivering from being cold and wet and was desperately hungry. Luis A., a member of the Hewisedawi band of the Pit River Nation (northeast California), searched unsuccessfully for the bobcat’s mother in hopes that she and her mewing baby could be reunited. The kitten was quickly dried, warmed up and fed for several days, then was brought to Tina Hodge of Eagle Peak Wildlife Care who bottle-fed and provided further TLC over the next week.
Eagle Peak Care contacted the Wildlife Education Rehabilitation Center (WERC) of Morgan Hill because of WERC’s internationally-recognized reputation for rehabilitating orphaned bobcats so that they don’t become habituated to their human caretakers, with the ultimate goal of successfully releasing them back to the wild. On June 9, 2008 the kitten was driven 415 miles to WERC, and was given the name “Modoc” after the county in which she was found.
Once at WERC, Modoc was placed in an indoor bobcat “nursery.” The room was decorated to mimic outdoor habitat as much as possible, with hiding places, lots of real greenery and logs, and scented with natural herbs. There was a long mirror along the wall so that Modoc could see what a “real” bobcat looked like.
From the beginning at WERC, volunteers dressed up in a full-body bobcat costume in order to look as unlike a human as humanly possible. The costume was rubbed with bobcat urine and herbs to cover up the person’s human scent. In the enclosure, they “walked” on their hands and knees, never stood up and never uttered any sounds. While in the nursery, Modoc never saw a human except when she was taken to the veterinarian for checkups and vaccinations.
Modoc was at weaning age by the time she arrived at WERC so it was no longer necessary to bottle feed her. She devoured the small rodents that were brought in by the “bobcat mommy” surrogate. Because wild bobcat kittens play a great deal with each other, which socializes them and helps them learn survival skills, several times a day the surrogate mother actively engaged Modoc in play–stalking turkey feathers, leaves, twigs and a stuffed animal that could be pounced upon and “attacked”.
Modoc had a health scare as a young kitten. While the surrogate was in the room with her, Modoc suddenly became catatonic and unresponsive. Though the spasm stopped after several minutes, Modoc was brought to Dr. Laura Bellinghausen, DVM, but appeared healthy again and despite testing, no apparent reason could be found for the seizure. Modoc was placed on 30-day observation and quarantined. The tribal members who had rescued her were notified the bobcat’s precarious medical condition. They offered up special prayers for this special animal’s health. At the end of the month, Modoc had passed with flying colors, and the seizures have never reoccurred. The prayers had been heard.
When Modoc was 10 weeks old, she was transferred from the nursery to a large outdoor enclosure at WERC where she had plenty of room to run and climb. For the next four months, her costumed surrogate mother continued to interact with her in the enclosure, bringing her food and cleaning up after her.
Under normal conditions, WERC strives to release a bobcat back into its native habitat when it’s 6 months old and has acquired survival skills and proven fear and avoidance of humans. In the wild, a bobcat of that age is mature enough to leave its mother, become independent and survive on its own. WERC always ensures that the potential release site includes plenty of prey food, water, shelter and a temperate climate.
However, by the time Modoc had reached her half-year birthday, Northeastern California was in the midst of winter storms and the land was frozen and bare. If Modoc were released at that time and place, she would very likely have died from starvation or exposure. Modoc needed to remain at WERC until this spring when the snows had thawed.
The tribe carefully chose the best possible site for Modoc’s release at a remote site where she would have plenty of room to roam away from humans. Ducks, geese, gophers, quail and cottontails abound in the steep sagebrush hillsides, meadows and woods. The rim rocks just above provide superb caves and dens, for protection from the weather and as a place to nurture her own kittens next spring. Springs and ponds are everywhere to provide plenty of water for a bobcat (called “nei chaali” in the Hewisedawi language).
The snag was how to transport an almost fully-grown bobcat back home to Northern California. It wasn’t going to be as easy as putting a tiny 2 1/2 pound kitten in a basket in the back seat of a car, which is how Modoc was transported to WERC 10 months earlier. Modoc was now 11 months old, a robust 20 pounds, and ferocious. The call went out for private airplane pilots who could fly the crated, snarly bobcat.
Chris Ligtenberg and David Fisher generously volunteered. The planes left the South County Airport on April 19, flying past Mt. Lassen and Mt. Shasta, and landing at Alturas Airport. Three of WERC’s bobcat surrogates, the two pilots and the Hodge family were met by tribal members Luis and Ray and led to the secluded area near where Modoc was found.
With everyone holding their breath, the kennel was opened and Modoc took her first steps back on her homeland again. She cautiously sniffed the air and the ground, then slowly meandered off, disappearing into the brush and trees, a beautiful wild creature – as free as she was born to be.
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Two bobcats adopted by WERC
Out with the old, in with the new! Just as Modoc was leaving, two bobcat kittens were arriving at WERC. The first one was found in the middle of a field by a hiker trekking in a Morro Bay park.
He was uncertain of whether the mother had only accidentally and temporarily dropped her while transporting her to a safe haven. Checking back an hour later, the hiker found that the helpless kitten was still there and so it was assumed that the mother was either dead or had abandoned her. She was brought to Pacific Wildlife Care, who contacted WERC
The second kitten was also discovered last month in the Fresno area by park rangers. The poor baby’s mother had been killed. The 5-week-old kitten was cared for at Fresno Wildlife Center for two weeks before transferring to WERC where he has joined “Morro.”
Both kittens were given a complete exam by Dr. Suzanne Colbert (Princevalle Pet Hospital, Gilroy) and pronounced in great health. Both are being cared for by surrogate bobcat mothers and once they are weaned, they will move from the “nursery” to the outside enclosure where Modoc had temporarily resided until last month.
Food, medical care, housing and supplies for the bobcats’ six or seven months at WERC will be costly. You can help WERC defray these expenses by attending the WERC’s barbecue-auction May 30.
For details, visit www.werc-ca.org.
