The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
BACK TO THE WILD
Lake Metroparks returns rescued bobcats to Belmont County
Though they may never fully realize it, life recently began anew for two bobcat kittens that had spent the last eight months in Northeast Ohio.
The rescued siblings, one male and one female, were released May 22 and are back in their natural habitat, thanks to the efforts of Lake Metroparks and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
In September, the Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center at Penitentiary Glen Reservation in
Kirtland received a call from the Division of Wildlife regarding the two orphaned kittens discovered alongside a road in Belmont County.
While the center frequently receives calls concerning injured and/or orphaned animals and birds, staff managers at the facility were somewhat surprised to be alerted to the situation so late in the year, as past bobcat kittens have normally arrived in the spring.
According to Lake Metroparks, first-year female bobcats, or those who have had an unsuccessful litter, may produce another litter in the fall.
New arrivals
Upon admittance to the center, the kittens weighed just under two pounds, were dehydrated and had parasites — but there was some strength and fight in them.
“Our veterinarian performed a full physical on the kittens, in which he determined them to be rather healthy and about 8 weeks old,” said Wildlife Care Manager Tammy O’Neil. “They began lapping formula and soon were eating meat, and continued to gain weight and grow stronger. After four weeks in care, they weighed over 5 pounds and were ready to move into an intermediate outdoor enclosure that provided more space and natural elements, and most importantly, even less human contact.”
In November, the kittens were moved into the reservation’s specialized bobcat enclosure, a larger space equipped with a webcam. Staff members added a sod pile and rearranged rocks, in addition to a new climbing structure for agility, in efforts to help the cats exercise and hone natural deportment to survive in the wild.
“Over the winter, the bobcats grew and developed into strong, fierce predators, displaying many innate behaviors such as playfighting, stalking, running and climbing while building up strength and endurance, often seen in siblings in the wild,” said Wildlife Care Assistant Manager Traci Keller.
“Spring is the perfect time to release the bobcats, a season with an abundant food source, and the break in weather gives the kittens a great chance for survival out in the wild. Now, after more than seven months of rehabilitative care, these two have developed their natural instincts and are ready to be returned to the wild.”
Growing up
The Division of Wildlife contacted Lake Metroparks due to the experience, knowledge and success the center has in bobcat rehabilitation. The park system has released four bobcats under its care in the previous six years.
The wildlife center is currently the only rehabilitator in the state with such experience and success, O’Neil noted, adding each year, nearly 2,500 injured or orphaned animals receive first aid and rehabilitation.
“Patients” include common backyard wildlife such as rabbits, squirrels and songbirds, and uncommon species such as the peregrine falcon and bobcat.
“Our goal is to return healthy wildlife back to the wild,” O’Neil said, adding special attention is given to animals whose populations are in decline.
“During the novel coronavirus shutdown, the animals currently under our care have been, and continue to be, a priority as well. Animal care staff continues to provide daily husbandry and health care during the closure. We are not accepting new animals until further notice.”
While it’s unknown what happened to the mother, both Keller and O’Neil believe she may have been hit by a car.
The death rate for bobcats in the state, primarily due to being struck by vehicles, is high — about 80 to 100 a year — especially since the animals are active primarily during twilight.
“The population in Ohio totals about 500, with the majority in southern and southeastern counties, and remains healthy,” O’Neil said.
They are almost adult weight when released, which is between 19 and 30 pounds,” she added. “The bobcats we released previously are between 1822 pounds when we release them. Females are sexually mature around 1 year of age and males become sexually mature at 2 years of age.”
Avoiding domestication
Keeping the cats wild while they’re cared for remains a priority. In fact, Lake Metroparks limits the staff to just two who provide daily care. The time in between their feedings, the cats remain isolated from other people.
As soon as the cats are weaned off milk and moved to the enclosure, feeding chutes are utilized to avoid human presence inside the space. The staff members also wear gloves when handling food.
“We feed them as much natural prey as possible,” O’Neil said.
“We receive donated venison, waterfowl, fish and other game from local hunters and fisherman. We also feed them at different times with different amounts and some days, they don’t get any food to mimic the fact they won’t get to eat every day in the wild.
“In the winter we were able to put a whole deer carcass in the enclosure with them, donated from local cities or road departments that find a freshly killed deer. This allows them to practice tearing through tougher hides and caching food for later consumption,” she added. “These carcasses can last about two to four weeks, which allows us to stay away from their enclosure for longer periods of time.
“And we have the cameras on them so we can check on them and watch them as they develop, making sure they are displaying natural behaviors for survival.”
After a final check-up with the veterinarian, the cats had a microchip placed under their skin in case they are ever found injured or deceased.
Back home
The cats were released in Belmont County close to the spot they were found to prevent diseases from spreading and to keep the area population healthy, though ODNR usually chooses the best remote location based on the habitat.
Previous Lake Metroparks bobcats have traveled about 13 to 20 miles from the release location before settling into their own territory.
One male bobcat can have several female bobcats overlap his territory, O’Neil said.
“Releasing an apex predatory back into the wild, especially one that was just removed from Ohio’s threatened and endangered species list six years ago, and working with other agencies to collectively contribute to their long term survival, is such a rewarding feeling — one that you always remember,” she said.