A bobcat, believed to have been injured when it was hit by a car, walked free Wednesday at Mission Trails Regional Park after briefly pausing in the open door of the carrier.
The cat, an adult male, had received three weeks of medical care and support from the San Diego Humane Society before being cleared for release.
Video of the release showed the bobcat slowly climbing out of the box, looking around for about 15 seconds before running up a nearby hill and disappearing into the trees and bushes.
The release site at the park was 10 miles from where the injured animal was found Jan. 18 in the Kearny Mesa area, said Andy Blue, campus director of the San Diego Humane’s Ramona Wildlife Center Society.
A resident found the lynx lying in the front yard and called for help. Humane law enforcement officers responded and transported the animal to an emergency veterinarian in Encinitas, where it was examined and received overnight supportive care.
The next day, the cat was taken to the Pilar & Chuck Bahde Wildlife Center in San Diego, where veterinarians administered pain medication and treated the cat for minor abrasions and bruises.
The animal’s injuries indicated it had likely been hit by a car, authorities said.
Once stabilized, the bobcat was transferred to the Ramona Wildlife Center, where staff specialize in the care of native apex predators such as bobcats, coyotes and bears. The cat’s broken tooth was discovered when a center staff member performed a dental exam and was later extracted, Blue said.
Authorities believe the animal’s tooth was broken when it was hit by a vehicle.
Once the animal was medically cleared, staff monitored the animal to ensure it was able to feed on its own.
“Seeing this bobcat returned to the wild is what it’s all about for us,” Blue said in a statement. “Lynx cats play an important ecological role in our region and we’re happy to see him back where he belongs.”
Blue said 10 bobcats entered the Humane Society’s care last year and six were rehabilitated and released. Two bobcats and two juvenile bobcats from Imperial County remain at the Ramona facility and are expected to be released when they are older.
A bobcat believed to have been hit by a car was released Wednesday at Mission Trails Regional Park after being treated and monitored for three weeks by the San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife Team.
(San Diego Humane Society)
Sick or injured wild animals brought to the Humane Society are often hit by vehicles, shot or fallen ill after ingesting poison, he said.
The Humane Society treats nearly 13,000 injured, orphaned and sick wild animals each year through its Project Wildlife program.
