March 24 2019

Big Cat Updates

Zabu is in her roof section.

Alexa Flash Briefing

In case you have missed previous days’ news briefings you can find them all at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCPv8ivo6o4CZHFifkfRYDw

Coordinator Report – Lynda Licht

We enjoyed a lovely sunny but relatively cool day. The people on spring break this week who are coming for tours are really lucking out.

We had some volunteers we don’t normally see on Sunday – thanks to Maureen Calderon for coming in to do the keeper tour with Caity Farr as her backup. Sarah Copel came in and did the feeding tour, cleaned and then did a kids tour. Cindy Kuharek came in and fed with Tanya Chute to give her a signoff and then cleaned and did a first aid class. Our senior/master keepers are so versatile. Another face I hadn’t seen in a while was Alyssa Engiles who fed with Jen R for a sign-off, and then cleaned cougars, little cats and a pile of food containers. Tanya and I cleaned Leopards section and then we did food prep together again.

We had a workgroup from the University of Tampa and they worked on cleaning Amanda’s cage while she is in Vacation Rotation. Fred Pagan, Mazz, and Christina Cochard worked with them and it’s ready for Ms. A when she returns.

While feeding front route, Mazz and Christina noticed some nightshade near Kewlona’s lockout. Later, I went back with Mai Richardson, Deidra Ritchie, and Candice Casey so they could identify the plant and remove it. Its berries are toxic so it’s important to remove them.

Tanya trained Mazz on afternoon supplements, then joined Fred and Christina to pick up the remaining leaf piles at Amanda’s enclosure.

We successfully got Zabu and Hoover into their roofed sections for the day. Hoover didn’t want to come out of his den so Jennifer Ruszczyk, Becky Gagliardo and I had to feed him with the long stick through the hole. He’s not a spoiled boy – nah!

At the end of the day, we had some excitement as Jamie Veronica and Victor Alonso came back with new rehab bobcats. A mama and three babies (Sky, Azul, Cobalt, and Indigo) are now in the recovery hospital. Please remember to be very quiet near the hospital

Again, we had lots of tour help from partners today – we really appreciate the extra time coming in to help during the spring break crunch – Megan Myers, Lisa Spencer-Novak, Jennie Jamison, Alyssa Camhi. Amanda Wright, Regina Turgeon, Barbara Brooks, & new volunteers Brielle and Gabby.

That’s it for me.
Lynda Licht

Bobcat Rehab – Mom & 3 Babies

Female Wild Florida Bobcat and her 3 Brand New Babies!

Just when we thought there could be nothing worse for a wild native Florida bobcat than being caught in a farmer’s trap near Orlando, we found out it can be worse: the female bobcat just delivered three kittens while in the trap!

It’s a beautiful Spring day today without a cloud in the sky, so we have named the mama bobcat Sky and her kittens Azul, Cobalt, and Indigo.

Jamie is on her way back to the sanctuary right now with the mother and kittens. We will set them up in our hospital where it is quiet and dark and rehabilitate them as a family to eventually be released back into the wild. Jamie reports that right now Sky is ignoring the kittens, but she is freaked out by the people and noise and traveling. We will have a camera on Sky so we can be sure she is feeding the kittens.

A big heating blanket is under the floor of the cage so that no matter how far the kittens wander from mom they won’t get chilled.

Sky Bobcat was trapped by a farmer today and gave birth in the trap to 3 kittens (Azul, Cobalt & Indigo). She’s learning how to be a mom, in the safety of our cat hospital. The plan is to get her and the babies back to the wild as quickly as possible, but we want to let her heal and recover, and get her momma bobcat skills refined first.

Sky has settled down and is nursing her kittens.

Thrilling Update on the wild mother bobcat and her babies.

Videos of the Day

Handsome Hoover Tiger and his adorable curly tail. – STREEETCH big boy! Watch big cats Streaming LIVE daily/nightly at Explore.org/bigcatrescue or find all the individual webcam direct links at BigCatCams.com

Hoover Tiger leaping on his platforms. Wow, what a handsome tiger! Watch big cats Streaming LIVE daily/nightly at Explore.org/bigcatrescue or find all the individual webcam direct links at BigCatCams.com

Merchandise of the Day

CatRescue.biz has these ADORABLE toys for Cats & Kittens! Our Foster Kittens loved them!

Help Big Cats FOR FREE

Photos for the Day

Chatty Beacher just wants to remind everyone in the US you only have a few hours left of the weekend to make the Call of the Wild! 📞 Make time to make this important call in honor of all of our amazing cats like Beacher! 🐾 BigCatAct.com