Sent to reporter on Bobcat on Telephone Pole story

Dear Keith,

Thank you for doing the story on the bobcat.  The reason people see so many bobcats now is because they are losing their homes to development.  It is foolish to say that because a wild animal is seen as road kill, or in close contact with humans that they are doing great in the wild.  It is the first warning signal to protect the bobcat.  We have been trying to find someone (anyone) at the FWC who has done any kind of research on the current status on the bobcat and find that no one is at the helm. 

Jamie Veronica, President of Big Cat Rescue is compiling the negligible data that is available now and has asked permission to camera trap in our state parks in order to truly ascertain the bobcat situation.  Her maps of parks vs development are truly frightening.  We believe that the bobcat is in serious trouble.  The current apathy toward this animal, who protects our crops and human population from disease, by keeping the rats in check, will ultimately send it the way of the Florida Panther.  We are trying to reverse that trend.

Watch five video clips of a baby bobcat, rescued by Big Cat Rescue, who is being trained to one day live free here: http://bigcatrescue.org/video/00202.htm

Big Cat Rescue planned for this escape for months. Last year a baby bobcat call came in as the third one in three weeks. He only had one eye and a lump on his belly the size of an orange. Big Cat Rescue was there to get him the medical attention he needed. Emergency surgery repaired the hernia in his abdominal wall. The swelling was the contents of his intestines and other internal organs that had spilled out of the muscled area and were rubbing away at the inner lining of his skin. The attending vet, Dr. Liz Wynn, believes that his hernia and missing eye were caused by some sort of trauma. The area where he was found is completely surrounded by development in West Tampa, but bobcats are often reported there and last year one was found as road kill. After months of recuperation and rehabilitation, Chance the yearling bobcat was released. Watch the movie and see his wild dash for freedom. http://bigcatrescue.org/video/00190.htm


—
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org MakeADifference@BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

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