Bobcat severely injured
Brought to von Arx Wildlife Hospital
February 20
44 animals admitted
A bobcat and a brown pelican were among the 44 animals admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida this past week. Other admissions include a northern flicker, a big brown bat, and a peninsula cooter.
Humane euthanasia the only option
Passersby reported a distressed bobcat lying in the grass north of the intersection of Vanderbilt and Airport Road. Several onlookers waited nearby and tried to keep anyone from getting too close to the bobcat while hospital staff gathered rescue equipment and headed to the scene.
The bobcat was so badly injured staff was able to gently cover it with a towel and ease it into a transport box. When the bobcat was removed from the box after arriving at the wildlife hospital the extent of its injuries was immediately apparent — a portion of fractured bone on the back left leg had punctured through the skin leaving the bone exposed. The femur on the right hind leg was also fractured.
Sadly, due to the severity of the fractures and the bobcat’s neurological deficits, humane euthanasia was the only appropriate option.
Advice in action
A concerned dog owner brought two nestling eastern cottontails to the wildlife hospital after his dog disrupted the nest. The rabbits were uninjured by the dog and so young, our only hope of saving them was to return them to their mother.
Hospital staff talked with the dog owner about the possibility of returning the babies to the nest. He would need to ensure the rabbits’ safety by monitoring his dog while it was in the yard.
At first, the gentleman was hesitant but we offered instructions and equipment to ensure success.
Since mother rabbits only return to the nest to nurse their babies twice a day (typically at dawn and dusk), we asked the man to cover the nest with a milk crate during the day when he let his dog out in the yard. The ventilated milk crate prohibited the dog access to the nest thereby keeping the babies safe. The crate needed to be removed by late afternoon so the mother rabbit could return to her babies and care for them at dusk and again at dawn.
Staff and the dog owner have been thrilled to see the evidence of the mother rabbit returning to her nest. We are so appreciative that, with proper information and guidance, we could turn the dog owner’s hesitancy into understanding and willingness to work through the situation so ultimately, the rabbits will grow up in the wild.
Recent releases — 8 animals go home
- 6 eastern cottontails
- 1 Florida softshell turtle
- 1 broad-winged hawk
Get involved
Please visit our website at www.conservancy.org and learn about the many opportunities there are to get involved. If you are unable to give of your time as a volunteer, become a member or donate. However you choose to become involved, your support will help the Conservancy continue to protect Southwest Florida’s water, land, wildlife and future.
