What a glorious sight! A bobcat that was rescued by the San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement team was released back into the wild after receiving treatment and recovering in their care.

More than three weeks ago, the bobcat was brought to their Pilar & Chuck Bahde Wildlife Center, where their wildlife specialists determined that he had likely been hit by a car. Once sedated, veterinarians at the center were said to administer pain medication before performing radiographs and treating the animal for abrasions and minor contusions received during the encounter with the vehicle.

Wildlife Encounters

After being transferred to the Ramona Wildlife Center for continued care, the team there decided to perform an extraction on a broken tooth to ensure the bobcat would be able to feed on his own once he returned to the wild. When animals have dental issues or jaw deformities it can greatly impact their ability to survive on their own.

Considered to be in full health on February 8, the feisty creature was ready to take on the vast landscape of his home in Mission Trails Regional Park with the help of the reintroduction team. Captured on video, when the animal’s carrier was opened, he made a surprisingly leisurely departure rather than the hasty retreat one would normally expect. After some lingering and hissing, he was off and running, though.

Project Wildlife

The Humane Society of San Diego has a program called Project Wildlife, which stands alone as the primary resource in San Diego County for the majority of critters in the area when it comes to medical help and attention. When wildlife are injured and/or orphaned, the program is considered the first line of defense for saving them with the goal of returning each one to its natural habitat to hopefully lead full lives.

California Bobcats

Bobcats are a native species in California. According to the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, “they fill an important niche in the ecosystem and contribute to healthy biodiversity throughout the state. Presently, the statewide population is estimated to be between 70,000-100,000 bobcats.”

You can watch the video here.