SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A bobcat severely injured in a Southern California wildfire is on the road to recovery thanks to the San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife team.
The female bobcat, believed to be 6-8 months old, was brought to the Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center on Oct. 13 after suffering severe burns in the El Dorado Fire in Yucaipa, San Bernardino County.
An area resident out with her dogs saw the injured bobcat and notified authorities.
According to the Humane Society, the cat’s ears and whiskers “were singed, consistent with fire exposure, and later confirmed that she was a victim of the El Dorado Fire.”
Christine Barton, director of Operations & Wildlife Rehabilitation at the Ramona Wildlife Center, said, “Typically, encounters with dogs do not end well, but in this case, it probably saved her life. You could see that she was emaciated and clearly had singed whiskers and ears, but her full exam revealed the true extent of her injuries, which included burns to all four of her paws. We collaborate with CADFW (California Department of Fish and Wildlife) and a burn specialist with UC Davis on burn cases, and we all agreed that this little girl is a fighter and has a good chance of making a full recovery.”
The Humane Society said the cat is healing well and could be returned to the wild next month.
