Man chases bobcat

[Lee Borgersen]

  .....  Man chases bobcat into DECC

Dec 23, 2015










A man chased a wild bobcat into the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center on Tuesday, police said.


The Duluth Police Department reported in a Facebook post that no injuries were reported to the man or the animal during the incident.







  ......
Police said the man, whom they described as experiencing a mental health crisis, chased the young bobcat into the convention center and cornered it in a hallway, but DECC staffers were able to intervene before the man could be injured.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Wildwoods animal rescue center were called to the scene.

Peggy Farr, a wildlife rehabilitator at Wildwoods, said the man first saw the bobcat — a 9-pound female about the size of a house cat, who was likely born this past spring — in the Canal Park area and chased it to the DECC, where he let the bobcat in because he believed she was cold. She, the conservation officer and several employees at the DECC corralled the bobcat into one of Wildwoods’ live traps, she said.


“I’m struck over and over again about what a wonderful, caring, warm community this is, both for people and for animals,” she said.

Police said the animal was “very stressed out” from the encounter.

A veterinarian determined that the bobcat is healthy and wild, Farr said.

Wildwoods is holding the bobcat until it finds a rehabilitation location that can house her until she can be released next spring, Farr said. Wildwoods has only taken in five bobcats in its history and four of those were adults, Farr said. She said she contacted wildlife rehabilitators in Texas and Arizona who advised that young bobcats should be held until the following spring.


Wild and Free in Garrison and The Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone have both expressed interest in housing the bobcat until next spring, according to Farr.

Authorities took the opportunity to remind the public to stay away from wild animals.

Farr noted that bobcats live in the Duluth area, but seeing one is rare. Bobcats typically stay away from people and will run away if they have an opportunity to do so.

“There are probably a lot more around than we realize; they’re the most common wildcat in North America. they’re active at dawn and dusk and are very reclusive and secretive,” she said. “It’s one of the delights of living in Duluth, that there is so much wildlife in town.”


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