The greater Tucson area is home to dozens of families of Bobcats. Mothers with kittens, and free ranging males are a common sight around businesses, golf courses, homes, and in state and national parks. Most of the time, the only involvement a hiker, golfer, tourist, homeowner, or motorist has is related to taking a picture, watching them walk through an area or, less frequently, lounge on a patio-seemingly oblivious to human encroachment on their territory.
This spring and summer, however, there have been several mother bobcats which decided to have their kittens in places inconvenient to homeowners, property owners, or resorts. 1st Response Wildlife has responded and helped relocate these bobcat mothers with their kittens to safe and comfortable surroundings.
Most recently, a homeowner engaged 1st Response Wildlife to capture a mother and her kittens. The mother had chosen a location to have and raise her kittens to hunting age up on a flat/tan Sante Fe roof. Much of the roof was open and hot, hence the reference to “Hot Tan Roof,” but there was a location that was well shaded by a mesquite and well insulated by brush, mesquite pods and detritus which had accumulated over several years. The homeowner had small dogs and was concerned about safety for their animals and possibly for visitors whom the mother might think were a threat to her kittens. Once the kittens grew and climbed down the mesquite, there might even be a confrontation with pets. This prompted a call to 1st Response Wildlife.
At first, it was thought that there were only two kittens and a mother, living on the Hot Tan Roof. However, after those three were humanely captured and re-united in a transfer crate, a third kitten was spotted and then heard crying for its mother. It hid in a woodpile, but 1st Response Wildlife was successful in capturing it free hand and the family was re-united
Here are the first two kittens safe in a little basket
Here are those two kittens with their mother in a transfer crate
Here is the third kitten, captured free-hand, by 1st Response Wildlife
Here is the family re-united. One playful kitten has learned to climb and has climbed up the side of the transfer crate and, if you look closely, you will see the third, recently re-united kitten just peeking out from behind its mother.
Finally, the whole family is now safely hidden in the transfer crate, just starting a 3-5 day “soft release,” back into the wild. (Note the water bowl.) The mother and kitts are fed and watered during this transition period. What is interesting is that, each day, the water is changed because the kitts love to play in the large water bowl and it needs to be refreshed.
If you have small children or pets, manage property, or find that bobcats, raccoons, ringtails, or other animals have taken up residence in locations that you believe are not compatible with your family, your pets, your renters, or guests, please give 1st Response Wildlife a call and discuss options of relocating them safely to another location. If, however, they are on or around property and are not bothering family, pets, renters, or guests, take pictures, enjoy the wildlife we find here in the desert, but do not feed them.
Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife
Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517
Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), coyotes, pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, pigeons, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7. Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!
