Times. This was a very exciting step forward as we were able to bring to you color photographs for the first time ever. Now here we go again. The Big Cat Times has received a major upgrade to this beautiful glossy color magazine...but at what cost? Big Cat Rescue, one of the world’s largest accredited Actually, very little more than the sanctuaries for exotic cats, is A MESSAGE FROM BCR cost of the previous newspaper a leading advocate in ending PRESIDENT & EDITOR format. the abuse of captive big cats and saving wild cats from Jamie Veronica Skipper, Canada Lynx extinction. We are home I am so excited to bring to you to 87 lions, tigers, bobcats, the completely redesigned Big cougars, servals and other Cat Times! We have come such a species of exotic cats, most of long way since our very first issue whom have been abandoned, 19 years ago. abused, orphaned, saved from the fur trade, or retired Our newsletter launched in the from performing acts. summer of 1996. It was titled Cat-Tales and was a 6-page black For the mere pennies extra per The sanctuary, located on 67 and white leaflet. issue we feel that this sturdier acres in the Citrus Park area of version of The Big Cat Times will north Tampa, was founded in In 2004 we upgraded the have a longer shelf life and will 1992 and is a 501c3 charity. publication to a newspaper turn get passed around between format and renamed it The Big Cat family and friends. Big Cat Rescue is accredited by the Global Federation You can help spread the word of Sanctuaries, certified by about the plight of captive big cats Independent Charities of as well as their wild counterparts America as a “Best in America by sharing your copy of The Big Charity”, a member of the Cat Times. Every person touched World Society for Protection by one of these stories is another of Animals, rated 4 Stars by voice for the voiceless. Charity Navigator, and is part of a global coalition including So go on, dive in, and enjoy the HSUS, IFAW, WWF, GFAS, stories in this issue including the Born Free and other animal latest bobcat rescues, our federal protection groups working bill, an important notice regarding together to end big cat abuse. the Florida Panther, and more! Read more about Big Cat Rescue and the cats who call Scan QR Codes, it home at: BigCatRescue.org in this issue, with your smart phone to get more info. Tour Info: Zerve.com/ BigCatRescue 2 BIG CAT TIMES - FALL 2015 - BIGCATRESCUE.ORG Wild future for Four FL Bobcat Kittens Big Cat Rescue, one of the world’s largest accredited sanctuaries for exotic cats, is a leading advocate in ending the abuse of captive big cats and saving wild cats from extinction. We are home to 87 lions, tigers, bobcats, cougars, servals and other Big Cat Rescue is excited to so he was sent to the Clinic for species of exotic cats, most of announce the recent rescue of the Rehabilitation of Wildlife whom have been abandoned, four orphaned Florida bobcat (CROW). Staff at CROW evaluated abused, orphaned, saved kittens! This group of wild Phoenix and treated his burns. from the fur trade, or retired babies will be raised here at the We think there could be no more from performing acts. sanctuary in our rehabilitation appropriate name than Phoenix, area until they have purrr-fected the mythological symbol who The sanctuary, located on 67 their survival skills. Then they will rises from the ashes to be reborn. acres in the Citrus Park area of be released back into the wild north Tampa, was founded in from which they came. Shortly before Phoenix’s arrival 1992 and is a 501c3 charity. CROW received another Phoenix treated for burns to his paws at CROW orphaned kitten. Captiva’s story Big Cat Rescue is accredited is every bit as heart rending, but by the Global Federation didn’t make the news. She was of Sanctuaries, certified by the one Big Cat Rescue agreed Independent Charities of to take first. Gareth Johnson, Phoenix America as a “Best in America the CROW Hospital Manager, Charity”, a member of the worked with us a few years ago World Society for Protection when we rehabbed and released of Animals, rated 4 Stars by bobcat Copter. Charity Navigator, and is part Gareth called of a global coalition including Phoenix managed to survive a Big Cat Rescue HSUS, IFAW, WWF, GFAS, forest fire in Lee County, FL in May. on June 1st Born Free and other animal Officials hoped to reunite the to report that protection groups working kitten with his mother by leaving some people together to end big cat abuse. him near where he was found had trapped a after an initial assessment that bobcat kitten Read more about Big Cat he seemed ok. In the meantime and then left it in Rescue and the cats who call his story spread like wildfire via the trap without it home at: BigCatRescue.org local media. Three days later, the food or water for kitten was dehydrated and still a couple of days Tour Info: Zerve.com/ calling frantically for his mother, before deciding BigCatRescue BIGCATTV.COM - FALL 2015 - BIG CAT TIMES 3 CROW has state of the art medical facilities, but is not set up for long term bobcat rehab. Raising and rehabilitation of a bobcat requires a lot of space and infrastructure. Because these two kittens would need long term care CROW contacted the wildlife rehabbers at Big Cat Rescue to see if we Captiva introduced to the outdoor rehab enclosure had room for the duo. Both kittens were transported they should feed her something. to Big Cat Rescue on June 25, Of course, they had no idea what to feed a 4-week- old nursing bobcat kitten, Captiva & Phoenix so what they fed her made her sick. Lucky Unfortunately due to the for Captiva, extensive hands on care Phoenix they finally initially received to treat his made a good injuries, he is not as wild as we decision and would like. He seems unafraid of dropped her humans and will usually approach off at CROW. Phoenix’s first day outside keepers when they are cleaning The kitten his water dish. On a positive note 2015 for the next phase of their was stabilized, despite the fact however, his wild instincts when rehabilitation. Upon their arrival that she had arrived in such bad it comes to hunting are right on Phoenix was estimated to be 9 shape. track. We hope that housing weeks old and Captiva 11 weeks. him with Captiva, who is much more wild and extremely leery Captiva of humans, will teach him how to appropriately respond when approached by people (run and hide). Pairing Phoenix and Captiva will ensure a greater chance at survival once released. The two will most likely stay with one another for a period of time while they both adjust to life in the wild. Three weeks after the arrival of Phoenix and Captiva we received another call to action. Two bobcat kittens were found playing near 4 BIG CAT TIMES - FALL 2015 - INSTAGRAM.COM/BIGCATRESCUE the side of a busy highway. A passerby stopped and captured the kittens and then took them to a nearby veterinary clinic. A knowledgeable technician at the practice took the kittens back to where they had been found in search of the mother. When a mother bobcat gets separated from her kittens she will call out to them for days. Sadly the tech heard no such calls and had no other choice but to bring them back to the clinic. Big Cat Rescuers made the 5 Rain is not trusting of humans, which is a good thing hour round trip to Lake Placid, FL to collect the kittens. At just to be a minimum of 40 acres of 9 weeks old this brother and All four rehab kittens are doing privately owned land near where sister had a lot of growing up to great. Phoenix and Captiva the bobcats were originally found. do before they would be able to have become efficient and We typically release our rehab survive on their own. In the wild successful hunters. Phoenix is bobcats on several hundred or bobcat kittens will stay with their still approaching his keepers at even thousands of acres. If you mother for up to a year before or anyone you know live in the disbanding in search of their area and would be willing to help own territory. Their arrival came Rain and Dancer by providing a in the wake of a difficult loss at release site please email jamie. the sanctuary. Raindance, one [email protected] of the founding bobcats of Big Cat Rescue, had recently passed Thanks to CROW’s connections a at the age of 22. Her loss was site has already been secured for felt deeply as she had become Phoenix and Captiva. an icon at the sanctuary and was Perches in rehab enclosure admired and loved by all that met her. In honor of Raindance we decided to carry on her spirit with Rain on left, Dancer on right the lives of these two wild ones. And so they were affectionately named Rain and Dancer. times, however he occasionally follows Captiva’s lead and runs off to hide. Rain and Dancer BCR President & Rehabber Jamie Veronica have just recently moved to the outdoor rehab enclosures and have transitioned to a whole prey diet.