Young bobcat visits downtown Cd'A
<p>Hagadone Corporation employee Kayla DesJarlais captured this image of a young bobcat crouched beneath a vehicle Tuesday in downtown Coeur d’Alene. State wildlife officials captured the animal and brought it to a cooperative rehabilitation facility where it will be raised until it’s strong enough to be released into the wild.</p>
<p>Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce employees Joan Ford and Diane Higdem took several photos of a young bobcat discovered Tuesday in downtown Coeur d’Alene. State wildlife officials captured the animal and brought it to a cooperative rehabilitation facility where it will be raised until it’s strong enough to be released into the wild.</p>
Downtown bobcat
Downtown bobcat
COEUR d’ALENE — A small bobcat brought some Election Day excitement to downtown Coeur d’Alene.
The young animal was spotted Tuesday beneath a car parked in a lot in front of the Hagadone Corporation’s office building near The Coeur d’Alene Resort.
Hagadone corporate employee Kayla DesJarlais was returning to her office after lunch when she observed Resort security personnel near the parked vehicles.
“They said, ‘Do you want to see a baby bobcat?’” DesJarlais said.
DesJarlais said she thought, at first, that they must have said “tomcat.” She took a look and was surprised to see a small bobcat crouched near a tire under the car.
The little animal darted from beneath the vehicle just as a crowd of people wearing masks and carrying signs came across the street onto The Resort property. In the commotion, DesJarlais said she last saw the bobcat running along busy Northwest Boulevard.
DesJarlais was relieved to learn that the animal ended up safely across the street, outside the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce building, where two Idaho Fish and Game biologists were able to pick it up.
Jim Hayden, regional wildlife manager, told The Press that the bobcat was brought to one of the agency’s cooperative rehabilitation facilities.
“It’ll be raised until it gets strong enough to be on its own and then released back into the wild,” Hayden said.