Tucker, the orphaned bobcat rescued by Langley’s Critter Care Wildlife Society (CCWS), is doing well, but he will need new, larger, accommodations as he grows bigger.
The starving cub was believed to be 10 to 11 weeks old when he was discovered by the side of the road in Grand Forks in early July, severely underweight at 600 grams.
READ ALSO: Starving bobcat cub rescued by Langley’s Critter Care
Now that Tucker’s health is improving, the wildlife rehab centre will need to build a special enclosure for the cat, who can grow as big as 9.6 kilograms or 21 lbs.
Construction material is estimated at more than $85,000, plus the expense of heating pads, syringes for feeding, bedding, medicines, laundry, and a supply of special food.
To help pay for it, the wild animal rehab centre has launched a sponsorship campaign online at www.crittercarewildlife.org/tucker-sponsorship.
For $35, donors who help Tucker by formally sponsoring him will receive a tax receipt for their charitable donation, and a certificate which contains a photo of the cub.
The sponsor drive will run until Sept. 15, or while quantities last, with all proceeds going directly to the the cost of Tucker’s rescue, rehabilitation, enclosure construction and his eventual release back into the wild.
After Tucker was discovered, volunteers drove the critically ill cub from Grand Forks to Osoyoos, while Critter Care staff headed up to meet them, where the mayors of Osoyoos and Rossland attended the handoff.
Two Critter Care staffers worked 15 hours straight on the rescue, including driving four hours each way.
Tucker latched onto a bottle of formula on the way back, clearly starving.
READ ALSO: Otter Day aimed at helping aquatic orphans at Langley’s Critter Care
“It was a bumpy few days to get this little man back to health, however he is in good health and is expected to make a full recovery with no long term damage,” said Critter Care Operations Administrator Brandon Dean.
Tucker was described as “thriving and … in stable health” in a follow-up report.
He is eating wild game meat such as rabbit, deer and bison in bite-sized pieces.
“It’s hard to believe that this little fella will be able to run speeds of up to 40 km/h [when fully grown].”
UPDATE ON TUCKER:
— Critter Care Wildlife Society (@CritterWildlife) July 23, 2021
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Tucker is thriving and is in stable health. He is eating wild game meat such as rabbit/ deer and bison in bite sized pieces. It's hard to believe that this little fella will be able to run speeds of up to 40KM.
.https://t.co/sPmMjSzS34
.#bobcat pic.twitter.com/DHyvVRx71e
CCWS was founded in 1984 by Gail and Richard Martin, who started rehab work in their home, then moved onto a five acre plot adjoining Campbell Valley Regional Park.
Specializing in the rehabilitation of injured and abandoned wild animals, in 2019, Critter Care admitted more than 1,700 animals, everything from tiny flying squirrels to bears, usually cubs left orphaned near human habitation.
Have a story tip? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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