Community Corner
Runs 40 MPH, Leaps 10 Feet in the Air: Boris the Bobcat Sports Athletic Prowess
Come Saturday to hear Bobcat expert Kevin Hansen at the WDC.
Although we have featured “Boris” the Bobcat in a past episode, this month we have him featured in our monthly video.
We receive so many questions about our wonderful resident Bobcat, and we are pleased to announce a special guest speaker coming up later this week.
Kevin Hansen, a resident of New Mexico, is author of “Bobcat: Master of Survival,” and he will visit the Saturday (April 30) to lecture on Bobcats. The presentation begins at 6 p.m. and we encourage you to pre-register for this talk; we will also take admission at the door.
Find out what's happening in Lake Forest-Lake Bluffwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
To register, contact Sandra Kooper, marketing coordinator for the WDC, at smk50@sbcglobal.net.
Kevin, a wildlife biologist by profession, will be unlocking some of the secrets of this mysterious cat. Despite overhunting and trapping, these wild felines continue to be resilient and are found throughout the entire North American continent, but are rarely seen by humans.
Find out what's happening in Lake Forest-Lake Bluffwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Did you know that the Bobcat is found in 99 of the 102 counties in Illinois?
There have been recent reports (unverified) of possibly Bobcat activity in Lake County. They can inhabit just about any landscape and hunt for a wide range of prey. They can run up to 40 mph, leap 10 feet in the air, and hunt down game as large as 150-pound deer! Smaller rodents, birds, and snakes, however, seem to be their primary diet.
As you know, “Boris” the Bobcat resides at the WDC and is a rescue like many of the animals that live here He has been around humans his entire life, so his sense of calm around people who visit his outdoor exhibit are not typical of normal Bobcat behavior. Now, he has a new lease on life and a permanent home at the WDC.
Some questions were recently e-mailed to me about Boris and the WDC and if your question is posted here, you receive a nice item from our gift shop. Please e-mail me your questions to carmichr@cityoflakeforest.com.
Let’s share this month’s winner:
Q: From Mark in Lake Forest: “Rob, you’ve been working with animals all of your life, what is your favorite animal?”
Mark will receive a free WDC Field Cap!
A: That’s nearly impossible to answer! Having worked with so many animals over the past 40 years, I have been very blessed to have so many wild encounters. In our current collection, if I had to pick one, I’ll start with three: “Thai” the King
Cobra, “Curly” the Red-Tailed Hawk and “Boris” the Bobcat.
“Thai” is a magnificent animal that is on public exhibit. I have raised this king cobra from a hatchling and it’s been an amazing experience. “Curly” is the first bird of prey I have ever kept, and he has been my teacher and mentor over the years. We enjoy our time together when he gets to fly free around the farm. “Boris”…well, I have to confess I have never been a cat person; just big dogs. But, I have to admit, this is one of the most amazing animals I have ever been around and it’s been a privilege to work with such a magnificent animal.
