Bobcat captive after neighborhood romp

Stephen Curran

Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2002 | 11:05 a.m.

A 14-pound bobcat that wreaked havoc on a northwestern Las Vegas neighborhood is resting quietly at the Lied Animal Shelter -- thanks to heavy sedation.

The animal, captured Monday night by Las Vegas Animal Control, most likely came from wilderness areas surrounding the city, said Patrick Cummings, biologist for the Nevada Division of Wildlife.

During drought seasons, urban areas can be an oasis for wild animals such as bobcats and coyotes, Cummings said. Unfortunately for many area residents, the feast often consists of pets and ornamental shrubbery.

And as development continues to encroach on open spaces, the occasional wild animal becomes a fact of life, Cummings said.

"Because the Las Vegas Valley is expanding at the rate it is, we're displacing wildlife," he said. "If we get one more master-planned community, it's going to displace the animals no matter what."

Cummings likens the situation in Las Vegas to that in Southern California, where displaced animals regularly devour small dogs and cats and destroy landscaping.

"Indeed small pets in Las Vegas running in back yards are in danger," Cummings said. "(Bobcats) will take advantage of the opportunity."

Development, coupled with a shortage of rabbits and rodents, makes urban areas look more attractive to bobcats, said Charles Douglas, professor of wildlife ecology at UNLV.

Many bobcats and coyotes are drawn to "movement corridors" -- open spaces such as golf courses with an abundance of vegetation and small animals where the big felines can go unnoticed for a long period of time, Cummings said.

Cummings said his agency receives numerous calls every day complaining about bobcats and other wild animals in people's lawns, especially in Boulder City, where development has threatened the habitat of the bighorn sheep.

Unchecked growth could lead Las Vegas to a similar situation, he said.

"That's a fine example of what can happen," Cummings said.

But as of Tuesday afternoon, the feline that leapt effortlessly over 15-foot retaining walls Monday was resting in a holding room among cages with Chihuahuas and pit bulls up for adoption.

The only thing indicating this was not a typical candidate for adoption was a hand-made signing saying, "This is a wild animal. Do not even attempt to pet this cat!"

The cat will remain at the Lied Animal Shelter until officials from the Nevada Division of Wildlife release it into the wild.

A bobcat is not an unheard-of addition to the shelter, veterinarian Marilyn Gauntner said. During her tenure, she has seen a skunk, roosters, geese, ducks and a goat come through the shelter's doors.

Wild animals will always be a problem in the Las Vegas area because of the desert landscape surrounding the city. No matter what level of development, there will always be people living on the edge of town, Cummings said.

"If Las Vegas ceased to grow right now, there will always be people on the periphery," he said. "It's a situation where you have a row of houses across the street from wilderness."