Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Inc. is requesting funds to construct an enclosure for bobcats.  Every year, we receive bobcat kittens as young as a week old up to 2 months old.  These kittens require specialized care to keep them from imprinting on humans.  We do our best to prepare them for life in the wild, and that includes teaching them how to hunt.  Due to the level of care we provide, we would like to construct a new enclosure that is larger and safer for both the bobcats and the people who care for them.

We are requesting $5000 to purchase materials.  This will allow us to build a two-part enclosure with an entry airlock and a shifting airlock.  The smaller section will be 10 ft x 12 ft with a den and heat.  This area will be for our younger kittens that are transitioning to being outdoors.  The larger section will be 15 ft x 40 ft and will have multiple levels of platforms and hammocks for the older kittens to build their endurance and motor skills.  This will also be the area where they learn how to hunt.  There will be a shifting airlock between the two sections that allow for moving the kittens between sections during times of cleaning and capturing.

The enclosure will be constructed of a combination of materials to provide protection as well as secure containment.  The framework will be constructed of lumber and pipe.  There will be 12.5 ga wire mesh and plywood for the outer walls.  A variety of materials will be used within the enclosure to provide hiding places and enrichment.