Pets and Vets: Orphaned in wildfire, bobcat released back into the wild

A bobcat found injured and orphaned as a 4-week-old kitten during the Chips wildfire last summer in Plumas National Forest in California is now a healthy 8 months old and was released back into "bobcat territory" in the Lassen-Plumas region April 19. Found by the Mad River Hand Crew Aug. 25, 2012, the kitten was named Chips after the wildfire. Having suffered second-degree burns on all four paws and with infected eyes, Chips was taken to the Lake Tahoe Care Center and then transferred to the Sierra Wildlife Rescue in Placerville, Calif., in November. A release by the Sierra Wildlife Rescue says she grew up eating, playing, wrestling and competing with her den mates, as a proper bobcat kitten should. Chips was eventually judged by experienced rehabbers to be ready to be returned to her natural habitat. She was released with a male bobcat, a den mate also found orphaned around the same time, who is about the same age.

Chips, now 8 months old, was cleared for release from her temporary home at the Sierra Wildlife Rescue in Placerville, Calif. She was reintroduced to her natural habitat in the Lassen-Plumas region April 19. Left: Chips at 4 weeks. (PHOTOS COURTESY OF SIERRA WILDLIFE RESCUE)