Elsa the Bobcat Becomes the New Star of Wildwood Zoo

Marshfield Now! News - by David Ballerstein
Story filmed and edited by Tom Loucks - Marshfield Broadcasting
Elsa the Bobcat Becomes the New Star of Wildwood Zoo
Marshfield, WI — A new resident at Wildwood Zoo is stealing hearts and turning heads: meet Elsa, a nine-month-old bobcat with a story as captivating as her piercing gaze.
Elsa was found in the woods of lower Michigan when she was just a day or two old—her eyes still closed and her future uncertain. A couple stumbled upon the tiny feline and, mistaking her for a domestic kitten, took her in. Feeding her lamb formula from a baby bottle, they nurtured her for six weeks until a visit to the veterinarian revealed a wild surprise: Elsa wasn’t a house cat, but a bobcat.
Following the discovery, Elsa was turned over to Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and later raised by a wildlife rehabilitator. Today, she resides at Marshfield’s Wildwood Zoo, under the watchful care of zoo manager Kyle Kirk, who joined the facility just five months ago.
“She acts a lot like a house cat,” Kirk shared, “but she certainly isn’t.” Now weighing around 20 pounds, Elsa is only halfway to her expected adult size of 40–45 pounds. Despite her wild roots, Elsa is adapting well to her new environment and has quickly become a favorite among staff and visitors alike.
Elsa’s name, a nod to the icy heroine of Frozen, feels fitting. “We thought Elsa really fit her because she’s our little ice queen,” Kirk said with a smile, hinting that a future companion named Olaf might be in the cards.
While currently enjoying some behind-the-scenes time to protect her from pneumonia and other weather-related issues, there are plans to potentially train Elsa as an ambassador animal. If she remains tame, she could one day visit schools and community events, helping educate the public about bobcats and wildlife conservation.
Wildwood Zoo also has a unique opportunity to house both a lynx and a bobcat together. “They’re essentially the same animal adapted to different environments,” Kirk explained. Seeing the two side by side allows visitors to observe the subtle but distinct differences between the species.
As Elsa continues to settle into her new home, her presence at Wildwood Zoo serves as both an educational opportunity and a heartwarming tale of second chances. From the forests of Michigan to the snowy scenes of Marshfield, Elsa truly reigns as the Queen of Wildwood.
You can view the Video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzXVgESgg3s

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