Who’s new at the Zoo? Two bobcats!

The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo) is excited to introduce the newest members of the Zoo family – bobcats Sherlock and Watson! These two brothers were born in 2021 at the Zoo Sauvage de Saint Felicien and are just under one year old.

“We are very fortunate to have Sherlock and Watson join the Zoo family,” says Jeff Mitchell, Zoo Manager. “The pair arrived safely at the Zoo this morning and will be introduced to their new temporary home in the vacant eagle exhibit before transferring to their permanent home later this summer.”

Bobcats get their name from their short, bobbed tail and are found mostly in North America in mountainous forest regions. They weigh anywhere from 6.5 to 18 kilograms and can jump over 3 metres high. Their diet consists mainly of rodents, birds and fish and are known as ambush predators that stalk and hunt their prey with an element of surprise.  

Preparations for the bobcats’ arrival started this spring with renovations to the previous lynx exhibit. The former lynx exhibit is being transformed into a new space for the bobcats that will feature a new house and dedicated play area for the bobcats to enjoy. For now, Sherlock and Watson will get to enjoy exploring the caves and terrain in the vacant eagle exhibit until the renovations to their permanent home are completed this summer.

Visitors to the Zoo will notice a perimeter buffer surrounding the temporary bobcat exhibit. This buffer helps to maintain physical distance between the public and the bobcats as cat species such as bobcats and lynx are susceptible to COVID-19. 

“Taking precautionary measures like maintaining a safe physical distance is an important part of keeping our animals safe,” says Jeff Mitchell. “The level of risk among species varies, and we take every necessary step to ensure the health and safety of the animals in our care.”

The Zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visit saskatoon.ca/zoo to plan your next visit or learn more about the Zoo Season Pass.