Wild at Heart, Home at Last: Sienna the Bobcat’s Unbelievable Return.
This was not your typical rescue.
Over the years, we’ve tracked and recovered everything from dogs and cats to goats, pigs, and even cows. But this case? This was a first…a bobcat. And not just any bobcat, but Sienna, a beloved ambassador for her species and a treasured resident of a New Jersey wildlife sanctuary.
Sienna went missing in early June after a freak storm caused structural damage to her enclosure. A southern bobcat, Sienna is smaller than her northern cousins and was raised in captivity from kittenhood. She’s accustomed to the presence of people, but when instinct kicks in, even the most socialized animal will flip into survival mode in an instant.
And that’s exactly what happened.
She vanished into the dense, unforgiving terrain of northern New Jersey, acres of rugged woods and steep hills bordered by vast stretches of state forest. We knew from the start this would not be easy. Drones were deployed multiple times with no success. Feeding stations and trail cameras were strategically placed, hoping she’d return to familiar ground. But as the days stretched into weeks, there was no sign of her.
Then, a break.
A resident reported to the state that a bobcat had been lounging on their deck steps, days prior. We raced to the location. Though we’d missed her, we noticed bird feeders in the yard, a possible draw. We set cameras and baited the area. That night, Sienna appeared on camera. It was her.
But she never came back.
Likely spooked by a mama bear and cubs that frequented the area, she moved on.
Another sighting came in nearly five miles away. Once again, she had found a deck with bird feeders. She was adapting. Traveling by the power line corridors, she was carving out her survival in a new world. We set cameras and baited again. We captured her on video. We began reconditioning her to the trap. But just as progress was being made, fireworks erupted nearby and Sienna disappeared yet again.
Over the following weeks, bobcat sightings trickled in, some real, many not. A single social media post led to a flood of reports: every bobcat from here to Timbuktu was suddenly Sienna. But we stayed grounded in the facts and the data, her known behaviors, her path, her habits.
Then came the credible lead we were waiting for.
A sighting came and one of her trusted handlers who knew Sienna intimately spotted her and confirmed…it was her. We wasted no time. Cameras, bait, and a trap were immediately deployed.
Then came a torrential summer storm. We waited it out through pounding rain and wild winds. As the skies cleared and drizzle settled in, the skunks came out, curious, bold, and dangerously interested in the trap. My camera alerts started pinging, and all I could think was, Please don’t let it be a skunk.
But it wasn’t.
It was Sienna.
Soaked but hungry, her instincts gave way to the scent of a familiar meal. She cautiously approached… and then, finally, stepped into the trap.
After nearly two months alone in the wild, Sienna was safely captured and brought back to the sanctuary she calls home. She is now decompressing and readjusting, and will soon resume her role as an ambassador, helping to educate the public about the beauty, intelligence, and resilience of her kind.
The sanctuary has since reinforced and triple-reinforced, her enclosure. Accidents can happen, even to the most careful caretakers. What matters is how we respond. In this case, we responded with persistence, teamwork, and unwavering commitment.
This rescue was a massive collaborative effort, and we are endlessly grateful to:
• Ted, who flew his thermal drone tirelessly
• Animal Control Officer, Bonnie Waseleski who always goes above and beyond.
• Lorraine, the Brazaitis family, and the many property owners who graciously allowed us to work on their land
• Bob and Cat McCormick, whose deck became Sienna’s final stop before capture. And yes, their names are really Bob and Cat.
• And to every single person who checked their cameras, allowed feeding stations, called in tips, or kept hope alive, we thank you.
Sienna’s story is a testament to what’s possible when community, compassion, and determination come together.
She may be wild at heart, but she’s home where she belongs.
