“She was cold to the touch …” 😰
When a brush fire broke out near Orange Blossom Boulevard in Sanibel, Florida, firefighters from the Bayshore Fire Department rushed to the scene. Among them was Julian Roman-Kulwicki, a new volunteer firefighter eager to help control the flames.
But while working near the burned area, Roman-Kulwicki noticed something moving in the ashes. Then he heard tiny cries.
A small, fragile baby animal was crawling out from the debris, meowing for help.
Roman-Kulwicki immediately picked her up and wrapped her in his jacket to keep her warm. At first, he believed he had rescued a kitten. But once he looked more closely, he realized this was no ordinary cat.
After doing a little research, he discovered the baby was actually a bobcat kitten.
The discovery stunned him. He had only been volunteering with the fire department for about a month, and finding an orphaned wild animal in the middle of a fire scene was not something he had expected. Knowing the baby needed expert care, he contacted wildlife rescuer Kaitlyn Doherty.
Doherty had experience helping injured and sick animals reach the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, also known as CROW. She quickly stepped in and brought the exhausted bobcat kitten to the wildlife center.
Considering what the tiny animal had just survived, CROW’s team was relieved by her condition. She had no visible burns or obvious injuries, and her lungs appeared clear during the first examination. Still, the staff remained cautious because smoke inhalation can cause complications after the fact.
The kitten was estimated to be around 4 to 6 weeks old when she arrived. Over the following month, she received constant care, food and monitoring from CROW’s team. Slowly, she began to grow stronger.
Now around 7 to 9 weeks old, the young bobcat is continuing to recover from the frightening experience of being orphaned in a brush fire. Her caregivers say she is gaining weight, breathing well and showing encouraging signs of progress.
Roman-Kulwicki named her Ash — a fitting name for the little survivor found among the remains of the fire.
As Ash heals, CROW’s staff are careful not to let her become too comfortable around humans. When handling her, they often cover their faces to prevent her from imprinting on people. This is important because Ash’s future depends on her staying wild enough to return to her natural habitat one day.
In just one month, Ash’s weight has more than doubled, rising from about 600 grams to 1,250 grams. Once she is ready, she will be moved to another facility where she can grow up alongside other bobcat kittens and learn the skills she’ll need in the wild.
For now, Ash is safe, warm and getting stronger every day. And the firefighter who pulled her from the ashes is grateful she ended up exactly where she needed to be.