Bobcat Escapes National Zoo Sending D.C. Residents into Twitter Frenzy
OutdoorHub Reporters 01.30.17
As of this morning, zoo keepers at the National Zoo have lost track of a 25-pound female bobcat. The bobcat, known as Ollie, was last accounted for at 7:30 a.m. Monday, but she missed her morning feeding around 10:40 a.m.
Zoo officials began searching the area immediately, though have yet to locate the 7-year-old bobcat.
Staff is working to lure Ollie back to her enclosure and believe it’s only a matter of time before she returns to her familiar grounds for food and shelter.
If you see the bobcat roaming around D.C., do not approach it. Call 202-633-7362 right away.
“There is no imminent danger to Zoo guests or general public. Bobcats are not known to be aggressive to humans,” the zoo said in a news release.
Of course, it wasn’t long before the news hit Twitter, and D.C. residents had mixed emotions about it.
Some had a little fun with the news. This Twitter account was created for “Ollie the Bobcat,” which promptly tweeted:
Any steakhouses near the National Zoo? Asking for a friend.
— Ollie the Bobcat (@OllieBobcat) January 30, 2017
Others used the news to further voice their political opinions:
I hope Ollie brought his paperwork when he left. Never know what will happen when he tries to return. https://t.co/OjlPuOOkKp
— Thai Phi Le (@thaiphi_le) January 30, 2017
Image courtesy Smithsonian’s National Zoo news release