Visitors invited to meet Vivi at her atrium habitat
A new bobcat has found a home at the High Desert Museum. Vivi, a 12-year-old bobcat from Idaho, is getting acquainted with her new surroundings, a forested atrium in the Schnitzer Entrance Hall, where visitors can see her display natural behaviors throughout the day.
Vivi had been declawed and raised in captivity in Idaho, and named in honor of Vivi Crandall, a wildlife artist from Casper, Wyoming, who died in 2000. This native animal cannot survive in the wild, and is in good health, weighing about 45 pounds.
The bobcat arrived Friday night, and occupies the atrium habitat where Ochoco the bobcat had lived since 2005. Ochoco was beloved by thousands who met him through the Museum’s educational wildlife program, and died in February at the advanced age of 20. The average lifespan of a bobcat in the wild is about 10 to 12 years, but animals in captivity typically live longer when they receive good care and are protected from predators.
“We are excited to have a new bobcat and share the story of this charismatic species,” said Vice President of Programs Dana Whitelaw. “While bobcats are endemic to the High Desert, they are rarely encountered. They can thrive in woodlands and drier desert landscapes, and having a bobcat allows visitors to connect and learn how it can adapt to different habitats, including those inhabited by humans.”
To let Vivi adapt comfortably to her new home, the Museum has cordoned off a few feet around the atrium, and placed an earth colored curtain covering the glass in front of her straw bedding area.
Visitors are invited to learn about wild cats in the High Desert at 12:30 p.m. weekdays at the atrium housing a lynx, beside the bobcat atrium.
Since February, the Museum has received an outpouring of visitor sympathy for Ochoco, one of the most charismatic animals here. Bobcats are elusive and rarely seen in the wild, so the ability to see this native animal close up offers the sense of wonder and excitement about the natural world, a hallmark of the High Desert Museum experience.
Museum wildlife specialists use a range of techniques designed to enrich the lives of the animals that live here. For Vivi, like Ochoco, they will use techniques such as hiding treats for her to find, or changing her surroundings and temporarily move her into a different atrium, with new sights and smells. Nearly all of the animals at the Museum cannot be released to the wild. Many had been injured in the wild, or were raised in captivity, becoming imprinted on humans, relying on them to survive because they never learned how to hunt or avoid predators.
About the Museum
The High Desert Museum is nationally acclaimed for inspiring stewardship of the natural and cultural resources of the High Desert. It offers close-up wildlife encounters, living history performances, Native American and Western art, nature trails, tours and special programs for all ages. An independent, nonprofit educational institution, it is on 135 forested acres, five minutes from Bend on South Highway 97.
Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily May 1 through Oct. 31. Adults, $15; seniors (65 plus), $12; ages 5-12, $9; ages 4 and younger and all members, free. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily Nov. 1 through April 30. Adults, $10; seniors (65 plus), $9, ages 5-12, $6; ages 4 and younger and all members, free. Closed July 4th, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
