BAYOU GEORGE — The Florida panther, the bobcat and the jaguarundi once roamed freely in the Sunshine State. Today, although bobcats are plentiful in Florida, there are fewer than 200 panthers living in the wild, and the jaguarundi are yet to be confirmed in a wild habitat in the state.
However, all three of these great Florida cats, as well as several other rare cats, can be seen at the Bear Creek Feline Center in northern Bay County in an up-close and personal tour.
The privately owned nonprofit feline preserve houses 24 big cats and has been operating tours for 15 years. Owners Jim and Bertie Broaddus lead the tours to raise funds to feed the cats and to give the public a chance to learn about the rare animals.
“We started it because we had so many cats,” Bertie Broaddus said when asked why the couple opened the park. “I love cats and Jim gave me two ocelots as a wedding gift, and it has just grown from there.”
Today the couple receives calls from all over the country to help rescue cats from failed zoos or illegal private owners and relocate them to safe and comfortable homes. A majority of the cats on the property are rescues; the Nova Scotia Siberian lynx, Hero, for example, was rescued from a fur coat company.
“I got Hero as a birthday gift, and was so happy to see that my fur coat was still on the beautiful cat,” she said.
A recent tour began with an introduction to the resident Florida panthers, Thatcher and Saint. Thatcher came up to the fence and visitors were allowed to pet the back of his neck.
Next, where visitors saw the small Geoffrey’s cats, the guide said this male cat is the most vicious on the property, given to a common trait called male insanity, which makes him very dominate and protective of his property.
Visitors who waited for a pair of African servals to approach were rewarded when the cuddly felines brushed themselves against them as if we were their own personal rubbing post. The beautiful creatures had orangey coats much like that of a cheetah and walked from person to person to be petted.
At the next encounter, visitors were ushered into the enclosure of Hero, the Siberian lynx. Hero allowed people to take photos of him as he sat perched and alert on his wooden ledge, displaying his gorgeous, white and gray, spotted coat and his tufted ears.
At the bobcat enclosure, Bertie Broaddus said when a bobcat “sings” they are letting people know they are not in the mood to be petted.
The last stop of the tour was the jaguarundis. The Bear Creek jaguarundis are world famous, as November of last year saw National Geographic freelance photographer Joel Sartore photograph the cats for his Photo Ark Project. As the only of their species in the nation in captivity, the Bear Creek jaguarundis are a rare sight to see. The small cats hiss when you approach them. Although they seemed vicious, visitors were permitted to walk inside the jaguarundi enclosure as Bertie fed the animals raw eggs.
After the tour, Bertie and the other Bear Creek volunteers sat and talked with visitors, answering questions and giving more detailed information on both the cats and the preserve.
Want To Go? Bear Creek Feline Center is at 8822 Tracy Way between Bayou George and Youngstown. Tours are private and by reservation only. The cost per adult is $50 and $25 for school-aged children. Discounts are available for military members and their families or for teachers with school groups. Visitors must wear long pants and closed toed shoes during the tour. For more information or to book a tour visit www.bearcreekfelinecenter.org or call 722-9927.