Orphaned Bobcat Races Back Into Colorado Wild After Yearlong Recovery

Video filmed by X user CPW SW Region shows the successful release of an orphaned bobcat back into the wild in the San Luis Valley on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

The footage captures the bobcat bursting from a transport crate and immediately sprinting across a grassy field into its natural habitat. A second clip shows additional footage of the same release.

The bobcat was discovered alone on a ranch last year when it was still a small kitten. No mother was ever seen.

The animal was initially cared for by a private rehabilitation partner in northern Colorado before being transferred to Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Frisco Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

At the facility, it was paired with another orphaned bobcat from the Montrose area. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, bobcats have a much higher success rate returning to the wild when they are raised together.

The two young bobcats learned social and hunting skills before being released separately. The Montrose bobcat was released earlier this month, while this bobcat was released this week.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Southwest Region shared the update and thanked the landowner who rescued the kitten as well as the private rehabilitation partner who helped provide it with the best chance for a life in the wild.