Grace Palo
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) Ollie, the female bobcat that escaped from the Smithsonian National Zoo yesterday, is presumed to be in the neighborhoods of Woodley Park or Cleveland Park near the zoo according to zoo officials.
According to a press release from the zoo, they received several consistent and informative calls regarding her location overnight, which has allowed them to assume she is still in the area.
“Our team tried to make her enclosure as attractive to her as possible and trying to get her back to where she is familiar, where there is food, and where there is a sense of security,” Annalisa Meyer, a spokesperson from the Smithsonian National Zoo told WMAL. “So we’ve dispatched a team of zookeepers, zoo police and the DC Human Rescue Alliance who have been searching in the areas we have received tips from.”
The zoo staff is keeping the area around the bobcat enclosure closed in case she returns.
There is no immediate danger to the community or zoo guests, and bobcats are not known to be aggressive. It is suggested though that people treat Ollie as they would treat a stray dog: do not approach or fed her, but also note the location and time in order to call and report it.
The zoo warns that no one should approach the bobcat, and if spotted they should call 202-633-7362.
Copyright 2017 by WMAL.com All Rights Reserved. (photo: Barbara Statas, Smithsonian National Zoo)
