Nature of Wildworks Newsletters

Remembering Bonz -
The African Caracal

May 1, 1999

Dear friend of Wildworks,

This past month was a sad time of loss for all of us at Wildworks. We found ourselves having to say a final good-bye to Bonsai, our beautiful caracal, the Asian-African desert wildcat.

She was the very first wild animal to be given refuge here, even before our facility was fully authorized.

Originally purchased and declawed as an exotic pet, Bonsai had been donated as a six-month-old kitten to the Los Angeles Zoo to appear in its Cat Show. It was then that in the manner of many young orphaned wild animals, the little caracal became imprinted on her caretaker (me) as her "Mom".

Years later when the show animals needed to be relocated, the idea of Wildworks was born. However, by the time it became a reality, Bonsai ---from the stress of her relocation and our separation---had become very sick. With permits for our new wild animal compound in process, I brought her home with me and kept her inside the house to nurse her back to health.

Except for a pancreas disorder that required daily medication, she fully recovered.

Assigned to a comfortable outdoor enclosure beside the house, she enjoyed the freedom of frequent walks in the Topanga hills and the continued companionship of Benny our adopted orphan mutt dog with whom she had formed an unusual friendship.

And of course, with her beautiful elegant-eared exotic presence, she was always a star in our educational programs.

But recently her health had gradually begun to decline. Despite many visits to the vet for every kind of test and examination, the exact nature of her illness could not be determined. Daily she grew thinner and weaker.

Once again I brought her into the house with me to keep a close watch on her and to let her know that her adopted mom was still at her side.

But then, early one morning, it was time for us to say good-bye.

As well as being the first animal at Wildworks, she had become one of the oldest. At thirteen years, she had reached the estimated longest lifespan of a caracal in the wild.

For nearly all of her thirteen years, "Bonz" had blessed my life. She was a special friend here at Wildworks and we will all feel her absence every day.

On Saturday, June 12, at our Nature of Wildworks Benefit '99 (12-4 pm at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd. Topanga) we will be remembering Bonsai with a memorial tribute, as well as celebrating the tenth birthdays of our two mountain lions, Phoenix and Sage.

We will look forward to seeing you there.

Thanks, Mollie