STUART — A female bobcat rescued after becoming entangled in a barbed-wire fence near the Tres Belle community in Stuart has been released back into the wild, according to the Martin County Sheriff's Office.
The bobcat was discovered around 7 a.m. near SE Cove Road, unable to free herself from the fence. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers worked alongside Martin County Sheriff's Office deputies and Animal Services personnel to rescue the animal.
Deputy Wes McNeal, Animal Services Officer Shannon McGee and Animal Services Supervisor Cpl. Christine Polizzi assisted in carefully removing the bobcat from the fence.
Following the rescue, the animal was transported to a local wildlife hospital for evaluation and treatment. She was given a clean bill of health and cleared for release.
The Sheriff's Office Animal Services Unit subsequently returned the bobcat to a safe location near where she was found.
The agency credited its Animal Services team, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and wildlife hospital staff for their roles in the rescue and release.