JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. (AP) - A rare bobcat has returned to a Georgia island park teeming with deer but not many predators, possibly restoring a bit of the natural balance there.
Wildlife staffers at Jekyll Island State Park were stunned nearly two weeks ago when hikers found a young bobcat lying paralyzed. Only four of the wild cats are known to live there - and they're the first ones in roughly a century.
The bobcat, estimated at 1 ½ years old, was taken to the Jacksonville Zoo in neighboring Florida. Veterinarians say it recovered after they removed dozens of ticks, which they say likely caused the paralysis.
The bobcat returned to Jekyll Island for release Friday. It bolted from a pet carrier and vanished down a trail after giving its caretakers a last, piercing growl.