 |
|
 |
DISTRIBUTION
Bobcats, Felis rufus, a cousin to the lynx, can be found
from southern Canada to northern Mexico, although they have been extirpated
(can no longer be found) in some midwestern and eastern states in the United
States. Bobcats are found in coniferous and
mixed forest to the north, swamp areas in and around Florida, and desert and
scrubland in the south-western states of the US. |
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
 |
DESCRIPTION
Named
for their short, bobbed tail (the end of its tail is always black, tipped with
white), bobcats are medium-sized cats (17 to 23 inches in height ; 25 to 41
inches in length and approximately two feet tall). Their coat varies in color
from shades of buff or brown fur with spotted or lined markings in dark brown
or black. Males weigh approximately 16 to 28
pounds, with females typically weighing 10 to 18 pounds. |
| Geographic variations have some effect on their color. Those
found in timber and heavy brush fields are darker with rust-colored tones,
while those found in the Great Basin area of northeastern California generally
are a paler tawny-gray, often with a complete absence of spots on the back and
less distinct markings. The coat in wintertime is a beautiful fur making the
Bobcat a frequent victim of trapping. |
|
| |
|
|
DIET
Bobcats eat a
diet of rabbits, ground squirrels, mice, pocket gophers and wood rats. Quail
have been found in bobcat stomachs, but predation by bobcats does not harm
healthy game populations. |
| |
|
|
|
|
LIFE CYCLE/SOCIAL
BEHAVIOR
The Bobcat roams freely at
night and is frequently abroad during the day except at the peak of summer. It
does not dig its own den. If a crevice or a cave is not available, it will den
in a dense thicket of brush or sometimes choose a hollow in a log or a
tree.
Bobcats are excellent hunters, stalking prey with stealth and
patience, then capturing their meal with one great leap. They are typically
solitary and territorial animals. Females never share territory with each
other, however, male territories tend to overlap. Territories are established
with scent marking and range approximately 25 to 30 square miles for males and
about five square miles for females. |
| |
|
|
 |
REPRODUCTION
Because
Bobcats are solitary animals, males and females spend only a few days of the
year together -- during courtship and mating. Mating usually occurs in late
winter. Cubs are usually born after a 50- to 70-day gestation period. Birth
occurs in a rock crevice or burrow. The litter ranges from 1-7 young who are
born late April to early May. The cubs are born blind and weigh 4 to 8 ounces.
The kittens open their eyes after 10 days and are taught hunting skills by
their mother until they leave her 9 or 10 months later. The father has no role
in raising the offspring. |
|
| |
|
|
COMMUNICATION
The Bobcat's growls and snarls
are so deep and fearsome, particularly when hidden from view, that one gets the
mis-impression it must be a Mountain Lion. Listen to a
Bobcat. |
| |
|
|
INTERESTING
FACTS
1. There is a noticeable
difference between the lifespan of the wild and captive bobcat - in the wild,
the average age is believed to be 12-13 years, however, in captivity, bobcats
can reach their mid twenties.
2. Young Bobcats appear as
lovable and harmless domestic kittens, but because they are wild animals with
the ability to inflict injury to humans, it is illegal to keep Bobcats as
pets.
3. Until 1971 the Bobcat, like the Coyote, had been pursued and
destroyed as an undesirable predator. Hunting and trapping are now closely
regulated.
4. Despite its smaller size, the bobcat is also thought to be
more aggressive than the lynx and in areas where their ranges meet, such as on
the Cape Breton Island of Nova Scotia, the Bobcat has displaced the lynx from
much of the island. |
|
