by
Puma

Today's Date: June 16, 2004
What's the Weather Like? Hot humid

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Name of the animal: Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

Facts about the animal:
The bobcat, sometimes referred to as red lynx, is the smallest member of the lynx group, standing 20 to 24 inches at the shoulder and weighing 15 to 30 pounds. Unlike other lynxes, the bobcat is not an exclusive forest dwelling animal, but lives in a wide variety of habitats, extending from the forests of southern Canada to the hot airid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Bobcat size varies greatly over is geographical range with the smaller stature and lighter coloration occuring toward the southern extent of its range. The bobcat is the only species of lynx to have a white tip on its six inch tail, giving the animal its name. The coat varies from an intense reddish-yellow brown with grey overtones to an almost brownish grey, with numerous small dark spots or mottling dispersed over its thick fur. The spots located in the area of the backbone often overlap resulting in what appears to be a dorsal stripe. Other distinguishing characteristics include long legs, a ruff of facial furr on the cheeks and a tuft of hair rising from the tips of each ear.

The bobcat is a secretive predator, rarely observed by humans, resulting from its diurnal hunting habits. Keen eyes and ears, ambushes and short bursts of speed make the bobcat the consumate small-game predator. The diet is based mainly on hares, rabbits, birds and small rodents, althought scavenging on the remains of dead animals is an important part of the diet. Common around outlying human settlements, the bobcat will sometimes take domestic poultry and small farm animals if easily accessable.

The female bobcat is territorial, staking out a home range that varies from two to more than 40 square miles, with overlapping of female boundaries uncommon. Territorial boundaries are marked with urine, scent from anal glands, and feces deposited on the ground and vegetation during frequent boundary patrols. Male territories frequently overlap those of other males, and usually contain the territories of a number of females. Availability of food is the primary factor in determination of the extent of overlap in territorial boundaries. During the breeding season, the two sexes seek eachother briefly, resuming their solitary ways after several days. Maiting generally occurs in late winter to early spring resulting in two to four offspring arriving after a gestation period of about 65 days. The kittens are generally born in secluded dens, varying greatly depending on local habitat, including rocky outcrops, abandoned burrows, brushy thickets and rotting snags. Blind at birth and weighing less than one pound, the kittens are entirely dependant on their mother for protection and nourishment, althought it is not unusual for the male bobcat to help provide food. The kittens first venture from the den at the age of five weeks and by nine months, become more independant and venture out to establish territories of thier own.

Small, but mean!
240k
Mass: 4 to 15 kg
Length: to 4 ft. (1.2 m)
Biomes: temperate forest & rainforest, temperate grassland, chaparral, desert, mountains
Status: special concern.
Range: Throughout North America from southern Canada to southern Mexico. In the United States they are much more dense in the Southeast than in the West.

Hiker's Note:
The Bobcat's fur can be various shades of buff and brown, with dark brown or black stripes and spots on some parts of the body. The tip of the tail and the backs of the ears are black. They have short ear tufts, and ruffs of hair on the side of the head, giving the appearance of sideburns.

Bobcats occasionally eat small domesticated animals, which has resulted in attempts to eradicate them in some areas. On rare occasions humans are attacked by bobcats.

Rounded feline tracks are lack obvious claw marks and are about 2 in. (5 cm) wide.

Photo of the animal:

 

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