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Bobcat
Lynx rufus - Click to Adopt a Bobcat website Habitats: The Bobcat is native to North America in a wide variety of ranges. There are even a few found in northern Mexico. Bobcats can be found as far north as the Canada/US border and as far south as the Mexico/US border. In and around Florida you can find the bobcat in swampy areas. Bobcats can be found in scrublands and deserts in the south-western states of in North America and in coniferous and mixed forest in the northern states. However, you won’t often find them in highly cultivated areas of the northern mid-states. The Bobcat seems to be more aggressive than the Canadian Lynx so in areas where their habitats meet, such as on the Cape Breton Island of Nova Scotia, the Bobcat has displaced the lynx from much of the island. Physical Description: Bobcats were named for their short, bobbed tail; bobcats are medium-sized cats whose short tail looks like it has been dipped in a black ink well. Bobcats are about 17 to 23 inches tall and about 25 to 38 inches in length. Males weigh approximately 15 to 30 pounds, while females on the average weigh around 10 to 20 pounds. Fur color varies from light grey to yellowish brown to reddish brown. The markings vary from ‘tabby’ stripes to heavy spotting. Basically, bobcats found in the southern parts of their range are darker and smaller, and the cats in the northern parts are usually lighter in color and larger in size. Bobcats are not as secretive and elusive as Canadian Lynx are. Population: It has been estimated that there are about 700,000 to 1,000,000 bobcats. Diet: A major part of the bobcat’s diet is rabbit and hare. However the bobcat also hunts squirrels, chipmunks, other rodents and birds. They will even hunt larger prey such as deer especially in the winter with the rodents and birds are harder to get. Bobcats hunt in the day time and in the night time. The most peak times for their hunting seem to be around dawn and dusk. The most active times for the rabbit and the hare is also around dusk and dawn. Bobcats tend to be diurnal in the winter than in the summer. Reproduction: The bobcat usually breeds from February through June. However the Bobcat has been known to breed year round. Gestation is about two months after which time one to six kitten are born. This kittens’ eyes are closed and they are completely helpless. They grown quickly though and are weaned at about 12 weeks of age. Bobcat kitten stay with their mothers for 10 to 12 moths. This time is crucial if the kittens are to grow up and be able to survive on their own in the wild. They must learn hunting skills from their mothers. They learn what to hunt, when to hunt, where to hunt and how to hunt. PROBLEM: Sometimes, people do very stupid things like capturing and raising bobcat kittens to TRY and make them into pets. When the bobcat kitten grows into a fully grown bobcat with wild instincts and sprays really smelly urine ALL over the house, tears up the furniture and domestic pets many people do something even more stupid. They take a bobcat that has not had the benefit of its mother’s training and dump it out n the woods. So now there is a very hungry scared bobcat that has no fear of humans or domesticated animals or areas. Most of these bobcats either die of starvation or get killed by humans for coming into human territory. Bobcats should NEVER be taken as pets, it does not work out well for the humans or for the bobcats. Behavior: Bobcats are amazing hunters. They stalk prey with great stealth and extreme patience. They usually capture their prey with one well planned and masterfully executed leap. They are for the most part solitary and territorial animals. Females never share territory with other females. The territories of males territories tend to overlap territories of females. Territories are established with scent marking. The size of a bobcat’s territory depends greatly on the abundance or lack of prey. An average territory for a bobcat is about 25 to 30 square miles for males and about five square miles for females. Lifespan: In the wild bobcats average life span is about 12-13 years. In captivity their life span reaches into the mid twenties. Hunting: In many US states bobcat hunting is regulated however not well enforced. There simply are not enough game wardens or funding for more to enforce the laws. On top of that punishments is caught was not harsh enough to be a god deterrent. Consequently, bobcats have been hunted relentlessly throughout North America. Although their numbers have dramatically dwindled they are not YET threatened with extinction. Threats: Hunting and loss of habitat = man made threats. In Mexico, bobcats have been considered a sheep predator and are often killed by farmers. Bobcats are hunted and trapped for their fur throughout much of their range. Between 1991 to 1992, about 25,000 pelts were sold and traded. The HORRID practice of fur farms often cross breed bobcats with Lynx to get a stronger cat. Lynx have softer fur and bobcats are a heartier cat. Lynx often do not survive to maturity under the harsh conditions of a fur farm. Conditions are horrifying and cruel to say the least. So fur farms began crossing their lynx with bobcats in hopes of a cat able to withstand the devastating cruelties of a fur farm. Man is the bobcats, biggest threat. |
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