Bobcat

Lynx Rufus

size/weight/height

The bobcat is about twice the size of a house cat. The adult male is generally 30 to 40 percent larger than the female averaging 36 inches in length and weighing anywhere from 16 to 30 pounds.

adaptations/coloration

They are tawny in color, grayer in winter, with indistinct black spotting. They were named for their short, bobbed tail. Small tufts of hair on the ears act as antennae, which allow greater hearing.

behavior

Bobcats are generally solitary animals, except when a female is with her kittens or during mating season. Active from dusk until dawn, they move quietly through heavier brushy areas in search of small mammals and birds. Bobcats will avoid people, but sometimes become curious about humans and pets. They may simply sit and observe from a vantage point, similar to a common house cat.

reproduction/life span

The bobcat breeds from winter into the spring and has a gestation period of about two months. The female has an average of 2 to 4 kittens. The average lifespan of a bobcat is 12 years. The longest they have been known to live in the wild is 16 years, but in captivity have been known to live up to 32 years.

diet

Bobcats are carnivores and will hunt anything from insects and small rodents to large deer, but often show a preference for rabbits and hares. What they hunt depends on location and habitat, season, and scarcity of prey. Bobcats prefer to eat small mammals and birds; however, they may occasionally eat unspoiled carrion.

habitat/range

The bobcat�s habitat is primarily rocky or brushy country and broken forests, but they adapt well to swamps, farmlands and arid lands. Their usual range is about a 2-mile radius. Size of the home range depends on the terrain and how much food is available.

other

Bobcats are most active during the twilight hours. While bobcats do not have direct predators, they have to be aware of other animals preying on their cubs and depleting food sources in their range.