bobcat
What are the physical characteristics of a bobcat?
Where can bobcats be found geographically?
How do bobcats reproduce and develop?
What is the diet of a bobcat?
What is the conservation status of bobcats?
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bobcat, (Lynx rufus), cat found from southern Canada to southern Mexico, having long legs, large paws, a stout body, tufted ears, and a tail that looks “bobbed.” The bobcat is generally solitary and crepuscular (active during dusk and dawn). It is equally at home in forests and deserts and is sometimes found even in suburban areas.
The bobcat is a close relative of the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), and it is often mistaken for one. Although as many as 12 subspecies of bobcats have been proposed, only two are generally recognized, on the basis of differences in genetics and distribution: Lynx rufus rufus and Lynx rufus fasciatus, occurring to the east and the west of the Great Plains, respectively. The status of the Mexican bobcat population as a genetically distinct subspecies has yet to be confirmed.
Distribution and habitat
The bobcat occurs across the contiguous United States except in Delaware. It is also found as far south as the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Baja California Sur and as far north as southern Canada. The animal tends to avoid deep snow and is seldom found above 3,500 meters (about 11,480 feet). Bobcat habitats range from conifer, deciduous, and mixed forests to shrubby fields, bushy grasslands, wooded farmland, coastal swamps, and deserts and scrublands. Rocky outcrops, caves and crevices, dense undergrowth, brush piles, and fallen logs are some of its preferred hunting and den sites. Able to adapt to human pressures to some extent, it can be found near agricultural fields and meadows that have sufficient vegetative cover for concealment.
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Since it uses a wide variety of habitats, the bobcat is considered a potential umbrella species—a species whose conservation naturally accords protection to coexisting species.
Physical features
Smallest of the four lynx species, the bobcat is 60–100 cm (24–40 inches) long, excluding the 10–20-cm (4–8-inch) tail, stands 50–60 cm (19.5–23.5 inches) at the shoulder, and weighs 7–15 kg (15–33 pounds). Bobcats in northern latitudes tend to be larger than those in the south, and males tend to be considerably larger (10 percent longer, 25–50 percent heavier) than females. The fur is grayish to reddish brown on the back and sides, white on the underparts, and black on the upper side of the tail’s tip but white on the tail’s underside. Black or dark brown spots cover much of the body, and dark stripes occur on the inner parts of the forelegs and above the tail. These markings help to camouflage the animal. The coat changes color with season and age. For instance, in winter it may look paler and grayer, whereas in summer it may have a redder tinge, as suggested by the species name rufus, which is Latin for “red.” Regional differences in coat color have also been noted, ranging from grayish in the north and east to reddish in the west.
A prominent white spot on the back of each ear, which is otherwise black, is likely used by female bobcats to help kittens follow in low light, similarly to the white underside of the tail. The tip of each ear has a short tuft of dark hair. Much like that of the Canada lynx, the face of the bobcat is framed by a ruff of fur, which forms distinct “muttonchops.”
| bobcat | Canada lynx | |
|---|---|---|
| facial ruff | smaller, without dark margin | larger, with prominent dark margin |
| ear tip | shorter tuft | longer tuft |
| tail tip | dark on upper side, white on underside | dark all over |
| paw | smaller, without furry pads | larger, with furry pads |
| coat colors | more brownish or reddish, with distinct dark spots and stripes | more grayish, with indistinct spots |
Behavior and ecology
Reproduction and development
- Scientific name: Lynx rufus
- Habitat and range: Found in the forests, grasslands, swamps, and deserts of contiguous United States (except Delaware), southern Canada, to Oaxaca and Baja California Sur in Mexico
- Dimensions: Weight 7–15 kg (15–33 pounds), length 60–100 cm (24–40 inches), height at the shoulders 50–60 cm (19.5–23.5 inches)
- Diet: Hunts rodents, rabbits, hares, deer, ground squirrels, birds, and livestock; also scavenges for food
- Conservation status: Species of Least Concern (as of 2016)
Bobcats are usually solitary creatures; indeed, males and females unite only during the breeding season, which varies with region and climate but occurs primarily from late winter through early spring. During that time, males produce distinct vocalizations to call to potential mates. The gestation period is 60–70 days, and females typically give birth once a year, although, on rare occasions, they may have a second litter later in the year. Litter size averages three, but it can be as large as six. Kittens weigh about 280–370 grams (0.6–0.8 pound) at birth and nurse for 2–3 months. At 3–5 months of age, they accompany their mother on hunts. They separate from her with the advent of the following breeding season, when they are 9–12 months old. Female bobcats attain sexual maturity at about 12 months (but may breed only from about 24 months), whereas males do so at 18–24 months. Bobcats can live to the age of 10–12 years in the wild and reportedly to the age of 32 in captivity.
Young male bobcats often travel up to 200 km (about 125 miles) to establish their territories. Usually, a male’s territory will overlap several females’ territories, which are distinct from one another. Although bobcats tend to displace the Canada lynx where they coexist, the two species have been found to interbreed in nature and produce fertile offspring.
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Diet
Bobcats feed on a wide variety of prey, including rodents, rabbits, hares, deer, ground squirrels, wood rats, groundhogs, and porcupines as well as wild turkey and other ground-nesting birds. They are adaptable and opportunistic hunters; indeed, they have been observed catching salmon, stealing reptile eggs, and even scavenging. When living close to farmland, bobcats prey occasionally on livestock and poultry. Their diet is influenced by season and location. Like some other felids, bobcats will cache an unconsumed carcass and return to it periodically to feed.
The bobcat is an ambush predator: it stalks its prey stealthily and pounces on it from close by. It is known to cover up to 11 km (about 7 miles) in one evening, hunting and patrolling territory. The bobcat is less inclined than the lynx to swim or climb trees, although it can leap more than 3.5 meters (about 12 feet) to catch its prey.
Ecological and economic value
The bobcat is ecologically important as a generalist predator and may have a controlling effect on populations of rodents and lagomorphs. This in turn can control the spread of zoonotic diseases, such as Lyme disease. Economically, the bobcat is important as a fur bearer, and it has been harvested for its pelt by both Indigenous people and settlers in North America. After trade restrictions were placed on cat species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I, demand for bobcat pelts as an alternative source of fur rose sharply, reaching a record price of $600 for a single pelt in 1979. As of the mid-2020s, a top-quality pelt could sell for $500 or higher.
Conservation status
During the 19th century bobcats were hunted extensively for their pelts: by some estimates, as many as 2,655,000 bobcats and Canada lynx were killed over the period. Hunting pressures eased in the 20th century, and the annual number of animals killed had dropped to about 46,000 by the 1960s. In 2010 the estimated bobcat population of the U.S. ranged between 2,352,000 and 3,572,000, reflecting a steady recovery since the 1990s. Populations have rebounded in many Midwestern states, where intensive agriculture almost extirpated the species. Similarly positive trends have been reported in Canada, but the animal’s status in Mexico is unclear because of inadequate monitoring and research.
Since 2016 the bobcat has been considered a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). It is included in CITES Appendix II, which lists species that might suffer a serious decline in number if trade is not restricted. Moreover, the bobcat can be legally hunted for fur in 38 U.S. states and seven Canadian provinces. Habitat destruction and unregulated hunting are the main threats bobcats face. In more-urban locations accidental rodenticide poisoning and collisions with vehicles also threaten the species. Increased urbanization can isolate bobcat populations and reduce gene flow. The bobcat’s natural predators are few, including coyotes, foxes, pumas, and owls. In Florida invasive pythons have been found to compete with bobcats for the same prey.