Bobcat

Bobcat

Description

The bobcat is a medium-sized wild cat of North America, reaching 65–105 cm in body length and weighing 6–18 kg. It has reddish-brown fur marked with dark spots, a white belly, short ear tufts and a short, black-tipped tail that gives the species its name. It looks like a smaller relative of the Eurasian lynx but has shorter legs.

Habitat

The bobcat ranges widely across North America, from southern Canada through the United States to Mexico. It is highly adaptable and lives in coniferous and deciduous forests, scrubland, grassland, swamps, desert edges and mountains, and is often found close to human settlements.

Diet

A skilled predator, the bobcat feeds mainly on smaller mammals such as rabbits, hares and rodents, along with birds and reptiles, and will occasionally take deer fawns.

Reproduction

Bobcats are not monogamous. Gestation lasts about 60 days, after which the female gives birth to 2–4 kittens in a sheltered den.

Lifespan

In the wild bobcats typically live 7–10 years, while in human care they can reach up to 20 years.

Did you know?

The bobcat moves almost silently and often goes unnoticed even near people. It is an excellent climber and swimmer, and can hold a territory of up to 30 km² which it marks with scent.