Bobcat

Bobcat

Native to many areas of North America, bobcats are small members of the lynx family named for their short "bobbed" tails. Bobcats are about twice the size of an average house cat, and have gray, tan or reddish-brown fur with dark spots. They have furry cheek ruffs and tufted ears.

Fast Facts

Weight: 13 to 30 lbs
Length: 30 to 50 inches
Height: 17 to 23 inches
Average life span: 10 to 12 years
Can live up to 25 years in captivity
12 subspecies
Estimated 725,000 to 1,020,000 bobcats in the wild

Habitat

Bobcats are elusive and nocturnal, but have shown themselves highly adaptable to a variety of environments including swamps, forests, deserts and even suburban areas. Bobcats are solitary animals with large territories in which they usually have one main and several auxiliary dens for sleeping.

Bobcats prey mainly on rabbits and small rodents, but will also hunt birds, fish, insects and even deer. The bobcat hunts by stealth, sneaking up on its prey, then leaping as much as ten feet to deliver a deadly pounce.

Categories

Animals | Science | Mammals

| View Note History

Did you mean: Charlotte Bobcats?

The Mahalo Top 7

Wikipedia: Bobcat
National Geographic: Bobcat Profile
Smithsonian National Zoological Park: Bobcat Facts
BBC Science & Nature: Bobcat, Red Lynx, Bay Lynx Statistics
San Diego Zoo's Animal Bytes: Lynx & Bobcat
Big Cat Rescue: Bobcat Profile
Defenders of Wildlife: Bobcat, Lynx Rufus

Bobcat News and Articles

Radio Iowa: "Bobcat Population Continues to Grow in Iowa" (2007)
Colorado State University: Colorado Researchers Study Impact of Habitat Fragmentation (2007)
Gateway to Sedona: Wild Bobcat Spotted in Sedona Arizona Residential Neighborhood (2007)
MSNBC.com: Florida man Gets Upper Hand Against Bobcat (2007)
Humane Society US: HSUS Asks New York Wildlife Official to Pardon Bobcats and Fishers...(2007)
Illinois Department of Natural Resources: Once Rare Bobcats Stage Big Comeback in Illinois

Bobcat Background and Behavior

Research Conservation and Education: Bobcat Ecology
University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Lynx Rufus, Bobcat
DesertUSA: Bobcat Description and Habitat
Big Cats Online: Bobcat Distribution, North America
Montana Fish and Wildlife: Bobcat Detailed Information
University of Wisconsin: Bobcat Lynx Rufus Natural History

Bobcat and Humans

Big Cat Rescue: Hunting Bobcats
Global Action Network: Fur Trade
World Animal Foundation: Adopt An Animal, Adopt A Bobcat

Bobcat Fun Stuff

YouTube: Ginger the Potty Trained Bobcat (Time: 00:33)
Bear Tracker: Bobcat Tracks and Natural History
Whats Your Sign: Bobcat Animal Totem

Bobcat Photos and Videos

Google Image Search: Bobcat Photos
Google Video Search: Bobcat
YouTube: How to Identify Bobcat Tracks: Animal Tracking Techniques (Time: 2:40)
YouTube: Bobcat Being Affectionate Close-up! (Time: 1:05)

Bobcat Blogs and Forums

The Mexican Bobcat
LA Cowboy: Mountain Lion Or Just A Really Big Bob Cat?
big Cat Rescue: Looking for Lynx in the Swiss Alps
Rurality: Bobcat Valentine
Big Cat News: Oregon City Considers New Ordinance Because of "Pet" Bobcat

Bobcat-Related Organizations

Bobcat Books and Related Merchandise

Animal Den: Plush Animal: Bobcat
Animal World: Bobcat Gifts at Animal World
Amazon.com: Bobcat Merchandise

Related Pages on Mahalo

Potty Trained Bobcat | Lions | Tigers | Leopards | Cheetahs | Endangered Species | Zoology | Cats | Mammals | Elk | White-Tailed Deer | American Black Bear

This page was created by Lindsay F, a Part Time Guide in the Mahalo Greenhouse (see the original), mentored by Lori M and curated by Colette L.
If you'd like to help us create the best spam free search results on the Internet, apply to be a Part Time Guide!