Bobcat
Felis rufus or Wildcat
Description
- The color of the bobcat is tawny (greyer in the
winter) with indistinct black spotting. The tail is short
and stubby with 2 or 3 black bars with a black tip above
and pale or white below. The face has broken black lines
which radiate onto the broad cheek ruff. Average weight
is 15-35 pounds with the male being larger than the female.
Distribution
- The bobcat primarily occurs in scrubby country and broken
forests, but adapts to swamps, farmlands and arid lands
if they are rocky or brushy. They are spottily distributed
from coast to coast throughout southern Canada.
Biology
- The litter ranges from 1-7 young who are born late April
to early May. A second litter in one year is not uncommon.
It is an excellent climber who often waits in the trees
to pounce on their prey which includes rodents, hares,
squirrels and birds; they also may take the occasional
deer. Larger prey is cached and revisited. Predators of
the bobcat include cougars, coyotes, wolves and humans,
who use their fur for trim.
Tracks - The bobcat track is easily distinquished
with a round shape, four toes and no claws evident. It
is generally twice the size of a domestic cat's print
and loosely resembles that of a coyote or dog but is more
rounded. At greater speeds the toes of the front foot
spread easier than that of the hind one which has a smaller
ball pad.
Straddle:
11-12 cm (4.4 - 4.8 in)
Stride: 25 - 35 cm (10 - 14 in)
Track: 4.5 cm (1.8 in) long / 4.5 cm (1.8 in) wide
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