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Lynx rufus

(Chat Sauvage)

Overview

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Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in Dutch:

Rode lynx of Bobcat

Common Names in English:

Bay Lynx, bobcat

Common Names in French:

Chat Sauvage, lynx roux

Common Names in Russian:

Рысь рыжая

Common Names in Spanish:

Gato Mont?s, Lince, Lince americano, Lince Rojo

Description

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Physical Description

Species Lynx rufus

It is cat-like in appearance , with a short tail and sharp, erect ears. The tufts on the ears of the bobcat are much smaller than those of the lynx. Likewise, the tail of the lynx has a black tip with solid gray on the remainder of the tail, while the bobcat's tail is spotted on the end and has alternate rings of dark and light hairs over the entire length . In general, the lynx is solid gray in color, while the bobcat is more mottled with black and rufous coloration . Their stuffy tails and bobbing motion identify them in the wild, as do their gray and yellow markings. The coat tends to be spotted on the flanks and striped on the face and legs . Their weight varies from 12 to 40 pounds .[1]

Has a tuft of hair on the ear tips.

Long legs: runs 15 mph, can leap 12 feet.

Color:

Thick reddish brown to brownish gray fur with small dark spots.

Size/Age/Growth

Height : 1 to 1.5 feet

Body Length : 2 to 4 feet

Weight : 15 to 30 pounds

Tail length : 6 inches

In the wild most bobcats live 2-5 years. In captivity they can live up to 12 and 15.

Habitat

swamps , deserts, and mountain ranges

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 3,180 meters (0 to 10,433 feet).[2]

Ecology: In the US, the bobcat ranges through a wide variety of habitats , including boreal coniferous and mixed forests in the north, bottomland hardwood forest and coastal swamp in the south-east, and desert and scrubland in the south-west. Only large, intensively cultivated areas appear to be unsuitable habitat. Areas with dense understory vegetation and high prey density are most intensively selected by bobcats (Nowell and Jackson 1996). The requisite features of bobcat habitat typically include areas with abundant rabbit and rodent populations, dense cover , and shelters that function as escape cover or den sites (Sunquist and Sunquist 2002). In Mexico, bobcats are found in dry scrub and grassland, as well as tropical dry forest including pine, oak and fir (Monroy-Vilchis and Velazquez 2003, Arzate et al. 2007, C. Lopez-Gonzalez pers. comm. 2007).

Like its close relative Lynx canadensis the bobcat preys primarily on lagomorphs (rabbits), but is much less of a specialist . Rodents are commonly taken, and bobcats are capable of taking larger prey, including young ungulates (Nowell and Jackson 1996, Sunquist and Sunquist 2002).

Home ranges vary with ecological setting , from 6 km for female bobcats in southern California to 325 km for male bobcats in upstate New York. Bobcats in northern and western portions of the United States are consistently larger than those in the south, possibly because the warmer climates provide a less variable prey base (Sunquist and Sunquist 2002). Density estimates include 48/100 km in Texas (Heilbrun et al. 2006); 25/100 km in Arizona (Lawhead 1984); 25-30/100 km in NW Mexico (Moreno et al. in press ); et al. 2007). [3].

List of Habitats:

Biology

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Diet

Like other cats, bobcats hunt mostly at night, but may also hunt during the day. They can bound with speed for short distances , but can be overtaken by a rider on horseback. Their diet includes rodents, rabbits, grouse, quail, deer, W.H. Brandenburg domestic poultry, and some insects.[1]

insects, fish, amphibians , reptiles , birds, and mammals. (animals weighing 1.5-12 lbs .)

Reproduction

Bobcats mate from February to September and usually give birth to three kittens 60 days later. Normally one litter is produced by females each year.[1]

Females are able to produce cubs by 1 year of age. Males are fertile 2 years after birth. Both sexes are reproductive for the rest of their existence. The pregnacy lasts for about 2 months. 2-4 cubs per litter. Cubs are born with eyes shut. Cubs nurse for 2 months and then are gradually given meat to eat. 3-5 month old cubs go hunting with their mothers. Breeding season is in February and March.

Behavior

The bobcat is shy and seldom seen. It is a savage fighter when cornered or when taking prey .[1]

Bobcats are great wanderers. They can be found in open valleys, but prefer cliffs and rocky slopes , which provide dens for them. (Ref. 109946)

Predators:

They depend on seclusion more than flight to stay clear of their major predators , humans. Coyotes, and perhaps mountain lions, also prey on bobcats.[1]

Taxonomy

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Synonyms

Felis rufus Schreber

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Last scrutiny: 15-Aug-2007

Placed in Lynx according to genetic analysis (Johnson et al. 2006, Eizirik et al. 2008)[3].

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Lynx

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 9 species and subspecies in this genus:

L. canadensis (Canadian Lynx) · L. lynx (Eurasian Lynx) · L. lynx lynx (Eurasian Lynx) · L. pardinus (Ischer De Waldheim) · L. rufus (Bay Lynx) · L. rufus californicus (Bobcat) · L. rufus escuinapae (Mexican Bobcat) · L. rufus floridanus (Bobcat) · L. rufus rufus (Bobcat)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 29, 2008:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. New Mexico Wildlife. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Version of April 24, 2009. [back]
  2. Mean = 609.670 meters (2,000.230 feet), Standard Deviation = 788.670 based on 184 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
  3. Kelly, M., Caso, A. & Lopez Gonzalez, C. 2008. Lynx rufus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 01 February 2012. [back]
Last Revised: 2012-05-01