| Scientific Name: |
Felis rufus |
| Range: |
Southern Canada though US to Mexico |
| Habitat: |
Brush, wooded or grassy areas and
desert. |
| Natural Diet: |
Rabbits, squirrels, other small mammals,
birds and small reptiles. |
| Zoo Diet: |
Commercial feline meat mixture,
minerals, and vitamins. Usually eat 3 pounds of meat at a time. |
Physical
Characteristics: |
Adults are about 2 feet tall and weigh
around 20 pounds. Their fur is light to reddish brown. Some bobcats are
spotted. There is large tufts of fur on their cheeks. They
have tails that are only 3-7 inches long, sharp claws, and sharp teeth.
Bobcats can live 15-20 years in the wild and 25 years in captivity. |
| Behavior: |
Bobcats usually live alone in a
territory that is from 5 to 50 miles long. Bobcats climb trees using
their sharp claws to hold on to the branches. They are nocturnal. Their
fur changes colors throughout the seasons to enable them to blend with
their surroundings. The males mark their territory by spraying and
scratching trees. |
| Reproduction: |
Mating season is in the late winter and
spring. Females have 2 or 4 kittens each year. Gestation is
approximately 75 days. The male bobcat takes on the responsibility
of providing food for both the mother and the kittens. |
| Notes: |
Bobcats can run up to 30 miles per hour.
When they walk or run their back feet step into the same prints that
their front feet were in. |
