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| Although The Bobcat is the only member of the lynx group verified as being in the Algonquin Highlands, there are possible visitors of the Cougar and the Lynx. The Bobcat is the only species of lynx to have a white tip on its six inch “stubby” or “bobbed” tail, giving the animal its name. Being the smallest member of the lynx group, it stands 50 to 60 cm at its shoulder and weighs 6.8 to 13 kg. The male Bobcat's body is about 80 to 100 cm long, including a short tail of about 12 to 15 cm. The coat varies from an intense reddish-yellow brown with grey, to an almost brownish grey, with mottling or dark spots. Its underside is whitish. It has large yellow eyes. The retractable claws on its front feet are about 4.5 cm long. They have long legs, a ruff of facial fur on the cheeks and a tuft of hair rising from the tip of each ear. During the breeding season, the two sexes seek each other briefly, resuming their solitary ways after several days. Mating generally occurs in late winter to early spring, resulting in two to four offspring. The kittens are generally born in secluded dens, and are well furred and spotted at birth. It is not unusual for the male Bobcat to help provide food for the young, who will remain with the mother for nearly a year. The Bobcat is active mostly during the night and is very secretive. The Bobcat’s diet consists mainly of hares, rabbits, and birds. They also hunt and eat small prey like mice, ground squirrels, chipmunks, and muskrats. Sometimes they even scavenge the remains of dead animals. The Bobcat doesn't chew its food. It uses its sharp teeth to cut small pieces of meat and swallows them whole. The male and female Bobcats have home ranges or territories. The male Bobcat’s is much larger than the female’s, with an average range of 150 sq. km for the male, to only 15 sq. km for the female. |
(Family Felidae)
Lynx rufus
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