Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
northern parts of its range, falls far short of the lynx's incredibly thick, luxurious pelt. Even the bob-
cat's markings are more catlike; its pronounced facial patterns closely resemble those of the tiger tabby
model of the house cat, as well as those of a number of the world's small-to-medium wild cats.
If the lynx is a specialist, bound by evolution to the snowshoe hare, the bobcat is a supreme gener-
alist. Rabbits, hares, mice, voles, squirrels, grouse, small birds, birds' eggs, snakes, frogs, crustaceans,
and dead—though not rotting—animals are all grist for the bobcat's mill. Although some of its prey are
cyclical, the bobcat has a wide array of alternative sources to keep it fed.
Only in severe winters in the northern extension of its range is food likely to be a serious problem
for the bobcat, whereupon it often turns to the carcasses of dead deer to carry it through. Bobcats are
also known to kill deer during particularly harsh winters. Small deer, less than a year old, are usually
its victims, but sometimes older deer are also killed, usually by very large male bobcats. Despite these
occasional depredations, the bobcat doesn't rate as an important predator of deer.
Even more than its lynx cousin, the bobcat is a stalker and pouncer. A bobcat may sprint after prey
for short distances if the effort seems warranted, but that's not its usual hunting technique. Bobcats are
noted for their slow, cautious stalking, and one will sometimes remain for considerable periods beside
a burrow, waiting for its unsuspecting prey to emerge.
A friend of mine, Paul Kress, witnessed an amazing demonstration of a bobcat's slow, patient stalk-
ing technique, as well as its uncanny ability to pinpoint the location of a fairly distant sound. Turkey
hunting in Massachusetts, Paul was seated on a log, dressed in camouflage clothing, using a turkey call
from time to time.
A movement caught his eye, and he was astonished to see a bobcat creeping ever so cautiously in his
direction. Paul froze, keeping absolutely still in order to avoid alerting the bobcat. On came the bobcat,
step by slow step, until it actually started up the log on which Paul was sitting.
At that point the cat seemed to sense that something wasn't exactly as it should be, although it
seemed unsure why. It halted, then very slowly backed away before gradually melting into the forest.
Even though Paul had stopped calling as soon as he saw the bobcat, the cat seemed to know the precise
spot from which the supposed turkey calls had emanated!
Because they feed on such a wide array of creatures, bobcats are far less demanding than lynx in their
habitat requirements. Everything from large, wild tracts of northern forest to farm country to scorching
desert serves as home for this versatile cat. No doubt this versatility accounts, at least in part, for the
bobcat's relative abundance. Estimates of North America's bobcat population vary widely, but even the
lowest are nearly three-quarters of a million, while the high estimates are double that.
The preferred denning sites for bobcats are crevices in rocks or ledges, wherever these are available,
but hollow logs, pockets beneath blown-down trees, and similar places also serve very well. In usual
cat fashion, bobcat kittens are born with their eyes closed. The average litter size is two, but sometimes
there are as many as four. Like the lynx and other cats, the kittens open their eyes after about ten days,
and begin to forage with their mother after a few weeks. The kittens sometimes leave their mother in
