Bobcats

Bobcat behind the UCSC Music Center (Lynx rufus)

Bobcats on campus are often mistaken for their larger cousin, the mountain lion (see Mountain Lion or Bobcat?), as well as their smaller relative, the housecat. We receive many mountain lion sighting reports that actually turn out to be bobcats - people see a bobcat, can tell it's something a little more wild than Felix the housecat, and have heard stories about mountain lions on campus, so they make a reasonable leap. In fact, it is much more likely that people would see bobcats than mountain lions; although bobcats, like most wild animals, prefer to avoid humans, they are much less elusive than cougars (mountain lions). The above photo was taken on a Spring afternoon in the Great Meadow. Many people reported seeing a mountain lion in that area around the same time the photo was taken, and at least one report was verified to be this bobcat.

Both the bobcat and its close relative the lynx (Felis lynx) are found throughout North America. The bobcat tends to occupy the more southerly areas, while the lynx tends to stay north. As their wide geographic distribution shows, bobcats are adapted to a variety of habitats, from semiarid desert to open grasslands to forested areas. Like many felines, the bobcat exhibits sexual dimorphism, meaning one sex (in this case, the males) is larger on average than the other. A small female bobcat can weigh as little as 10 pounds, smaller than many housecats; a large male bobcat can reach 40 pounds, approaching the size of a small female cougar.

Being opportunistic carnivores, bobcats will prey on animals ranging from a tiny shrew up to an adult deer. They generally prefer rabbit-sized (also known as housecat-sized!) prey, which, here on campus, can range from ground squirrels to raccoons. The bobcat pictured above was often seen hunting in the afternoons in the meadow, probably for bunnies or squirrels. Bobcats, like coyotes, can be a threat to pet housecats, so anyone living near a bobcat's territory would be wise to keep their kitties indoors at night! A bobcat's home range can vary from less than one square mile to more than 100 square miles, depending on the habitat.

Male and female bobcats generally only interact during mating, then go their separate ways. Females tend to be exclusive in their home ranges, while the males' home ranges can overlap those of several females and possibly even other males. Bobcats generally give birth in the spring after a sixty-day gestation, with an average litter size of two to four. By late fall or early winter, the young are usually independent.

Rocky ledges are the preferred habitat for bobcats in just about every type of environment they occupy. Of course, there are plenty of sites that fit this requirement here on campus, particularly in the quarry areas! Bobcats will sometimes den in hollow trees or logs, but rock ledges are ideal since they provide cover and shelter suitable for birthing and rearing their young.

Living With Bobcats

Like many of our local wild animal species, bobcats can become accustomed to human presence in their habitat. The occurrence of problems between humans and bobcats is usually very low, but since they will occasionally prey on housecats, there is the potential for conflict. This problem can be avoided by taking some simple precautions.

• Don't feed housepets outdoors! Leaving cat or dog food outside is probably the most common cause of conflict with wildlife. Not only can it attract scavenging animals such as opossums, raccoons and skunks, but it can also attract small critters like rabbits and rodents, which in turn are preyed upon by bobcats. Eliminating the source of this attraction will help to keep bobcats away from your yard, and will better protect your own pets.
• Keep pets indoors at night. Particularly in or near rural areas, bobcats (as well as coyotes) often roam and hunt at night. Even if you take other precautions such as keeping pet food indoors, bobcats may still be in the area, especially if neighbors are attracting them, and may prey on housecats.