Bobcat In The Thicket | Mammal | Lynx Rufus | Grand Canyon National Park

Bobcat In The Thicket | Mammal | Lynx Rufus | Grand Canyon National Park.

Seen from rim to river, often hidden in plain sight, the bobcat (Lynx rufus) is as adaptable as it is elusive. A crepuscular predator, it prefers to hunt at twilight. Despite all this, sometimes they can be seen eating dead deer, midday...directly on the park's most popular trail. This cat was hazed off trail by rangers to avoid dangerous encounters with visitors, its kill moved so it could eat in peace. Spend a Minute Out In It watching this feline curl up in the riparian thicket, waiting for delivery.

Credit:
National Park Service (NPS)
NPS Video
USFWS Photo
Rader Lane

Bobcats get their name from their short “bob” tails. Their fur is usually grey to brown with spots appearing on the legs, tail, and sides. Like many felines, bobcats are crepuscular, which means they are most active at dawn and dusk. They are adventurous carnivores and can eat everything from deer to mice. They have also been known to eat pets such as cats or small dogs.

They are solitary animals who maintain territories using scent markings and claw markings on vegetation. Bobcats only come together during mating season, and both males and females may mate with multiple other bobcats. Males are not involved in raising the kittens.

Bobcats don’t usually have many predators, but they can be killed by cougars. Kittens may also be eaten by coyotes, foxes, or predatory birds. Bobcats live throughout the continental United States and are not considered threatened or endangered. They are considered small wildcats but are larger than most housecats.

Did You Know?

Bobcats are athletic predators, and can leap forward 3 meters (about 9 feet) when attacking prey. They can also swim and climb trees! Bobcats can purr just like house cats. Wild cats are divided into two categories: big cats and small cats. Small cats can all purr! Small cats and house cats purr by vibrating the hyoid bone (a bone which connects the tongue to the roof of the mouth).

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