History of the Animal Bobcat

The bobcat appears similar to a housecat.

A North American mammal, the bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a medium sized member of the cat family, Felidae. Difficult to spot in the wild, this animal is well adapted to life on amost every continent. Bobcats are crepuscular hunters, meaning that they conduct most of their hunting during evening and morning twilight.

Origin and Evolution

Lynx, the cousin of the bobcat

Fossilized remains of bobcats indicate the genus Lynx has its origins in Africa. The earliest fossils date the bobcat to 3.2 to 1.8 million years. Like the modern-day cats, the bobcat is a descendant of the Miacidae family, a carnivorous mammal that lived about 65 million to 33 million years ago and is believed to be the predecessor of all modern carnivores, including the cat family, Felidae. These carnivores possessed the ability to climb, and the modern-day bobcat retains this skill. The earlier species of the bobcat, Lynx issiodorensis, existed before the first Ice Age and was much larger in size. The bobcat gradually reduced in size as it evolved toward the modern day Lynx rufus.

Lineage

The bobcat is also connected to the panther (Panthera) lineage; the lynx genus having separated from it roughly 2 million years ago. The evolution of the panther lineage divided into to two feline groups: the domestic cat lineage and the ocelot.

Habitat

Bobcat's coat alows this animal to blend in with its natural environment.

A versatile feline, the bobcat is capable of inhabiting most areas in the world. The habitat of the modern bobcat covers most of North America, ranging from northern Mexico to southern Canada. Bobcats live in temperate forests, mountains, semi-deserts, deserts, swamps and scrub-land. The bobcat is a solitary animal and will not share its territory with other cats. Farmers, fearing for their livestock, observe the bobcat presence with hostility and hunt or trap the bobcat to prevent attacks on livestock.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

The lifespan of an average bobcat is shorter than that of a domestic cat, ranging from 12 to 13 years. In domestic captivity, however, the bobcat can live up to 30 years. Breeding season for bobcats is late winter and early spring. The gestation period for the female bobcat is between 60 to 70 days. Females generally produce a litter of one to six young in the spring.

Threats

Bobcats are versatile predators, generally hunting wildlife in their own territory; however, bobcats are also predators of livestock, such as chickens, young calves and other farm animals. Bobcats are also hunted for their fur. The bobcat habitat faces destruction from the expansion of human population.

References

• University of Wisconsin: Bobcat Natural History
• Defenders of Wildlife: Bobcat
• DersertUSA: The Bobcat
• Smithonian National Zoological Park: The Great Cats
• San Francisco State University: The Biogeography of Bobcat

Resources

• Wildlife Species Guide: The Bobcat