The Elusive Bobcat

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GLOSSARY
Bobbed Tail	A short tail, only growing 4 to 6 inches long
Carnivorous	Eating mostly meats
Elusive	Avoiding contact with others
Crepuscular	Active in the late evening and early morning
Solitary	Liking to be alone
Territorial	Claiming an area of land for its activities

Bobcats appear cute and cuddly because they are not much bigger than a house cat. They weigh between 15 and 40 pounds when full grown. The kittens are cute, fuzzy and lovable. There are typically 2 to 3 kittens in a litter, but there can be as many as 8!  

Looks can be deceiving. Bobcats can be very aggressive. They are territorial and can have a home range of as little as 2 square miles or as much as 20 miles. The size of their territory depends on the time of year and the weather.

The carnivorous bobcat is crepuscular. It hunts its prey during the late evening and in the early morning. They eat a diet that consists of rabbits, moles and other small mammals. Occasionally, they will even take a small deer. When they kill larger prey, they will eat a portion and save the rest.

Bobcats have several distinct physical features. On the tips of their ears, they have tufts that are typically black in color. They tail of the bobcat is also unique. It is normally only 4 to 6 inches long, commonly referred to as bobbed, with black on the end.

Prior to settlement, bobcats were abundant in areas where there are now Ohio State Parks. The habitat needed by the bobcat to survive is no longer found in much of the state, therefore the bobcat is listed as an endangered species. Check out the map to see which Ohio State Parks provide the right habitat for the bobcat. If you manage to catch a glimpse of a bobcat, you can consider yourself very lucky!

Aren’t Elusive Bobcats interesting?

Photos Courtesy of
Rebecca Postanowicz
of Lioncrusher’s Domain