The bobcat is a beautiful animal that lives naturally on the east and west coasts of the United States, southern Canada and central Mexico. People often hunt for her, because the population is high and there is no ban on shooting.
Appearance
This animal is also called the red lynx. In length, it reaches 50-80 centimeters. In height - 30-35 centimeters. The bobcat can weigh between 6 and 11 kilograms.
Although the color of its coat is reddish-brown with a gray tint, there are also completely white or black individuals. It is very similar to an ordinary lynx, but not as large. Her paws are shorter and narrower. In winter, they are covered with long and thick hair, which gives the animal the ability to move through deep snow.
On the inside of the short and curved tail, the red lynx has a white mark. The tail has a length of 20-35 centimeters. Her head is round, her muzzle is short. There are tassels at the ends of the ears. Thick hair grows along the edges of the muzzle, forming sideburns. The red lynx, which is described in this article, sheds in spring and autumn. Her coat is soft and silky.
What to eat
To get your food, it's wildthe animal goes hunting. The red lynx always attacks from behind. At first, she sneaks for her prey for a long time, and when she creeps up at a distance of one jump, she pounces on her and kills her. To do this, she bites through the carotid artery or simply breaks her neck.
Most of the bobcat's diet is made up of hares. 1/3 of its food is ground squirrels, porcupines, mice, squirrels, voles and other small rodents. Sometimes she attacks deer, goats and even domestic dogs and cats. Of course, farmers don't like lynx attacks on livestock, so they hunt it. Thus, they become the owners of valuable fur.
In a hungry time, a red lynx can eat insects, bats, snakes, fruits of plants. Sometimes she has to eat carrion or steal prey from hunting traps. The more food, the higher the number of red lynx. Its peacefulness also depends on this factor. If there is little food, then fights often occur between individuals. For an adult male, a sufficient portion is 2.5-3 kilograms. Sometimes he eats 5-6 kilograms. Moreover, predators of similar parameters eat much more.
One hare is enough for an adult for 2-4 days. A red lynx alone will master a roe deer in 3-4 days. But over the carcass of a sika deer, you will have to work hard for 1.5 weeks. The red lynx does not start hunting until it finishes the previous prey. She sometimes hides the rest in the ground. Often she has to drive away foxes and wolverines from her territory, who strive to feast on the meat she has got.
Lifestyle
Often this animal is called a lynxNorth America, although it lives not only there. In general, this lynx can live in the desert, and in the swamps, and in the rocks, and on the plains. Even big snow doesn't bother her. The main habitat is spruce-fir forests. Taiga, forest-steppe and forest-tundra are also suitable for red lynx.
It is almost impossible to meet it during the day, because it goes hunting early in the morning or late in the evening, with the onset of twilight. Although in winter it can hunt during the day. But the lynx not only hunts, but also rests. To do this, she chooses familiar places and often walks along the same paths she has trodden. Often the lynx, which is described in this article, climbs trees. There she can hide from persecution. From danger, the red lynx runs away in big leaps or climbs higher. In order for the hunt to be successful, this animal has everything it needs.
It's a cat
Muscular body and strong paws allow her to jump over high obstacles and jump forward for considerable distances. Excellent vision and excellent hearing allow you to track down prey. Although the red lynx has a weak sense of smell. Sharp claws pierce the victim and do not let her escape. They also help climb trees. During the hunt, the lynx hides its tracks. She walks with her paws so as to leave as few prints as possible.
The red lynx, described in this article, can arrange shelters in hollows, among rocks and bushes. Her behavior resembles that of a domestic cat. If an animal is angry, its ears are pressed down and its tailwalks from side to side. Interestingly, a lynx kitten can be tamed. If you take him into the house as a baby, then he will get used to people and become completely domestic.
Private space
Red lynx is a solitary animal. Males and females share a territory where they live alone. But females with cubs can live on the territory of the male. Animals mark their sites with urine and excrement, and also leave claw marks on trees. The male can have a territory of 100 square kilometers. Females own a smaller territory - 50 square kilometers. If the female is ready to breed, the smell of her urine changes, so the male will know about it.
Reproduction
Usually this happens with the onset of spring. If all the females living in the territory of the male are ready to mate, then he will mate with everyone. During pregnancy, which lasts about 53 days, the female prepares a shelter for herself and future lynxes. She covers her lair with moss and leaves. Lynx kitten immediately after birth is blind and helpless. Babies' eyes open on days 7-9.
Lynxes feed on mother's milk for 2-2.5 months. In total, up to 6 babies are born in the litter. Lynx kitten needs care. Mother patiently takes care of him, licks him, warms him, saves him from danger. If the den where the mother lives with the lynxes is discovered by enemies, then she will transfer the babies to a safe place.
Caring Dad
Until the kittens open their eyes, the father has no rightapproach the shelter. But as soon as they begin to feed on their own, he takes care of the food of the mother and children. The male feeds all the females and cubs that are in his territory. Moreover, he not only provides food for the kids, but also participates in their "education". The red lynx family keeps together. Over time, after about six months, the mother trains her kittens to hunt. She does this by example. Adults are considered to be individuals who have reached one and a half years.
In nature, the bobcat has enemies. These are large predators. But man also destroys these beautiful animals for the sake of beautiful fur. Maybe we should not do this, because otherwise the populations will decline and the red lynx will disappear from our planet.
