| Of the five cat species found in the Southwest, the bobcat
is the most common. It is found in rough, broken terrain, principally
in the Upper Sonoran Zone, but also in the Lower Sonoran and the Transition
Zones of Arizona. It is larger than a domestic cat, and has a short
tail and ears with short tufts at the tips. Its summer coat is yellowish
tan with scattered dark spots and usually several black “tiger” stripes.
The winter coat is yellowish gray with the same black markings. This
large cat weighs from 15 to 40 pounds. It is smaller than jaguars
and mountain lions, but shares many of the same characteristics as its
larger relatives. Among the characteristics shared is a timidity
toward humans. Although chiefly nocturnal, the bobcat will prowl
by day. Its diet consists mostly of cottontails, jackrabbits and
small rodents. It will occasionally kill young deer, pronghorn and
ground-nesting birds. Like most predators, it also catches numerous
insects. Strangely, although it is at home in trees, the bobcat spends
little time off the ground. The belief that it preys on cattle plus
the value of its pelt has led to declining bobcat populations in some areas. |
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