The bobcat is is also known as a bay lynx. It is like a small lynx with a powerful body. Although the Canadian Lynx and the bobcat share some of the same territory, it is more closely related to the Eurasian and Spanish lynx.

  Bobcats are about 2 1/2 to 3 feet in length and weigh about 15-20 pounds. They have fairly large heads with long pointed ears. They have ruffs around their necks. Bobcats have tails about six inches long. The tails are  black, tipped with white. Their fur color is from light gray to reddish or yellowish brown, and markings vary from tabby stripes to spotting. The spots on their coats are for camouflage. Their color and weight will vary depending on where the bobcats live and what they eat. Bobcats have large retractable claws.  They also have good eye sight and smell for hunting.

    The bobcats are found in northeastern, central and southern USA, Southern Canada, British Columbia and Central Mexico. Their habitat is forests and swamps, but they are found in almost all types of habitat - except metropolitan areas. Bobcats live in areas from 1/4 square mile to as much as 25 square miles, depending on the habitat and sex of the animal. Females don't travel as far as males. They both roam freely at night and are frequently seen during the day, except in summer.

    The bobcat is similar to a house cat in the way it reproduces. The gestation period is 60 days. Two months after mating, two to six kittens are born helpless and blind. The kittens usually open their eyes after ten days. Litters are usually born around April or May. They may be born in any other month, except they are usually not born in December and January. Kittens will stay with their mother for 10 to 12 months. They learn how to kill their own food when the mother brings live food to the den to catch and eat. The kittens have a daily weight gain of about 25 grams per day. They become independent after one year. Their life span is from 12 to 13 years in the wild and 30 years in captivity. The bobcat population is 725,000 - 1,000,000 adult bobcats.

    In the wild, bobcats will eat small animals, birds, fish, snakes, and sometimes if food is scarce, they will hunt deer. Generally, they hunt both night and day, but they hunt also at dusk and dawn. In captivity they eat a feline diet and horse meat. Predators are cougars, coyotes, wolves, and humans.

    There are two bobcats at the Brandywine Zoo. One is named M&M (mother) and the other's name is Mia. I hope you have a chance in the future to visit the Brandywine Zoo and see M&M and Mia.

For more information:
http://www.bobcats.com/
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/plaza/abf90/bobcat.htm
http://lynx.uio.no/lynx/catfolk/rufus-01.htm   - great pictures
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azbobcat.html