Bobcats of New England

By Layla

http://www.fishbc.com/adventure/wilderness/animals/bobcat.htm

What do cats put in their drinks? Mice cubes!!!! Bobcats are part of the cat family. In this report I will tell you about their appearance, what they eat, their defense and offense, their locomotion, when they are young, their habitat, and other interesting facts.

Bobcats have whiskers on their faces. Their fur is brown, black, and white. They have black spots. The height is seventeen to twenty-three inches. They weigh sixteen to twenty-eight pounds for the males. The females weigh ten to eighteen pounds.

A bobcat is a carnivore. They eat muskrats, squirrels, mice, beavers, opossums, insects, bunnies, and birds. They have sharp teeth because they eat meat.

A bobcat must hunt to survive. Bobcats can wait and wait for their prey. They are patient. They can wait for hours, rest, and then pounce on their prey. A bobcat runs, walks, and pounces.

A mommy bobcat likes to raise her young in small caves, rocky ledges, overhangs, boulder piles, or hollow trees as den sites. The main den is usually a cave or rock shelter but can be a fallen tree. They like protected places.

Once a bobcat was caught in a foot-hold trap in New Mexico around 1931. Thousands of bobcats were killed during this time because the U.S. government wanted to destroy these predators. They killed a lot of sheep so farmers were upset. Now, more than thirty states have a bobcat trapping season. About 725,000 to 1,020,000 bobcats live in the wild today. Bobcats can live about 12-13 years old.

A bobcat’s paw is the size of a golf ball. I think this is very interesting. The paw is so big and strong. If I saw a bobcat in the woods, I would try to get away quietly because they are scary to me. They can pounce and get their prey easily. I don’t want to become their prey!

Page  created by Deb Gurwicz, Orchard School Faculty Member
To the People and Projects
Comments? Email Mrs. Gurwicz
Last Updated: 10/30/07