Bobcat
Lynx rufus

The Bobcat and its cousin, the Lynx (L. canadensis), are small to medium sized forest cats. The smaller Bobcat tips the scales at about 7-9 kilograms.

A coastal subspecies is found as far north as Bute Inlet; its pelage is a reddish buff colour. The interior Bobcat is paler and greyer, and it may be found throughout the eastern half of the province, north to about Williston Lake.

Unlike the larger Lynx, the Bobcat has rather small feet and short legs, and does not do as well in deep snow. It chooses to live in forests where there is good canopy cover, or in some cases a warmer southern exposure. Here they hunt small mammals, birds, and even some reptiles. They are primarily nocturnal.

A litter of Bobcat kittens, ranging between one to four in number, are born in late spring or early summer. They stay with their mother until their second year, when they move off to make their own way in the wild.

Depending on the availability of prey, an adult Bobcat may need as much as 100 square kilometers of home territory to sustain itself, so they have to set about finding a suitable area.

Bobcats are not often seen, but their numbers appear to be stable, as the beautiful little cats go about their lives in the wilds of British Columbia.