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Wisconsin has a healthy population of bobcats!![]()
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Bobcats are very elusive and rarely spotted by humans, but they have been documented in all of Wisconsin’s 72 counties.![]()
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There are three wild cats native to Wisconsin: bobcats, Canada lynx, and cougars. Today, only bobcats are known to breed in Wisconsin, while Canada lynx and cougars are very uncommon. Bobcats are medium-sized felines, about two to three times the size of a house cat. Adults typically weigh between 15 and 35 pounds and measure from 30 to 40 inches in length. Males are larger and heavier than females. To positively identify bobcats, look at their ears and tails. They have small but visible black tufts of hair on the tips of their ears and white spots on the back of their ears. Their “bobbed” tail is relatively short, about a third of the length of their body. The underside of their tails is white with a black tip. ![]()
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Bobcats are difficult to observe because they are well camouflaged. The sides and back of their coats generally appear reddish brown in the spring and summer and more silvery gray in the winter, while their bellies are always white. They also have faint black spots on their bodies and stripes on their faces, allowing them to blend in when hiding in thick underbrush. Bobcats have stealthy habits and are crepuscular animals, so they typically limit their activity to twilight, hunting for snowshoe hares and cottontail rabbits. They also eat rodents, squirrels, birds, and bats. When food is scarce during winter, bobcats sometimes hunt during the day and might even try to catch big prey, such as sick or injured deer. The rest of the time, bobcats rest and sleep in one of the dens located in their home range. They are highly territorial and will scent their range and make distinctive claw markings on trees to let others know of their presence.![]()
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What signs of winter do you see? Visit us for a hike or take a walk around your neighborhood looking for cyclical events influenced by seasonal changes. ![]()
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Photo: Suzanne deDisse, Pixabay![]()
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#PhenologyFriday #Bobcat #WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside
