Come Catch the Rabbit, He Runs

 

Canada lynx in Quebec.  Photo credit: Lucas Vogel (CC 4.0 License)

Four distinct lynx species live in the world - the Eurasian lynx, the bobcat, the Canada lynx, and the endangered Iberian lynx.  The word "wildcat" most frequently refers to this animal.  The two North American lynxes, the bobcat and Canada lynx, are closely related but largely separated by geography.  Ranges of these two species overlap only along southern Canada near the border and some parts of the northern United States.  You could say that all bobcats are lynx, but not all lynx are bobcats. 

Sizes and weights of both species are similar.  Both are well-camouflaged within their environment.  Canada lynx can be distinguished from bobcats by longer ear tufts, a shorter tail with an entirely black tip, hind legs significantly longer than the front ones, and much larger paws.  These big paws resemble snowshoes - mirroring that of the snowshoe hare, which consists of most of their diet.  The Canada lynx is so specialized at hunting this animal that their numbers dramatically fluctuate in response to the local hare population.  When snowshoe hares become scarce in an area, lynx produce fewer litters until the hare numbers rebound, and many individuals will migrate to another area where their favorite food is abundant.  During these lean times, a female lynx will not breed if she does not have the nourishment to support both herself and nursing a litter.  This natural cycle is an example of carnivores regulating their own population density.  Depending on availability, the amount of snowshoe hare can range from one-third of a lynx's diet to nearly a hundred percent.  They may hunt other animals, ranging in size from voles to caribou fawns. 

This species thrives in northern, snowy environments and dense boreal forests.  The cold climate requires the lynx to conserve more energy when hunting.  A wildcat's greatest weapon is the element of surprise.  When stalking, the Canada lynx attempts to come as close to the prey as possible without alerting it.  In the winter, the lynx's coat becomes a light gray color - another characteristic similar to the snowshoe hare, which is brown in the summer and white in winter.  This trait helps both the hare and the lynx blend in and become hard to see.  Canada lynx often lie in wait along "rabbit trails" where hares are frequently found.  When they sight a hare, they will either stalk and chase after their quarry, or wait for the hare to come to them before ambushing it.  The Canada lynx's lanky build and large paws with fluffy, wide-spread toes allow them to gain traction on ice.  They can run atop deep snow that would be a significant obstacle to bobcats (which is why the ranges of these two rarely overlap).  The hares are most active at twilight and night, so Canada lynx usually hunt around this time.   However, they are not strictly nocturnal.

Bobcat in Arizona.  Photo credit: Lakeworth (CC 2.0)

Considered to be the fiercer of the two species, the bobcat would likely win in a fight.  As adaptable, generalist predators, they make use of a wide variety of habitats and prey.   Rarely seen by humans, bobcats are nevertheless widespread and have survived along the periphery of urban areas in some places.  These wildcats' elusive nature, toughness and versatility are integral to their survival and wide range throughout North America.  

Carnivores must hunt their own food to survive and consider both the size of the prey and the level of risk.  The bobcat is best suited to hunt prey weighing between one and twelve pounds.  This size range overlaps with large rats, rabbits (their most common food), hares, opossums, waterfowl, snakes, and on the upper end, small fawns.  However, mature male bobcats are also capable of taking down full-grown deer, which average 100-150 pounds.  Usually these are does already in poor condition, though bucks are occasionally taken as well.  Given the bobcat's typical 18-35 pound size, this is an impressive feat!  In the eastern United States, these wildcats are one of the few natural predators of white-tailed deer, where the overabundance of the deer has caused problems for the region's vegetation and forests.  (Cougars historically lived in the East, but were hunted to local extinction east of the Mississippi River in the 1800s.  This has contributed to the problem because cougars specialize in hunting deer.) Due to their smaller size, female bobcats are unlikely to hunt adult deer. 

Bobcat in New Hampshire.  Photo credit: UNH

Bobcats are crepuscular, like their prey.  This means they usually hunt at dawn and dusk.  Most activity occurs from three hours before sunset to midnight, and again from dawn to three hours after sunrise.  The wildcats travel along habitual routes through their territory, typically roaming 2-7 miles every night.  While on the prowl, bobcats search for hiding and stalking cover (tall grass, bushes, tree stands, brush piles) where rabbits and rodents are likely.  Lookouts like small cliffs and ledges also make good vantage points to spot prey.  Bobcats sometimes use lookouts for a more passive hunting strategy - to watch and wait for prey to come.  

Keen vision and excellent depth perception help bobcats judge how close their prey is.  The wildcat stalks in silence and remains low to the ground, keeping claws retracted.  At the right moment the bobcat springs, seizing the target with sharp claws.  As mentioned before, male bobcats can successfully hunt adult deer, mostly ones already in poor physical condition.  Deer are wary and capable of self-defense, but can be weakened by parasites, disease, stress/injuries from bucks fighting in the fall, and severe winters.  To hunt this challenging prey, he attempts to catch the deer off-guard, leaping while the deer is resting on the ground.  More frequently, bobcats hunt smaller sized animals like snakes, rabbits, rats, and mice.  To capture small prey, a bobcat pins the rodent beneath his or her paws and delivers a single nape bite.  If the bobcat misses on the initial pounce, he or she chases the quarry.  Sprinting at 30-35 miles an hour, the wildcat runs with long strides thanks to a flexible spine and muscular legs.

Running Bobcat in Florida.  Photo credit: Russ (CC 2.0)

 

Canada lynx and bobcats both show great perseverance.  If the first rabbit escapes, the wildcat doesn't give up the hunt.  He or she finds a lookout near a food or water source, rests and waits.  More opportunities will eventually come to this location.  Patience comes naturally to them.  Between sedentary periods, the wildcat keeps an alert gaze and repeats the process again.  

These remarkable animals play an important role in keeping rodent and rabbit populations in balance.  While their influence as carnivores is not as known or well-studied as that of larger animals like wolves, the wildcats have even played a role in habitat restoration projects.  A prominent example is Cumberland Island in Georgia.  In absence of any predators, the island's plant communities were damaged due to overbrowsing and grazing by deer.  After 32 bobcats were reintroduced in 1989, deer had a check on their numbers and eventually stabilized.  This allowed native oak trees to regenerate.  Green tree shoots are a deer's preferred food, and the renewal of oak proved beneficial for the island's deer that had previously been underweight.  Over an eight-year period, average deer body mass increased by 11 kg (24.25 pounds) to a healthier weight.  As of 2021, the island is currently home to 24 bobcats.  Cumberland Island continues to be monitored and is now used as a case study to determine ways to conserve the genetic viability of an isolated population - perhaps by reintroducing one bobcat from the mainland every four or five years.  Similar ecological research occurs on South Carolina's Kiawah Island, located near the city of Charleston.  The local bobcat population is currently trending in the right direction thanks to a reduction in rat poisons on the island.    

Canada Lynx in Alberta (CC 3.0)