Felidae

All felidae

Lynx

lynx canadensis

Bobcat

Cougar

felis concolor
aka mountain lion, puma

Habitat

Behaviour

behaviour

distribution

Habitat

appearance

distribution

appearance

behaviour

distribution

Habitat

appearance

  • short faces
  • small round ears
  • large whiskers
  • 5 toes on front feet
  • 5th toe on ankle
  • retractable claws

Other Animals

size

  • largest in BC
    • 65-75 cm
    • 180-210 cm long
    • 45-90 kg
  • females smaller

body parts

  • slender body
  • long, cylindrical tail
  • small round ears
  • prominent whiskers
  • male (tom):
    • prominent penile sheath
  • female:
    • darker hair around vulva

colour

  • grey or red-brown tail & head
  • paler belly & rump
    • white chin, throat & chest
  • back of ears, base of whiskers & tip of tail dar
  • mature & 2nd growth forests
  • rocky & mountainous terrain
  • also seashore & estuaries
  • sometimes near humans
  • south of peace & skeena rivers
  • expanding range

  • usually quiet but range of sounds possible
  • rarely seen, but curious
  • usually nocturnal
  • solitary except during breeding
  • gestation of 3 months
    • 2-4 kittens

prey

  • main prey is deer
  • also moose, elk, mtn sheep
  • beaver, mice, squirrels, porcupines,
    snowshoe hares, birds too
  • incapable of long chases
    • will stalk prey
    • jump onto shoulders & neck
    • bite @ base of skull

colour

  • winter:
    • solid gray
  • summer:
    • yellow-brown
  • white, speckled underbelly
  • tail tipped black
  • long, black ear tufts
  • large pale cheek ruffs edged w/ black
    • looks like beard

body parts

  • short tail
  • long legs
    • rear longer than front
  • large, well-furrred paws

size

  • 45-60 cm tall
  • 80-90 cm long
  • 18 kg
  • boreal forests
    • mixed deciduous & coniferous
    • cover of burned areas & natural clearings

isolated wilderness, east

  • prey are mostly snowshoe hares,
    • also rodents, birds, young deer, moose, caribou
  • excellent climbers
    • flush prey into open and catch
      with short bursts of speed
  • dig with paws or use as snowshoes
  • solitary & nocturnal except mating
    • mating Feb/Mar
    • gestation 9 weeks
  • not very vocal but may yowl and purr

colour

  • buff & brown
  • black streaks & spots
  • tail has dark bars
    • tip black only on top

body parts

  • ear tufts, face ruff and feet are smaller
    and less conspicuous than lynx
  • less "leggy" than lynx
  • versatile carnivore
  • highly adaptable
  • prefer semi-open, brushy forests

distributed farther south than lynx

size

6-16 kg

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