Hailey Cornell, Mullica Township School
Atlantic County
Bobcat. Atlantic County. Hailey Cornell
Bobcat
My name is Bobby, and I am a Bobcat. Scientists know me as a Lynx rufus. I am a medium-sized cat, about two feet long, and I weigh about 20 pounds. I am larger than a house cat, but not as large as a cougar or lion. I have known other bobcats that are yellowish-brown, reddish brown, "tabby" striped, or heavy spotted. We are very shy, so not many humans have seen us.
Populations of bobcats are restricted to North America; most often we are found in mixed forests, swamp areas around Florida, and desert and scrubland in the southwestern United States. We do not go near highly cultivated areas of the northern mid-states. We were once widespread and common in New Jersey, our species occurring in all counties. Unfortunately, relentless hunting, rapid development, and massive deforestation have made us an endangered species in New Jersey. We usually prey on squirrels, rats, ground-nesting birds, turkeys, or sometimes even small or sick deer.
We like to den in crevices in rocks, under fallen logs, or sometimes under the root mass of a tree. We breed February through June, and have one through six young. When we have kittens, the mother weans them at 12 weeks old. Our young stay with their parents until they're about 10-12 months of age. Mothers go out to hunt, and bring back live prey (like mice) so their young can practice hunting.
European settlement brought hard times for us. We were hunted, and so were our large predators. The biggest issue our population has faced has been massive deforestation. Our habitat then became fragmented. To help boost our numbers and introduce genetic diversity, wildlife biologists began a project. Twenty-four bobcats were captured in New England and released in Northern New Jersey from 1978-1982.
This human intervention and management plan has resulted in consistent bobcat sightings in Northern New Jersey. Sightings have occurred in Warren, Sussex, Passaic, Bergen, Hunterdon, and Morris counties. However, sightings have also occurred in the Southern New Jersey counties of Ocean, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem. By continuing with the management plan, and with public education about our species and how our numbers are rebounding, perhaps our once nearly extirpated bobcat population will once again roam the Garden State.
Written by: Hailey Cornell
Mullica Township Middle School, Elwood
Teacher: Mrs. Barbara Rheault