Trevor Crochet, Monmouth Beach School
Monmouth County
First Place, Monmouth County, Bobcat (c) Trevor Crochet
The Bobcat
I am a member of the cat family that is smaller than both the tiger and lion. My species and I are spread across the whole state of New Jersey and there are very few of us left in New Jersey. I am the bobcat. My prey includes rodents, birds, turkeys and sick deer. My fellow bobcats and I have great vision and hearing, so we can sneak up on our prey. When I am trying to find food, I always have to avoid the traps the hunters set to catch us.
When we reproduce, which happens between February and June, the females have their babies. Each litter a female produces has between one and six babies. The babies usually live in dens, crevices in rocks, under fallen logs, or under the root mass of a fallen tree. We feel safe in these spots. The mom brings back mice so the babies can practice hunting. When the kittens are about 10-12 months old, they abandon their mother and live on their own for usually 12-13 years.
What I want people to know about me is that I am listed on the endangered species list in New Jersey. Also, we are extremely shy animals and are hardly able to see. If you keep killing us for meat and our fur, we may no longer be here in New Jersey in a couple of years. Since you keep killing us, there won’t be any of us left. The rest of the bobcats and I need a lot of protection because we want to live as long as we can.
The other bobcats and I need serious protection because we are listed on the endangered species of New Jersey. That means that there aren’t a lot of us Bobcats left in the state. What you can do to try and save us is to spread the word that the Bobcats are endangered.
PLEASE help the other Bobcats and me! We want to live a long life, but we can’t. When you cut down trees, our home is shrinking. Sooner or later you will cut down all the trees in our home. Then we will be roaming the streets and that puts both of us in danger. It is up to you to save me and the rest of the Bobcats. Just PLEASE help! We are begging you! If not, we may end up in every corner of your town just trying to survive. HELP US!!!
Written by: Trevor Crochet
Monmouth Beach School, Monmouth Beach
Teacher: Ms. Jones