Our visitors can already see our pair of bobcats , who came to our zoo from the Czech Republic. These red-furred animals are the smallest of the lynx species alive today, and are only twice the size of a domestic cat.
The base colour of the species is usually brownish-red and this is where its Latin and Hungarian names come from.
The hind leg, which is generally observable among lynx types and is way longer than that of the foreleg, is the least typical in this species and the characteristic tuft is only 3 cm long and sometimes it is missing.
Its natural habitat ranges from the southern part of Canada, through the United States of America to Mexico and occurs in almost all habitats except deserts. They prefer those areas, where there is covering and they are able to scout their victim and are able to hide. Its main method for hunting is ambush attack, mainly for preys weighing around 5 kg.
Its territory is maintained by exrement, urine and claw marks.
These graceful looking animals are part of several Indian mythologies. According to a Shawnee legend for example embers were fell on the bobcat’s fur leaving it singed with dark brown spots, but some tribes display the cunning nature of the bobcat in their folk tale.
