Download WHR Species Accounts - mlyru - Province of British Columbia

BOBCAT
Scientific Name: Lynx rufus
Species Code: M-LYRU
Status: Yellow-listed
Distribution
• Provincial Range
Bobcats are distributed in the southern and central portion of the mainland. They are absent from the
Coast Range north of Bute Inlet.
• Elevational Range: Sea-Level to Timberline
• Provincial Context
Their provincial population is estimated at 5000 to 10000 (Stevens and Lofts 1988).
• Project Area:
Ecoprovince: Southern Interior Mountains
Ecoregions: Columbia Mountains and Highlands, Southern Rocky Mountain Trench
Ecosections: Eastern Purcell Mountains, East Kootenay Trench
Biogeoclimatic Zones: IDFdm2; ICHmk1; ICHmw1; MSdk
Ecology and Key Habitat Requirements
Bobcats are adaptable and therefore are found in a variety of different habitats. They inhabit forested
habitats, wetland habitats and agricultural habitats. Rock piles and broken rocky ledges are used for
breeding, raising young, and shelter from climatic extremes. They also use dense stands of brush, low
hanging conifer boughs, hollow trees and logs as rest areas and thermal cover. Deep snow can
sometimes impede their movements (Banfield 1981).
Bobcats are primarily small game predators. Snowshoe Hares are an important item in their diet.
Other items in their diet include Cottontails, small mammals, birds, reptiles, poultry, Porcupines, deer
and vegetation (Stevens and Lofts 1988).
Breeding occurs in early spring. One to seven kittens are born from late March to July after a gestation
of between 50 and 60 days (Banfield 1981). Birth and early maternal care occurs in dens. Denning
sites include caves, crevices, under logs, or secluded rocky, brushy areas. The kittens remain with their
mother until the following January.
Habitat Use and Life Requisites
The life requisites that will be rated for Bobcats are: feeding, security/thermal cover and reproducing
(birthing) which are described in detail below.
• Feeding Habitat
Bobcats feed primarily on small mammals but they will occasionally kill a deer. They hunt in rocky or
broken terrain with good cover for stalking. It has also been found that they will use recently logged
areas as these habitats provide food and cover for prey species (Stevens and Lofts 1988). They also
forage in forested habitats including Douglas-fir forests and Englemann spruce - subalpine forests.
Bobcats have also been known to use recently logged areas, as these sites provided food and cover for
prey species (Stevens and Lofts 1988).
• Security/Thermal Habitat
Bobcats use rock piles and broken rocky ledges for security and shelter from climatic extremes. They
will also use dense stands of brush, low-hanging conifer boughs, hollow trees and logs as rest areas and
thermal cover (Stevens and Lofts 1988).
• Reproducing (birthing)
Bobcats give birth to kittens in dens in caves, crevices, under logs, or secluded rocky, brushy areas.
They may also utilize talus slopes and rock outcrops with caves for denning and reproducing purposes.
Seasons of Use
Table 1 summarizes the life requisites required for each month of the year.
Table 1. Monthly Life Requisites for Bobcat.
Life Requisite
Feeding, Security/Thermal
Feeding, Security/Thermal
Feeding, Security/Thermal,
Reproducing (birthing)
Feeding, Security/Thermal,
Reproducing (birthing)
Feeding, Security/Thermal,
Reproducing (birthing)
Feeding, Security/Thermal,
Reproducing (birthing)
Feeding, Security/Thermal,
Reproducing (birthing)
Feeding, Security/Thermal
Feeding, Security/Thermal
Feeding, Security/Thermal
Feeding, Security/Thermal
Feeding, Security/Thermal
Month
January
February
March
Season
Winter
Winter
Winter
April
Winter
May
Spring
June
Spring
July
Summer
August
September
October
November
December
Summer
Fall
Fall
Winter
Winter
Habitat Use and Ecosystem Attributes
Table 2 outlines how each life requisite relates to specific ecosystem attributes (e.g., site
series/ecosystem unit, plant species, canopy closure, age structure, slope, aspect, terrain
characteristics).
Table 2. Terrestrial Ecosystem Mapping (TEM) Relationships for each Life Requisite for Bobcat.
Life Requisite
Feeding Habitat
Security/Thermal Habitat
Reproducing Habitat
(birthing)
TEM Attribute
- site: site disturbance, elevation, aspect, structural stage
- soil/terrain: bedrock, rock outcrops
- vegetation: % cover by layer
- mensuration: coarse woody debris
- site: elevation, aspect, structural stage
- soil/terrain: bedrock, rock outcrops
- vegetation: % cover by layer
- mensuration: coarse woody debris
- site: elevation, aspect, structural stage
- soil/terrain: bedrock, rock outcrops
- mensuration: coarse woody debris
Ratings
There is and intermediate level of knowledge of the habitat requirements of Bobcats in British
Columbia
and thus, a 4-class rating scheme will be used.
• Provincial Benchmark
Ecosection:
Biogeoclimatic Zone:
Habitats
• Ratings Assumptions
1. Open forested habitats with coarse woody debris will be rated ≤ 3 for feeding and security/thermal
cover.
2. Rock outcrops will be rated ≤ 2 for security/thermal cover and reproducing.
Table 3. Summary of habitat requirements for Bobcat in the study area.
Season
All
All
Life Requisite
Feeding (FD)
Security/Thermal(ST)
Structural Stage
2-7
3-7
Spring
Reproducing (RB)
3-7
Requirements
Rocky, broken terrain with good cover
rocky ledges, dense stands of brush and coarse woody
debris
Rocky, brushy areas with caves, crevices or coarse
woody debris
• Ratings Adjustment Considerations
Final capability and suitability map products may incorporate 1) landscape heterogeneity and
connectivity; 2) habitats adjacent to significant anthropogenic disturbance regimes (e.g. settlements);
3) interspersion of different structural stages within the landscape.
Literature Cited
Banfield, A.W.F. 1981. The Mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press. Canada.
Stevens, V. 1993. Wildlife Diversity in British Columbia: Distribution and Habitat Use in
Biogeoclimatic Zones Draft Report. Wildlife Interpretations Subgroup. B.C. Ministry of
Environment, Lands,
and Parks. B.C. Ministry of Forests. Victoria B.C.
Stevens, V. and S. Lofts. 1988. Wildlife Habitat Handbooks for the Southern Interior Ecoprovince.
Volume 1: Species Notes for Mammals. Wildlife Report No. R-15. Ministry of Environment,
Wildlife Branch. Victoria, B.C.