SEASONAL FOOD-HABITS OF BOBCATS (LYNX RUFUS) IN SUBTROPICAL BAJA-CALIFORNIA-SUR, MEXICO

Citation
M. Delibes et al., SEASONAL FOOD-HABITS OF BOBCATS (LYNX RUFUS) IN SUBTROPICAL BAJA-CALIFORNIA-SUR, MEXICO, Canadian journal of zoology, 75(3), 1997, pp. 478-483
Citations number
63
Categorie Soggetti
Zoology
Journal title
ISSN journal
00084301
Volume
75
Issue
3
Year of publication
1997
Pages
478 - 483
Database
ISI
SICI code
0008-4301(1997)75:3<478:SFOB(R>2.0.ZU;2-S
Abstract
The annual and seasonal diet of the bobcat (Lynx rufus) was determined from analysis of 188 feces in the Cape region of Baja California, Mex ico, an arid zone with numerous subtropical elements in its flora and fauna. Bobcats fed mainly on lagomorphs, which reached 74% of occurren ce, followed by rodents (40%), reptiles (15%), and birds (12%). No sea sonal variations were observed. The results were consistent with those of studies elsewhere, indicating that bobcats still rely upon lagomor phs for much of their food in southern latitudes. This supports the hy pothesis that lynx have evolved to prey on hares and rabbits. The prev alence of reptiles as prey of bobcats in our study area was the highes t ever reported. They were reported as bobcat prey in only 1 of 20 stu dies from north of latitude 40 degrees, but in 14 of the 18 studies ca rried out south of this latitude. With regard to feeding on reptiles, the habits of bobcats in Baja California Sur resemble those of other s imilar-sized felids in tropical areas, such as ocelots (Felis pardalis ) and servals (Leptailurus serval).